Swedish investigation suggests new rules for .se domains

Internet Business News, April, 2000

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

While it is currently impossible for private persons to apply for an Internet domain name ending with .se, a Swedish investigation has concluded that the rules should be relaxed.

According to the results of the investigation, it should be made easier to acquire a .se address, making the process easier for companies and possible for private persons.

Companies reportedly have to go through a time-consuming process before being allowed a .se address and the company has to be a limited liability company. The complicated rules have forced Swedish companies and authorities to register Internet domain names abroad -- as an example, premiepensionsmyndigheten (the premium pension authority) has registered an address under the .nu domain. Swedish companies have also used the .com and .net domains.

The results of the investigation have also shown that the cost for a .se domain name, which is currently SEK500-1,000, could be lowered -- according to the ministry of trade and communications, the cost should at least be cut in half.

Among the proposed changes is also a suggestion for a regulation of the registration of domain names -- the buyer should also be the one who uses the domain name and the usage would be monitored to avoid people who register a domain name to make money on it. It was also proposed that Scandinavian letters (a with a dot, a with two dots and o with two dots) should be allowed in domain names.

One result of the complicated Swedish rules is that Denmark, which according to Aftonbladet is seen as a smaller country than Sweden when it comes to Internet issues, has about 150,000 domains registered with the .dk ending while there are only about 74,000 registered .se domains.

The new regulations could step into force from the start of next year if the proposal is approved by the Swedish parliament.

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