.ac (second-level domain)

The .ac top-level domain (TLD) is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Ascension Island. It is administered by Nic.ac, a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Worldwide. While originally intended for use by entities connected with Ascension Island, it is openly marketed and used worldwide, often associated with academic institutions due to the similarity to the abbreviation "academic." There are no residency requirements for registration. Domain names can be registered at the second level (e.g., example.ac) or at the third level under various second-level domains like .gov.ac, .mil.ac, and .nic.ac which have more restrictive registration requirements associated with Ascension Island government, military and network information centre respectively. Because of its open registration policy, the .ac TLD is sometimes used for domain hacking to create memorable domain names that end in "ac."