The Global Domain Market in 2011: Key Events. New gTLDs
The domain market underwent significant changes in 2011 that will significantly impact its future. These changes concern both the logical structure of the domain name system and the strengthening of its security.
In 2011, ICANN made a landmark decision to expand the domain name system. The New gTLD program sparked heated debate and even protests in the domain name community.
During the 42nd ICANN meetingwere discussedproblems of introducing new top-level domain zones (the New gTLD program). Vice-President of the European Commission Nelly Kruus believes that the New gTLD program wasintroducedwithout taking into account the recommendations of government representatives. In addition, against the programproteststhe US government, particularly Congress, as well as the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the Coalition for Internet Domain Enforcement (CRIDO).
The New gTLD program is designed for a wide range of companies, countries, and communities. The application fee for registrants for the new domain extension is $185,000.
The application process for the New gTLD will begin on January 12, 2012. Applications for the new domain can beregisterThe deadline for applications is March 29, 2012. All applications must be completed by April 12. Over the next two months, their accuracy will be verified. The list of proposed domains will be published on the ICANN website on May 1, 2012. From that point on, public comments and objections will be accepted for each of the created domain zones. Also, starting May 1, the ICANN Governmental Committee will be able to express its position on the applications within the established procedures.
The initial evaluation, which begins on June 12, will take five months. Its results will be announced on November 12. The extended evaluation of applications will begin on December 1, 2012. Concurrently, the delegation procedure for approved domains will be conducted, which will take between two and five months. Applications subject to the extended evaluation procedure must be reviewed by April 30, 2013. Therefore, the first round of the New gTLD system will conclude in spring 2013.
The process for introducing new domains is expected to be complex and lengthy, but ICANN is prepared to simplify it. ICANN is prepared to invest $750,000 in promoting the new gTLD program.
A critical obstacle in the adoption of the new gTLD program was the question of whether discounts on new gTLDs should be provided to registrants from poorer countries. Many estimated that applying for a new gTLD could cost over $1 million in the first year.
There is concern that if support mechanisms are not adopted at the initial stage of applications, commercially valuable new gTLDs will be snapped up by wealthy Western companies.
ICANN CouncilcallsThe plan is to reduce the fees and financial obligations of applicants from 50 low-income countries by three-quarters if they can demonstrate that they truly deserve new domains and require benefits. It is also proposed that these applicants may not be required to support new DNSSEC and IPv6 technologies, which increase initial costs, from the outset.
