Dish DBS has announced the upcoming launch of the .mobile domain zone — a name that’s been sitting quietly on ICANN’s shelf for years. The priority registration period for trademark owners kicks off on November 10 and will last 30 days. Next in line will be mobile operators and early-access participants. For everyone else, the zone opens on February 19, 2026 — and, refreshingly, there’ll be no registration restrictions whatsoever.
Remember .mobi? It’s Getting a Challenger
The newcomer will go head-to-head with .mobi, the domain that once promised a “mobile-friendly” web nearly twenty years ago. Back in 2013, .mobi reached its peak with 1.2 million registered domains, but since then, enthusiasm has faded. Today, only about 265,000 domains remain active — a shadow of its former self.
When the .mobi application was filed — four years before the first iPhone — it seemed logical to separate “mobile” websites from the rest of the internet. Fast-forward to today, and that idea looks about as outdated as a flip phone next to a modern flagship.
A New Attempt, This Time by the Book
Dish DBS, known for its work in broadcasting and telecommunications, originally planned to use .mobile internally for itself and its partners. But ICANN said no — under its rules, only brand TLDs (those matching the trademark of their owner) can be locked down like that.
Now, playing by the rules, Dish DBS is launching .mobile in partnership with Tucows, which will handle technical operations. The new zone is designed for anyone connected to the mobile ecosystem — from telecom operators and app developers to startups and content creators.
And There’s More Where That Came From
Dish DBS doesn’t plan to stop there. After .mobile, the company may finally put to use other TLDs it secured way back in 2012 — including .sling, .dish, .latino, .dot, .ott, .ollo, .blockbuster, .dtv, .dvr, .phone, and .data. Looks like a long-overdue cleanup of the domain attic is underway.