.bb

Template:Short description Template:Infobox top level domain

.bb is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet for Barbados. It is administered by Telecommunications Unit which is part of the Ministry of Innovations, Science and Smart Technologies for the Barbados Government.

HistoryEdit

The .bb top-level domain has been maintained by several administrators since its creation, the first of which being the University of Puerto Rico.

In 1996, the Government of Barbados sought the relegation of .bb to the incumbent local exchange carrier, Cable & Wireless (BARTEL) Ltd.

A 2001 Memorandum of Understanding was then later signed between the Government of Barbados and both Cable & Wireless (Bartel) Ltd. and its sister company Cable & Wireless (BET) Ltd., to continue the administration of the ".bb" domains until the government selected alternate directives.Template:Citation needed

In November 2007, .bb was again relegated to the Telecoms Unit within the Government of Barbados.<ref name="re-delegation">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

RegistrationEdit

The Government has indicated that the government's policy will be to maintain a semi-restricted domain.

Legal issues regarding domains are to be handled by the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) arm of the Government.Template:Citation needed

The fee for Barbados' main ccTLD and all of the second and third-level domains is BBD$120 annually,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> significantly higher than most other domains.

At present. the .bb namespace does not allow for commercial licenses to entities without some connection to Barbados. Any person desirous of registering a ".bb" domain is required to fill out Form TU052 and send it the Telecommunications Unit for review.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Second-level domainsEdit


Domain	Users
.co.bb	General use (usually commercial)
.com.bb	Commercial entities
.net.bb	Network providers
.org.bb	General use (usually for not-for-profit organisations)
.gov.bb	Barbadian government organisations
.edu.bb	Barbadian educational organisations
.info.bb	General use
.store.bb
.tv.bb
.biz.bb

TimelineEdit

1991-09 – University of Puerto Rico is delegated the .bb domain.
1996 – The .bb ccTLD becomes re-delegated from Univ. of Puerto Rico to Cable & Wireless.
2001-10-16 – The Government of Barbados and Cable & Wireless sign a MOU for the later to maintain interim-administration of the .bb ccTLD.
2007-11 – The Government of Barbados assumes total administration and control of the .bb ccTLD from C&W.<ref name="re-delegation" />