As most people already know by now, top level domains are very important in many aspects of various internet activities. Top level domains give the vast horizon of the cyberspace a sense of territory, classification, or segmentation. They can be likened to fences that determine boundaries, identities, and associations-- elements that are very necessary to organize the complex world of cyberspace. Domain names are host names that provide more easily memorable names to stand in for numeric IP addresses. So instead of website owners and web browsers memorizing numeric internet protocol addresses, they just have to resort to domain names. Also, domain names allow for any service to move to a different location in the immeasurable vastness of the Internet.



Top level domains aid in having a more structured, sometimes stratified, internet environment. With the continuously increasing dependence of mankind to the internet, it is then vital that there be signposts and frameworks for cyber navigation. This is especially true for online businesses, worldwide organizations, and for large-scale enterprises operating in different continents of the world. This has been a long-standing concern for businesses in Asia. Asian *online business players* have been lagging behind their counterparts in Europe because they lack a territorial mark in the internet. This lacking has for so long made them free-flowing entities in the world of online business and trading. Finally, the long-awaited mark is here.

The establishment of Asia Registry is a big step forward for online traders and markets in Asia.

At long last, the lucrative Asian market has now been recognized and given the niche it deserves. With the unstoppable explosion of innovative business and trading practices, tapping the Asian market has long been overdue. Asia, for one, has the most number of phone lines among all the regions of the world. The number is almost twice the figures in the Americas, and almost 90 percent more than western Europe's figure. This fact promises great potential for domain businesses since telephone lines are the key elements for internet connections and all web users online activities subsequently. You can just imagine how viable a market Asia is.

The International Telecoms Union (ITU) in Geneva actually confirmed and quantified the potential of the Asian market and Asian traders as well. The ITU said 25 % of the world economic production, roughly at US$37 trillion, is from the Asian economy. Asia also holds 40% of the total telephone connections all over the world. Instra Corporation made the right move to launch the Asia Registry. The Asia Registry will be the specialized domain name registration hub country code top level domains, covering Asia and the Pacific.

Actually, another development that will unravel to the world the richness of Asian market is underway. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has made known to the public the proposed registry deal it is discussing with DotAsia Organization Limited. If the talks would materialize, DotAsia Organization Limited will be be the legitimate registrant for the .ASIA generic top-level domain. If things would unfold as planned, the efforts of Instra Corporation and the DotAsia Organisation Limited are believed to make Asia a robust domain registration industry market.

Instra Corporation is a major figure in the domain name industry on a worldwide level. The major services it offers are domain name *portfolio audit*, consolidation, consulting, and name management system. It also services various companies with domain directors reseller plan. Currently, Instra Corporation is focusing on developing the area of Electronic Numbering (ENUM), a technology converging domain names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. The DotAsia Organization Limited, on the other hand, is a non-profit corporation that sponsors, establishes, and operates a regional internet name space for Asia aimed to attain global recognition. Its main thrust is addressing the needs of the Asia Pacific internet community by lobbying for an independent Asian region top-level domain.