Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I check if my business name is available?

You can use the “Buy your .tel now” search box on our home page to check if your name is available.  Please note that you cannot insert a space between the words. If your name should happen to be taken it may be worth trying a variations, including inserting a “-“ where possible. For example “yourbusiness” may be taken, but “your-business” could still be available. Once you have found a suitable name that is available it is a simple two-step process of providing your details and making the purchase. You can then populate your site and have it showing on the web within minutes.

2. Which .tel name should I choose?

If you have a business we generally recommend that the same or a similar name is used for your .tel name. This will keep consistency with your brand for your customers. If you are purchasing as an individual, your name itself is perfect, if available.

When purchasing a .tel name, take care to ensure that the name is not already trademarked. Even if a trademarked name is still shown as available, the trademark owner may still have full rights over the name and can recover it through the domain name resolution process (UDRP).

3. How much does this service cost?

The cost of a .tel name is $35.90 a year. This includes managing, hosting, VAT and the cost of the .tel name itself. There are NO other charges.

The renewal cost is also $35.90 a year with NO other charges. Your renewal can be cancelled at any time without penalty.

4. Can I see examples of other businesses and professionals who have a .tel name?

We have examples of some of our customers’ .tel names on our Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/telnames/our-customers-tel-names/.

5. Can I purchase more than one .tel name?

Yes, however, each name needs to be purchased separately. For your convenience, all your .tel names can be managed through a single account.

6. Why do I need a .tel name? I already have a .com or .co.uk site

The majority of websites are not mobile friendly and as such can be difficult to view on a smartphone such as an iPhone. It's easy to set your existing website to forward mobile users to a mobile-friendly .tel name so that they get the best possible display for their device. We have full details on how this can be done here.

Moreover, unlike other domain extensions such as a .com or a .co.uk, a .tel name requires NO hosting and includes a management console so that you can manage your name and site content quickly and easily. Finally, the content of your .tel is automatically structured in a search engine friendly way, making it easier for your customers to find and connect with you.

7. What information can I include on my .tel name?

We have an example of a well populated .tel name, explaining all of the different elements here. Include all of your contact details as well as information about your business. This should contain any terms and words that customers could use when searching for your business.

Our video explains how you can add many different types of contact details and web links to your .tel name.

8. Can I show pictures and a logo on my .tel name?

There are a number of different areas on a .tel name for including images. Our FAQ page on images explains these in detail, including providing the recommended formats and sizes for images that are added.

9. I am having some issues logging in, can I reset my password?

Firstly, check to make sure that you are entering your details exactly as you created them. Your login details are case sensitive, so it's vital that any capitals match your original settings. If you continue to have issues, please check your original sales confirmation email as this contains both your username and password.

You can reset your password at https://account.telnames.com/login/forgot. If you have also forgotten your username, please contact Telnames support at support@telnames.com.

10. How do I link my offer to Apple's Passbook?

Apple's Passbook is automatically added to the offer on your .tel name. This means that iPhone users can add your offer to their phone and get automatic updates of any changes.  Full details of how Passbook works with your .tel name can be found at http://www.telnames.com/faq/passbook.

11. Can I manage my .tel name using my phone?

Yes, we have a Telnames app for both Apple and Android devices. Once installed you can login using your existing credentials and update your .tel name on the move. More details and links to the apps themselves can be found at http://telnames.com/apps.

12. How do my customers find me on search engines?

Once you have populated your .tel name it will take a couple of weeks for Google and the other search engines to “find” and then “index” it. You can speed up this process by submitting your .tel directly to Google at https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/submit-url. You can improve your ranking in search by making sure that your .tel name is populated as well possible with unique content. Linking to or from your other website or social media pages, such as Facebook can also have a very positive effect on your ranking.

13. I have bought and populated my .tel name but cannot find it in Google

It can take up to four weeks for Google to find and display a new web page. As described above, you can speed this up by submitting your .tel name directly to Google as well as linking to and from other web pages. We have more information on improving your .tel name's visibility in our Getting Found guide.

14. Are there any other ways that I can increase the visibility of my .tel name to generate more customers?

There are a number of free ways to raise the profile of your .tel name and your business online:

1. Google Places – Google provides businesses with a free listing which, when linked to a .tel name can be used to boost your visibility in their search results. Full details on creating a Google Places account and linking to your .tel name from it can be found in our guide.
2. Yell – In addition to paid listings, yell.com also offer businesses free listings, which can drive traffic to your .tel name. Full details on creating a Yell.com account and linking to your .tel name from it can be found in our guide.
3. Yelp - Yelp listings are automatically integrated into Apple's own maps application. This makes a Yelp listing important both for search and getting found on the maps of newer Apple devices. Details on creating a Yelp account can be found in our guide.
4. Free Listings - There are many other ‘free’ directory listing sites which can be used to link to your .tel name and we suggest you search to find the ones most suitable for you.

15. How can I share my .tel name so existing customers and colleagues know of it?

Once you have populated your .tel name, it’s time to share it. We have a number of invaluable tips to help you in our Getting Found guide. These include how to add your .tel name to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

16. Do customers need to download an app to find my .tel name?

A .tel name displays like any other domain name (e.g. a .com or .co.uk) in that it is a web address, so it can be found through the search engines or by typing your .tel name into the address bar. There is no need for you or your customers to download an app.

17. How can I make sure mobile customers always see my mobile-optimised .tel name instead of my traditional website?

It is possible for you to update your existing website so that it will forward any mobile devices automatically to your .tel page. You can see an example of this by trying to access http://www.bagattis.com on a mobile handset. You will automatically be taken to their .tel page, http://www.bagattis.tel. This gives the owner confidence that their customers will always have the best possible experience, however they find and visit their page.

Our Guide to Forwarding provides you with all the information you need to set this up on your website.

18. Can I track the number of visitors to my .tel name?

Yes, we have integrated Google Analytics into each .tel name, so if you wish you can track visitors and even the actions they take on your .tel name. Our Google Analytics page explains how you can set up an account and have it tracking all visits to your .tel name.

19. Can I have a .tel email address?

Yes, you can. Your .tel name doesn't include email hosting, but you can set it up with an existing email account so that it can be used as an email address. If you currently have an email account which you would like to use please contact your provider for the names of the mail servers to use for your .tel name. These mailservers can then be added in the "Settings" area of your management console. If you have a Windows Live (Hotmail) account which you are planning to use to host your email (or are happy to set one up for this purpose), please contact us at support@telnames.com and  we can provide specific steps to do this.

20. What is the Telnames Partner Network and how do I join?

The Telnames Partner Network adds your business listing to a range of popular local search sites to help you get found. See our Telnames Partner Network page for full details.

21. I’m interested in becoming a reseller  of .tel names, who should I contact?

Please send us your details using the form on our Partner with Us page and a member of the team will be in touch.