Developer FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions specific to .tel developers
.tel Technology Applications Integration APIs
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.TEL TECHNOLOGY
How is .tel different from other domains?
A typical top-level domain (TLD) stores IP addresses in the DNS and returns them when queried. The .tel DNS prohibits storage of A-records (address records) and operates with other record types: NAPTR, TXT and LOC to enable direct storage of contact data; see Record Types.
What's a NAPTR record? What are the key benefits of a NAPTR record?
Shortly and in connection with .tel domains: NAPTR records are communications-specific type/value pairs that can be ordered. For example, you could have a phone number (one NAPTR of type “voice:tel” with value “+13105551212”), followed by an email address (another NAPTR of type “email:mailto” and value “[email protected]”).
You can also label each NAPTR record, for example the phone number could be labeled “my home”. Another key benefit of NAPTR records is their extensibility. New NAPTR types can be created as new means of communications are developed, making the .tel solution a very powerful long-term communications hub. The full definition of a NAPTR record, in the Wiki.
Do I need to understand DNS to use the .tel platform?
No. All you need to know is how to interpret the DNS query results, and we will provide you with libraries and sample code for that. You surely do not need to know the complexities of the DNS infrastructure, but it may be generally a good idea to learn how things work at some point, and that includes DNS basics. For a list of useful materials about the DNS, see External Links.
What DNS server software am I restricted to use?
There is no restriction as to what DNS server software to use. However, some older DNS servers may be incompatible with the EDNS0 standard necessary for proper hosting of a .tel zone file.
If your DNS server is relatively up-to-date (within the past few years), it supports EDNS0. If your DNS server is older than that, you probably have major security holes that need patching!
What about data security?
Owners of .tel domains may not want to share their data with every Internet user; to restrict data access, the .tel platform includes a “friending” mechanism based on data encryption. Please see a high-level explanation at the Security page and more in the blog entry about the privacy model by Telnic Ltd. CTO, Henri Asseily.
Can I use .tel instead of OpenID?
.tel puts you in control of your communications and allows you to centrally manage and securely publish all your means of communications. OpenID solves a totally different problem, which is cross-site authentication, otherwise called “single sign-on”. See the Wikipedia article on OpenID for more information.