Frequently Asked Questions

Domain Registration Questions

  1. 1. Can my domain be made up of any of the characters on my keyboard?
  2. 2. How do I find out who registered the domain name I wanted?
  3. 3. Why can't I register .edu.ph and .gov.ph domains on your website?
  4. 4. Someone is cyber-squatting on my domain name. How do I get it back?
  5. 5. Can I register a Domain Name without having a Web site?
  6. 6. Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?
  7. 7. What if the name I want is not available?
1.  Can my domain be made up of any of the characters on my keyboard?

Not quite. A PH domain name:

  • must have at least 3 characters and not more than 63 characters. We suggest keeping it at 20 characters or less so it's easy to remember and so all mail programs can handle it.
  • may not begin or end with a dash, though a dash can be used in the middle of the domain name (like jrs-express.ph)
  • must be made up of alphanumeric characters (a to z, 0 to 9). You can't have spaces, punctuation marks (except dashes) and any other characters in a PH domain name.
  • can't be made up of purely numbers (like 1234567.ph). Use your imagination and throw some letters in there.

 

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2.  How do I find out who registered the domain name I wanted?

It's on the WHOIS. Search for the domain you want on our homepage. If the domain is no longer available, mouse-over the extension and click on 'WHOIS'.

     whois

If the domain has Private Registration, then the information is kept private and you need to contact us to see if the information can be released.

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3.  Why can't I register .edu.ph and .gov.ph domains on your website?

dotPH does not administer the ".gov.ph" or the ".edu.ph" subdomains. You may visit their respective websites at:

 

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4.  Someone is cyber-squatting on my domain name. How do I get it back?

If you think you have a better right to that domain name than the current owner, you can:

Take legal action, a long and often costly process.

Contact the current owner and see if he's willing to sell it to you. You can contact our Helpdesk for assistance.

File a dispute with one of our accredited Dispute Resolution Providers, which is faster and less costly than going to court. Please see Policies for detailsor contact our Helpdesk for assistance on how to file. Keep in mind that dotPH does not involve itself in domain disputes, leaving the matter to be resolved by the independent Dispute Resolution Provider.

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5.  Can I register a Domain Name without having a Web site?

Sure. Even without a website, you can use your domain name as an email address. It's more professional than using a free Yahoo or Hotmail address.

More importantly, registering your brand as a domain name protects you from cyber-squatters and other people who want to make money off your hard work.

Domain Names can be registered and "parked" on our server until you are ready to launch your Website.

Click here to see if the domain name you want is available.

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6.  Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?

If your market is the Philippines, getting a .PH domain name will give you an edge.

Search engines prioritize local websites in localized searches. One way for them to figure out that you have a local website is through the domain name. That means searches made on Google will give websites with.ph domains a higher priority and your site will show up higher on the search results.

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7.  What if the name I want is not available?

You can try searching for a different name or a variation of the name you desire. Remember that the domain name you get should be an accurate reflection of your business or brand. And the shorter it is, the easier it is for people to remember.

If you have your heart set on a particular domain name, you can use our Brokerage Service. We'll contact the domain owner and attempt to negotiate a sale on your behalf.

Contact our Helpdesk for assistance.

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