.ag

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
.ag
Introduced3 September 1991
TLD typeCountry code top-level domain
StatusActive
RegistryNicAg
SponsorNone
Intended useEntities connected with  Antigua and Barbuda
Actual useSees some use, most of which is unrelated to Antigua and Barbuda; used largely by companies in German-speaking countries where AG has a special meaning in company names, though its use in Germany is restricted by court order
Registration restrictionsNone
StructureNames can be registered directly at the second level; third-level registrations are also available under some second-level labels
DocumentsRegistration terms and conditions
Dispute policiesUDRP
DNSSECYes
Registry websiteNic.ag

.ag is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Antigua and Barbuda.

Second and third level registrations[edit]

Registrations can be made at the second level directly beneath .ag, or at the third level beneath:

  • .com.ag or .co.ag (intended for commercial entities)
  • .org.ag (intended for organisations, especially nonprofits)
  • .net.ag (intended for network operators/providers)
  • .nom.ag (intended for individuals)

There are no restrictions on who can register.

Domain hacks[edit]

In addition to its original intended use as a country code, the .ag domain has been marketed for use for agriculture-related sites, and for sites referencing the atomic symbol for silver, Ag. It also has a potential use for other domain hacks for English words that end in -ag. The Heritage Foundation uses .ag for URL shortening (herit.ag).[1]

".ag" used to mean "Aktiengesellschaft"[edit]

Aktiengesellschaft, abbreviated AG, is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but not Liechtenstein or Luxembourg.

Legal status of .ag in Germany[edit]

A German court (5. Zivilsenat des Oberlandesgerichtes Hamburg) ruled in July 2004 that a .ag domain may only be registered by an Aktiengesellschaft, and then only by an AG that has the same name as the domain. For example, a company with shareholders in Germany having the name X AG may not register as y.ag.[2][3]

Use in Greenland[edit]

Sermitsiaq uses the TLD.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Domain of Antigua & Barbuda". Dynadot.
  2. ^ (in German) http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/49249
  3. ^ (in German) http://www.internet4jurists.at/domain/e_deutsch.htm

External links[edit]