The more I looked at .tel domain, the more I realized that the information provided on it was no different from any other domain extension I could open and insert the same information on it. Just how many personal pages does one need to be happy? The last thing I need is to be available 24/7 to the public.

It's like I tell my wife - just because the phone rings, it doesn't mean I have to answer it. Caller ID is the next best thing to sliced bread.

Exposure is important - look at Coke and Pepsi. We all know who they are, yet they pound us with commercials constantly. Why? Because branding is an ongoing strategy. A .tel domain is just another avenue to brand your services. When I compare that pricing and ROI to the thousands of dollars we spend on Google AdWords, that investment is a drop in the bucket.

We always have staff available 24/7 and our clients are given emergency escalation procedures with contact info on everyone up to our President - work phones, cell phones and email addresses. Availability drives repeat business.

its a new ext and it is quite costly i searched for one but they were charging it 7$

Cost is relative to what you gain. The cost for a help wanted ad here in the Post Dispatch is close to $400. A Google Adword bid of less than $5 won't get one keywork ad listed in the top two pages - not in this industry. That $7 is a cost that works for you 24/7/365.

Even at these nominal rates, I think the money could be better spent elsewhere.

If you have a business, publish the contact information on your main site under a "Contact Us" link. It's worked so far.

So what you're recommending is to have your contact information in one place on the Internet - not on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter? Not on advertising banners, or direct mail campaigns? Has anyone ever rented a booth at an Industry Expo? It's advertising - with full expectations that it should drive business. It might seem trivial and a duplication of effort, but I'll glady duplicate my advertising dollars across a myriad of venues if the ROI isn't upside down. It's very hard to be upside down on a $7 investment.

You know that's not what I meant. I was referring specifically to having your contact information on a .tel domain v. placing your contact information on your main website.

I just think .tel is a waste of money like most of the other new extensions. You shouldn't have to keep up with the latest extensions. The total yearly renewal fees for these can definitely be spent more wisely in other places.

Of course companies should try and maximize the return on their advertising/promotion dollars.

I think businesses should take great care with these dollars, however.

I mean, it may seem like a great idea, but why .tel?

What about if .contact, .email, .directions, .maps, .phone, .cell, .fax, .website all come along? Do you really think businesses should register each of these just to "duplicate" efforts?

EXAMPLE: Google.tel
Do you really need .tel to redirect you to .com?

Very good points. By the same token, do you really need to have MySpace and Facebook accounts. Of course not - but it's all proportional to how much time you devote to branding your company, and on what your ROI is on that effort. The more you promote your business across multiple platforms, the greater the odds are of a greater return on your investment - in dollars and time. It's all about selecting what venues suit your business. Do I want my business to pop up on Google Maps - absolutely. If .phone extensions became available, YES, I think I'd be there.

Question is: how many people would type in Hostirian.tel in the browser address bar before they try Hostirian.com? And would that someone be worthy to pursue?

The BIGGEST advantage of a .tel extension, as I see it, is its ability to be totally integrated with mobile devices such as iPhone. You can simply direct to .tel page and be connected to anyone through any mean. Not sure if there is an ability to sync contacts to keep the latest info up to date, but there are certainly benefits of such domain.

Good Points - so you're saying using an emerging technology like iPhones, combined with a .tel domain extension may have some business application? Worthy to pursue? One of the first things I learned in sales was to NEVER prejudge.

I'm sure there will be acceptable ways to keep the .com address and have it accessible on mobile phones.

For instance m.example.com (mobile-dot) kills the .mobi extension, so maybe something like c.example.com (contacts-dot) will kill the .tel extension.

@ Steve: Dude, I compeltely agree with you. Spending $7-$15 behind a .tel is completely worth it because it another mean/appreaoach to increase one's brand visibility..you know, just as a .com

Artashes: Do you know that just like a .com, even a .tel shows up on the google search? now why do u think so many organization have a facebook/twitter accounts? to increase visibility?
how does itincrease visibility and popularity?:
1. Coz they are all over the search results
2. they have more means of communication
3. coz thy are more approachable (contactable).


I know i'm a bit late into this coversation

P.S. This thread really has highlted tons of points on .TEL which i never realised..thnx guys

I still haven't had a single person sign up for a .tel on my websites, been offering them for over a month now

I have 4.. Pretty useless domains!

Totally right attitude.
To answer your question - I don't know whether it has business application, but I assume it does. Having "COMPANYNAME.tel" on mobile devices is easier to remember and maintain.
You can certainly do anything you want with a .COM, BUT I think you have to design the site/page in a specific way to have your site accessible on mobile devices (and displayed properly). That's where .TEL cuts the cost.
Again, I will agree that if you are a large company or if you care about your brand enough (if your name is critical to your business success), then getting .TEL is a no brainer! Its better to invest $10/year in it than to have your customers confused later on.

Well said.
I guess not everyone sees use in .TEL, and that's exactly why it hasn't caused that much hype yet.