.bg
 | |
| Introduced | 1991 |
|---|---|
| TLD type | Country code top-level domain |
| Status | Active |
| Registry | Register.bg |
| Sponsor | Register.bg |
| Intended use | Entities connected with  Bulgaria |
| Actual use | Popular in Bulgaria |
| Registration restrictions | Must be in Bulgaria or have a representative there |
| Structure | Registrations are taken at second or third level |
| DNSSEC | yes |
| Registry website | register.BG |
The domain name .bg is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet for Bulgaria. It is currently operated by Register.BG.
The domain name registration guideline impose the following restrictions: Domains can be registered by companies or citizens of the European Union, or foreign companies that have registered branches or commercial representatives in Bulgaria.
The price of domain registration is 30 euro per year (36 € including VAT[1]).
Until mid-2006, the price was 50 USD for one-time registration plus 50 USD per year (total of 120 USD including VAT for the first year). For local standards this was a very high price and many Bulgarian sites are now registered under .com (esp -bg.com), .org, or .net domains, as the registration costs are significantly lower (8 to 12 USD per year) and less of a bureaucratic hassle.[1]
From August 25, 2008, Register.BG simplified the procedures, allowing the registration of domain names in the .bg zone without providing documented grounds (trademarks, company names) for the name.[2] Eventual disputes are to be solved via the newly established Arbitration committee.[3]
Since September 18, 2006, Register.bg proposes new, third-level domains in the a.bg, b.bg, etc., subdomains (a Latin letter or a digit +.bg), lower cost (€12/year incl. VAT), with less restrictions and no dispute resolution.[2] They are targeted mainly at private individuals.[4]
The domain has been enabled with Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) since October 2007.
On September 5, 2009, Register.bg started accepting second- and third-level domain names in Cyrillic with letters found in the Bulgarian language only.[5]
See also
References
- ^ (Bulgarian) Why Bulgarian firms avoid the .bg extension, Article by Martin Mitov in the magazine "Media sviat", december 2003
- ^ a b Terms and conditions, art. 2.3.4.2 and 2.3.5
- ^ Terms and Conditions, Arbitration
- ^ Open letter (in Bulgarian)
- ^ Terms and conditions - Label