BEIJING, July 13 -- Websites designed for cell phones and other mobile devices have got their own top-level domain name: .mobi.

    The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet's governing body, has approved the creation of the ".mobi" domain suffix. The move is aimed at easy use of Internet-based mobile services.

    A joint venture of mobile technology companies, mTLD Top Level Domain, expects to start issuing Internet .mobi domain names in the first half of next year, the company said. It has been contracted to provide the registry service for .mobi for the next ten years, mTLD said.

    The company, which was formed by Microsoft, Nokia, the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) Association, Vodafone Group PLC and other heavy hitters, has completed a contract with the ICANN that formalized the creation of the .mobi domain, IDG News Service reported.

    The initiative is also aimed at creating opportunities for content providers, ISVs and ASPs to extend Internet-based services to their customers, mTLD said. Enditem

    (Agencies)