Registering a .pt domain sucks big time — its expensive (20 euros, about 3 times more expensive then .com) and complicated. If you do not have a registered trademark or its not your enterprise name, then forget it – it is impossible. Of course if you are a public entity with such name, than you may have it, but i will just skip this rules part, because in a common case that all does not make any sense. Also, because of such rules you could not actually sell any domain, which from one side stop the cybersquatters but from the other side if FCCN would rule the internet, then everyone would go to amazon.on.sapo.pt and ebay.iol.pt at best. I always lived in the countries where domains are free to register, and i do not see any reason why in Portugal it should be any different. And no, i do not like the com.pt domains at all, though i know some people who has such domains and i did site for such domains, but why should someone need .com.pt, when .pt is still available ?
If you have a business or want to start on in Portugal, or you are thinking about starting any online community — start with registering a trademark (think time and money), and only after your have all the papers you may initiate the register process. The FCCN — the authority, responsible for the internet promised last year to open the registration on the 1st of May 2008.
A lot of people started pre-registering .pt domains paying some money to the clever internet providers. Of course when the time came, FCCN announced that they would delay the liberalization for an undefined period of time, which was not such a big surprise remembering the history of the .pt domains. I was one of those who while being close to register a couple of .pt domains decided to give it “some time”, or in other words to wait and see. Well, it was worth of not doing anything, and for sure i wont enter in any such scheme involving FCCN anymore.
I am angry on the stupid attitude of the FCCN, the liberalization of the .pt domains in Portugal would help the development of the internet, and by preventing the liberalization they only help those who have enough money and time to register a trade mark or found a firm, but in the big sense preventing portuguese internet from growing. I just think that this attitude is completely stupid.