New .scot Domain Name Launches To The Public

Scotland may have voted against full independence from the United Kingdom, but patriotic businesses and bloggers will still be able to assert their nationalism thanks to the public release of the “.scot” domain name.

From today, any businesses, individuals and organisations living or based in Scotland can now apply for .scot domains offering them a unique way to appeal to customers or clients, following an agreement made earlier this year with international regulators Icann.

Costing around £25 for a year’s registration, the new domains were initially made available for pre-order in July, with around 50 businesses registering their interest, with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government among the first to sign up.

International effect

The Scottish domain is among a number becoming available this year, such as .wales, .london, .berlin and .NYC, and follows the official launch of the shortened “.uk” domain in June.

However, .scot should  cost significantly less, as they are overseen by non-profit company Dot Scot Registry, with any surpluses raised by the selling of .scot names set to be invested into digital skills training.

“We’ve seen strong interest from many sectors. But it’s not just about the businesses – international and local – it’s about individuals and I’m hearing lots of individuals are getting involved which ties in with the whole ethos of the web being for everyone,” said Gavin McCutcheon, director of the Dot Scot Registrar, which also said that .scot email addresses should become available soon.

“That’s not to say the Indyref didn’t help. People on both sides are now wanting to express their Scottish identity more and I think it’s going to be really exciting to see what is registered tomorrow and then what websites go live quickly.”

Finance Secretary John Swinney added that .scot domain names will give people at home and abroad the opportunity to express their Scottish identity or affinity online.

“I also look forward to www.gov.scot being adopted in the coming months as the primary web address for the Scottish Government,” he said

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