News At A Glance

Co-ops may get domain name

The National Cooperative Business Association filed an Oct. 2 proposal for a "co-op" restricted domain with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

NCBA is proposing the new domain in partnership with Poptel, Great Britain's leading cooperative Internet services provider, which will serve as the registry operator for "co-op." The organizations said in a joint news release that they are promoting the new domain in order to enhance consumer choice and competition in global e-commerce, provide a domain that reflects the unique business structure of co-ops and relieve pressure on the crowded domain name system.

"Dot co-op is a domain name that will make a difference," said Paul Hazen, chief executive officer for NCBA, in the release. "The 750,000 cooperatives worldwide and their 725 million members will be able to differentiate themselves in global e-commerce."