Gmail domain dispute looms for Google in China

By Sophie Taylor

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Google, fighting to consolidate its trademark globally, faces an obstacle in the world's second largest Web market -- China's www.Gmail.cn, which is refusing to sell its Internet address to the U.S. giant.

A legal source told Reuters on Monday that Google was trying to buy the Internet domain name www.gmail.cn, which is run by Beijing-based ISM Technologies.

The name closely resembles Google's internationally known email service, www.gmail.com, and the colours in which the two logos are written are similar. The ".cn" suffix is commonly used for Chinese domain names.

Google recently began offering free Gmail accounts in China to promote its brand among local users.

"Google has contacted Gmail.cn about the Web address and logo issue, but there is no progress so far," said a legal source in Shanghai familiar with the situation.

ISM Technologies -- which on its Web site www.ism.net.cn claims to be the largest wholesale Internet domain registrar accredited with Chinese government-backed Internet body CNNIC -- refuses to sell, but there is as yet no sign that Google will sue, the source added.

Google's China spokeswoman Jin Cui did not answer repeated calls to her mobile phone. A spokesperson for Gmail.cn could not be contacted by telephone calls to the company's Beijing offices.

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