An accented domain name, as you may have guessed, is a website address containing letters with accents. In the realm of the web, we talk more about characters than letters. But what does this mean for Moroccan website owners?
So, what does this mean for Moroccan website owners? First and foremost, it is imperative to reserve your internationalized domain name, also known as NDI or IDN(Internationalized Domain Names), containing characters not defined by the ASCII standard. In a more practical example, if you own the domain name: ministere-de-la-sante-publique.ma, you can now acquire: ministère-de-la-santé-publique.ma. Otherwise, someone else might do it instead!
An accented .MA domain name is now a reality!
If someone else decides to buy a domain name reflecting your brand without being its owner, it is called cybersquatting.
You can imagine the danger that such accented domain names can create for businesses and administrations, and especially for internet users! Yes, it's a way to generate domain names for phishing activities aimed at deceiving web users.
For instance, you might receive an "official" email from an address @ministère-de-la-santé-publique.ma, when in fact it is not the said ministry contacting you. Fortunately for us, Moroccan web authorities are proactive and will ensure that the operation is carried out gradually to minimize such issues.
Since March 1, 2017, it has been possible to register an accented domain name, i.e., with accented characters such as à, â, ç, è, é, ê, ë, î, ï, ô, ù, û, ü, ÿ. But don't get too excited; if you don't already have a domain name with us, this new feature will only be available on April 1, 2018. So to avoid any inconvenience, don't wait to reserve yours, as registered .MA domain name holders will have priority over others.
Register and Secure your accented domain name today
If you plan to acquire an accented domain name in your development project, it is crucial to register it today to avoid inconveniences, especially those related to cybersquatting. For example, www.maformationacceleree.ma can be registered as www.maformationaccélérée.ma.
A skilled search engine optimizer can then take your place in search engines. Not only will you lose customers, but you may also receive a negative brand image if the person who registered the accented domain name does not provide quality work.
Launch phases
Registration of accented domain names will be carried out in 4 phases.
- Phase 1 - from March 1, 2017 to April 30, 2017: Program launch and opening to public administrations, public enterprises, and public institutions.
- Phase 2 - from June 1, 2017 to September 30, 2017: Registration open to registered and protected trademarks in Morocco. The domain name(s) must correspond to the name of the brand. Applicants must provide a document certifying the brand registration, which is available from Moroccan legal authorities.
- Phase 3 - from December 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018: Registration of .MA domain names that have already been registered as non-accented, the domain name(s) must correspond to those already registered and must be done by the same holder, hence the importance of updating your information in your administration panel.
- Phase 4 - starting April 1, 2018: public registration for accented .MA domain names.
Get in touch!
If you have any questions about this new feature, both legally and regarding your orders, please contact us. We will be happy to help you during the registration process for your accented .MA domain name.
