Verisign loses another string confusion challenge.
Verisign, the registry for .net domain names, has lost a string confusion objection it brought against M-Net and its application for the top level domain .mnet.
M-Net is a pay-TV channel in South Africa. It applied for .mnet as a closed .brand domain name, and the closed nature weighed heavily in the panelist’s decision.
Verisign tried to argue that M-Net could change its business model in the future, and this could cause confusion with .net.
Panelist Bruce Belding considered that .mnet would be targeted to consumers in South Africa, and determined that people in this target market are not likely to be confused or misled by the coexistence of .net and .mnet domain names. He pointed out that the target market internet user is accustomed to differentiating between various domain names.
Verisign filed seven string confusion objections related to .net and lost all of them.
Rubens Kuhl says
Verisign (.net) 0 x 7
Verisign (.tv) 0 x 3
Verisign (.com) 2 x 4 (apps) or 1×3 (strings)