similar website names

[Mike200]

I have registered and developed a fully functioned website <A HREF="http://www.e-"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e-"CityName".com</A> which provides free advertisement services. Yesterday, a gentleman from a well-established company called me and asked me to change the name of my web site, since his company has registered and developed a web site named <A HREF="http://www.e"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e"CityName".com</A> before I did, otherwise the company will bring me to the court. I have checked and compared the two web sites. The objectives and contents of the two websites are different.

My website: <A HREF="http://www.e-"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e-"CityName".com</A>
The company's website: <A HREF="http://www.e"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e"CityName".com</A>

Questions:
1. Am I infringing the company's rights?
2. If not, what should I do?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[HomeGuru]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike200:
I have registered and developed a fully functioned website <A HREF="http://www.e-"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e-"CityName".com</A> which provides free advertisement services. Yesterday, a gentleman from a well-established company called me and asked me to change the name of my web site, since his company has registered and developed a web site named <A HREF="http://www.e"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e"CityName".com</A> before I did, otherwise the company will bring me to the court. I have checked and compared the two web sites. The objectives and contents of the two websites are different.

My website: <A HREF="http://www.e-"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e-"CityName".com</A>
The company's website: <A HREF="http://www.e"CityName".com" TARGET=_blank>www.e"CityName".com</A>

Questions:
1. Am I infringing the company's rights?
2. If not, what should I do?

Thanks,

Mike<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My opinion is that the names are similar and the hyphen is the only difference. If the other domain name was registered with Internic first, they are first to use the name. If they have not trademarked the name, you could, then you would have a better case.