Some British web addresses may soon do away with their .co.uk web addresses, opting instead for the shorter, snappier .uk domain.
Nominet, the company that controls domain names in the UK, has proposed that some UK businesses be allowed to use the shorter domains.
The preceding .co is apparently three keystrokes too many for some companies, who'd rather spend the time it takes to type them in high level marketing meetings and engaging in a spot of blue sky thinking.
Captains of industry
But shedding the .co will set companies back more than the traditional .co.uk addresses, with Nominet looking to charge £20 per year for a .uk address rather than the £5 a year that the .co.uk domains currently cost.
It's not all just money in Nominet's pocket though, according to Eleanor Bradley, Nominet's director of operations, who said that the cash would be used to increase cyber security.
The direct.uk plans are under consultation until January, with security being pushed as a major benefit of the new addresses; if you have any strong feelings on the matter, check out Nominet's consultation page to find out how you can have your say.
ICANN, the organisation in charge of global web addresses and domains, has been on a bit of domain-based spree of late, green-lighting .xxx for porn as well as taking suggestions for personalised domain suffixes like .lol.
