overview

gTLDs

ccTLDs

2LDs

penetration






















related
Guides:

Networks
& the GII

Teledensity

Metrics &
Statistics





related
Profiles:

Domains
& the DNS

Digital
Divides

auDA

dot-nz  

     penetration

This page considers application of figures about the size of gTLDs and ccTLDs.

It covers -

• introduction
• ccTLD penetration
• dot-com penetration

It supplements discussion elsewhere on this site regarding teledensity and digital divides.

     introduction

Regulators, aid specialists and industry specialists have traditionally used teledensity (at its crudest the number of landlines in a nation/region on per capita basis) as an indicator of a nation's capability and an predictor of future economic performance.

Substantial variations in the number of landlines (and mobile phones and personal computers) and charges for access to that infrastructure have been reflected in debate about different digital divides. Many development initiatives have aimed to increase the 'penetration' of ICT in disadvantaged populations, ie ensure that more people - particularly in remote rural areas - have greater access to connectivity and computing through mechanisms such as community telecentres and the $100 Laptop or through privatisation of state-owned telecommunication providers.

Enthusiasts, in for example seeking to rank nations on the basis of 'e-readiness' or 'e-competitiveness', have suggested that useful measures can be derived by integrating national/regional population data with figures such as the number of -

• domain name registrations in a particular ccTLD
• dot-com or dot-net registrations by people and organisations in a particular country (who have chosen for example to register a dot-com rather than use their national TLD)
• 'live' registrations associated with a particular country or region (given that many registrations are not reflected in a discrete web site, instead either not being used or being used to funnel traffic to a site)
• sites used for particular purposes (eg for retailing or for adult content).

In practice the evanescence of much of the web and the labour involved in determining content means that there have been few definitive studies regarding penetration in relation to cctLDs and gTLDs. One example is Matthew Zook's 'Report on the Location of the Internet Adult Industry' (PDF) at 103-121 of C'Lick Me (Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures 2007) edited by Katrien Jacobs, Marije Janssen & Matteo Pasquinelli.

Conclusions about the interpretation of DNS penetration figures are problematical. Some commercial interests in Australia, for example, have asserted that Australia is "falling behind" because "there aren't enough" of dot-au registrations relative to other nations or to gTLDs. The following figures suggest that reality is somewhat more complex.

Abandonment of all restrictions in dot-au would presumably encourage a proliferation of registrations in the Australian ccTLD although that is unlikely to be matched by a correspondingly large increase in the number of Australian sites and major boost to the Australian economy. It is clear from independent examination of registrations in several of the ccTLDs and gTLDs that many domain names are not actually in use. Many are used by domainers, who often have very large scale portfolios.

     ccTLD penetration

Population figures and number of domain names (both in millions) are from the end of 2006. Penetration is ccTLD registrations per 100 people.

     com TLD penetration

Population figures are from the end of 2006. Penetration is estimated number of dot-com registrations per 100 people.

A perspective is provided by the language figures from marketer GlobalReach discussed here, with the suggestion that the online global language populations (in millions) from 1996 to 2005 were -

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