Mobile domain names to boost wireless surfing?

A group of Dutch mobile phone and internet companies, which includes Vodafone and Hutchison 3G, is introducing a “.mobi” internet domain name in an effort to entice people to surf the web using their mobile handsets. The consortium comprises Hutchison 3, the GSM Association, Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, Syniverse Technologies, TIM, Telefónica Móviles, T-Mobile and Vodafone. According to Rick Fant, Microsoft’s representative on the board of the consortium, uncertainty is holding back the development of the mobile internet.