Protecting its brand by buying Internet domain names that link the iPhone with Verizon
Here’s more evidence — as if we needed it — that Apple (AAPL) is building an iPhone for Verizon (VZ).
PocketNow‘s Evan Blass has discovered that Verizon Trademark Services LLC, the company that owns verizon.com and verizonwireless.com, now also owns iphoneonverizon.com and iphoneforverizon.com.
In an item posted Saturday, Blass writes that the sites were once owned by Jim Benton of HolyShnikes.com, whose catch phrase — “share with someone who cares” — is deliciously ambiguous.
Using whois searches, Blass turned up similar sites — such as verizoniphone.com — that are still held by domain name squatters. They may be holding out for a better offer.
Meanwhile, HolyShnikes’ Benton still owns iphoneonsprint.com and iphoneontmobile.com, in case anyone at Sprint (S) or T-Mobile (DT) is interested.
Below: The whois.com listing for iphoneonverizon.com
Registrant:
Verizon Trademark Services LLC
Verizon Trademark Services LLC
1320 North Court House Road
Arlington VA 22201
US
domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669Domain Name: iphoneonverizon.com
Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.comAdministrative Contact:
Domain Administrator
Verizon Trademark Services LLC
1320 North Court House Road
Arlington VA 22201
US
domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Domain Technician
Verizon
1320 North Court House Road
Arlington VA 22201
US
sysmgr@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669Created on…………..: 2007-01-09.
Expires on…………..: 2013-01-09.
Record last updated on..: 2010-12-09.Domain servers in listed order:
ns03.domaincontrol.com
ns04.domaincontrol.comMarkMonitor is the Global Leader in Enterprise Brand Protection.
Domain Management
MarkMonitor Brand Protection™
AntiFraud Solutions
Corporate Consulting ServicesVisit MarkMonitor at www.markmonitor.com
Contact us at 1 800 745 9229
In Europe, at +44 (0) 20 7840 1300
[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]