Afilias to provide registry services for .aero

GENEVA, Switzerland – January 11, 2006 – SITA SC, the only global communication services integrator dedicated to the travel and transportation industry (TTI), today announced that it has signed an agreement with Afilias who will provide registry services for .aero, the top level domain (TLD) of the aviation industry.

The agreement was signed following a thorough application process in which a Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by SITA SC, and where Afilias proved to be the registry operator best suited to provide registry services to the .aero TLD. The selection process was monitored, and the final choice made in consultation with the Dot Aero Council (DAC) – a representative body of the aviation community that supports SITA, as sponsor, in defining the policies and development plans for the .aero domain.

"We chose Afilias because of their technical expertise, reliability, and dedication to providing quality registry services.>" said Marie Zitkova, Head of .aero. "They operate world-class technology supporting some of the largest generic TLDs in the world, and have been intimately involved in the development of standards such as DNSSEC and enum – standards significant to the continued development of .aero for the aviation community.";

.aero domain registrants will benefit from near real-time updates to their information, more competitive pricing, and better access to domain registration services.

Under the terms of the agreement, Afilias will manage registry operations (including ensuring high availability and diverse DNS service) and will provide technical and administrative support. Through their system, SITA SC will continue to manage eligibility verification of registrants and allocation of domain names to ensure the integrity and exclusivity of the domain.

"We are pleased to have been selected by SITA to assume registry operations for the .aero TLD," said Hal Lubsen, President and CEO of Afilias. "We are confident that our superior service offering and vast experience in the transitioning of large-scale domain registries will ensure not only a successful and smooth transition, but an improvement in the overall service for .aero customers worldwide."

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