Generic top-level domainsDNSSEC
Overview
.next is a brand generic top-level domain (gTLD) created for the UK retailer Next plc. Delegated into the DNS root as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program, .next is intended to provide an authoritative, centrally managed and restricted namespace for the Next brand, its affiliates and partners, and to support Next's online retail services and communications.
History
- Designation: Brand gTLD, delegated to the Root Zone on 3 May 2016 as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program.
- Registry operator: Next plc (brand owner/operator).
- Registry entry: the available record lists Verisign in the registry field.
- Application timeline: .next was applied for during the New gTLD process (Reveal Day noted 13 June 2012 for applied-for strings) and later delegated in 2016.
Usage and Audience
- Primary users: Next plc and its affiliate entities and partners.
- Purpose: promotion and communication of the Next brand, online retail services, and to provide assurance of brand authenticity to customers and Internet users.
- About Next plc (as given in the application):
- UK-based retailer of clothing, footwear, accessories and homewares.
- More than 500 stores across the UK and Eire.
- Home shopping catalogue and an e-commerce site with nearly 3 million active customers.
- International division with over 180 stores worldwide and web presence in more than 45 countries.
Registration Rules
- Registration policy: centrally controlled and restrictive.
- Eligibility: registration will only be available to Next and its affiliate entities ("at this stage").
- Expected scale: projected 100 to 200 registrations in the initial implementation period (approximately the first three years).
SEO and Brand Impact
- Brand and trust focus: .next is positioned to increase consumer trust and brand authenticity by providing a controlled namespace under Next's direct management.
- Security and abuse mitigation: the restricted, centrally managed model is intended to reduce the risk of malicious conduct (phishing, spoofing) within the .next domain space.
- Market impact: .next is not intended to drive open competition for registrations; instead it aims to encourage improvements in consumer trust across TLD operators by offering a tightly governed brand space.
Additional Notes
- Commitment: Next indicated intent to comply with applicable ICANN operational, technical and policy requirements (including continued operations obligations per the Registry Agreement).
Operator
Next plc
Whois
% IANA WHOIS server % for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org % This query returned 1 object domain: NEXT organisation: Next plc address: Desford Road address: Enderby Leicestershire LE19 4AT address: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the) contact: administrative name: Head of Ecommerce organisation: Next plc address: Desford Road address: Enderby Leicestershire LE19 4AT address: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the) phone: +44 844 844 8888 e-mail: ngtld-next@cscinfo.com contact: technical name: Howard Eland, Senior Director, DNS Infrastructure Group organisation: Identity Digital Inc. address: 10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750 address: Bellevue WA 98004 address: United States of America (the) phone: +1.425.298.2200 fax-no: +1.425.671.0020 e-mail: tldtech@identity.digital nserver: A0.NIC.NEXT 2a01:8840:6e:0:0:0:0:62 65.22.112.62 nserver: A2.NIC.NEXT 2a01:8840:71:0:0:0:0:62 65.22.115.62 nserver: B0.NIC.NEXT 2a01:8840:6f:0:0:0:0:62 65.22.113.62 nserver: C0.NIC.NEXT 2a01:8840:70:0:0:0:0:62 65.22.114.62 ds-rdata: 39380 8 2 fd76f1a70049cc1383d9da8cbe33917b5877152f2d976e1a0806ca79c00f4658 whois: whois.nic.next status: ACTIVE remarks: Registration information: created: 2016-04-21 changed: 2023-08-11 source: IANA