If the restrictions for .Tel Domains would be removed, then they would be the "better Dot Com's" for mobile telephone Internet usage.
Furthermore, if Dot Tel domains can offer something, that Dot Com domains can't offer on a mobile phone, than Dot Tel domains would be in more favorable position.
Extensions can`t change, but restrictions can be removed, anytime.
Hardly anybody would mind to pay the hosting for a Dot Tel domain, if they had the same freedom as with a Dot Com domain. At the end, they would have the better domain extension for mobile Internet on smart phones. As people would know, that a Dot Tel domain, is like any other domain, and that it offers the same navigation possibilities.
Users used to register a Dot Mobi, only because of its extension: Because they intended to use the domain for smart phones with Internet.
The .Tel registry is doing the same thing: Offering a domain for smart phones with Internet, but with restrictions.
However, the .Tel registry is providing a control panel, for populating the domain.
It was supposed to be a no-brainer, but the friending feature was too complecated, as well as few other things.
Why not deliver a mobile friendly template, without any restrictions? And leave the hosting to the registrars?
As soon as the only difference between domains, is the extension, Dot Tel will win over the other domain extensions, for smart phone usage.
The existing dot tel concept seems to be somewhat outdated. It might of worked well, eight or ten years ago, when it was created.
Dot Tel domains are lacking exitement. And users are used to Dot Com websites.
It is difficult to sell something that is less attractive.
The biggest advantage of the Dot Tel domain, is that it is "low cost" for the domain holder / owner. And users don't know, that using it, would be also "low cost" for them. And so, users other from the .Tel owners, don't care about the costs for Dot Tel domains. They just see a weird and boring page, with some contact information on it, and a penedrant and annoying Dot Tel logo. And say, that the design looks more like a domain parking page.
The easiest and more successful thing would be, to lift all restrictions, and tel(l) the world, that Dot Tel domains are for smart phone usage. Full stop.
And everyone would "get" that, and people would start registering .Tel's, and populating them by a webdesigner, or by themselfs.
Who would care, to have to pay hosting and a webdesigner, if they get a powerfull and efficient mobile website at the end, having a fantastic domain extension (.tel)?
The ten year old Dot Tel concept needs some rethinking and remodeling. Time for change. You can't expect a ten year old concept to be successful, ten years later.
If a Internet domain does not offer more than a landing page and a folder tree, and contact information, than it should be much less expensive... Somewhere around $03,00 (tree Dollars).
Provide a person with a Dot Com address, and he knows, what to do with it.
Provide a person with a Dot Tel address, and he does not know what to do with it.
If every new smart phone had a Dot Tel search engine as default, then everybody would know, what to do with Dot Tel domains.
If Dot Tel domains would be easyer to mobilize, and offer as much freedom as Dot Com domains, then that would be clearly an advantage for the Dot Tel domains.
Ok, I think I said enough, and now it is up to you, to "thinktank" and brainstorm.
The really biggest advantage of .Tel domains, is the fact, that one can set up a mobile friendly Internet domain within a few hours (ok, you say, within a few minutes..), and which is ideal for QR-Code usage (Quick Response Code usage). Because, if you want to sell something spontaniously, and fast, you can set up a mobile friendly .Tel domain, and encode it as a QR-Code (you generate a code from a website URL, for example), and print the code and display it, where smart phone owners can scann it (and click to decode it), and then interact with you and your offer.
Speed, is what matters, and you can act fast, with a .Tel domain, a QR-Code generator, and a QR-Code reader. This sort of interaction, one can only achieve with mobile websites. And Dot Tel is already "out of the box" mobile. No need for a webmaster and a webdesigner, there. And the "no need", would be a time saver and advantage, in connection with QR-Code usage. Again: Time saving matters.
Cheers.
