.ls
.ls is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Lesotho.
| Introduced | 1993 |
|---|---|
| TLD type | Country code top-level domain |
| Status | Active |
| Registry | Lesotho Network Information Centre |
| Sponsor | Lesotho Communications Authority] |
| Intended use | Entities connected with  |
| Actual use | used by anyone |
| Registration restrictions | There are published policy guiding domain registration under .ls |
| Structure | New registrations are taken on second and third level, below one of the existing second-level labels |
Second-level domains
Registration to .ls is open to the public, anyone can register second level domain through the accredited registrars that can be found on Lesotho Network Information Centre (LsNIC) website.
There are also registrations on third level as shown below
| Domain | Intended purpose |
|---|---|
| .ac.ls | Academic or educational organisations |
| .co.ls | Commercial entities, companies |
| .gov.ls | Government departments, can only be registered through the ministry of Communications, Science and Technology |
| .net.ls | Network infrastructure |
| .nul.ls | National University of Lesotho used only by the university and can be registered by them only |
| .org.ls | Non-commercial entities |
| .sc.ls | Primary and High schools |
The list may change very soon since the Registry is currently busy defining new third level domains to suit the market.
History
The .ls domain was established and first delegated on 13 January 1993, with the National University of Lesotho as the sponsoring authority. Initially, Rhodes University acted as the registry and hosted the primary name server, a situation that continued until September 2012.
In April 2012, the sponsoring authority changed from the National University of Lesotho to the Lesotho Communications Authority, the national communications regulator, in line with the newly promulgated Communications Act (No. 4 of 2012). In January 2016, a non-profit company, the Lesotho Network Information Centre (LsNIC) was established to take over registry operations. Re-delegation of the zone was completed by IANA in March 2017.