1. New Top-Level Domains
(gTLDs)
The Application
&
Evaluation Process

2. Agenda:
• The
Applica/on
Process
• The
Evalua/on
Process
• More
Informa/on
and
Links
22

3. Who
Can
Apply?
Any
established
corpora/on,
organiza/on
or
ins/tu/on
in
good
standing.
Evalua/on
fee
US
$185,000
Rules
in
The
Applicant
Guidebook
Who is not eligible:
Individuals or sole proprietorships
Yet-to-be formed legal entities or applications
presupposing the future formation of a legal
entity
3

4. Types
of
TLDs
• Community-­‐based
• Geographic
Names
Special Rules /
Added Requirements
• Interna/onalized
Domain
Names
(IDN)
• Standard
(i.e.,
everthing
else)
4

5. Community-­‐Based
Applica/ons
5

6. Geographic
Names
6

7. Interna/onalized
Domain
Name
(IDN)
• Domain
names
include
characters
used
in
the
local
representa2on
of
languages
not
wri6en
with
the
basic
La2n
Alphabet.
• IDN
applicants
must
provide
the
applied-­‐for
gTLD
string
in
na2ve
script
and
English
characters.
• Must
comply
with
IDNA
protocol
and
IDN
Guidelines
.Serbia

.СРБ
.ไทย
.Thailand
.India

.ভারত
.한국
.Korea
.РФ

.Russia
7

8. When
Can
I
Apply?
8

9. Where
to
Apply?
• At
the
web-­‐based
TLD
Applica/on
System
–TAS
Located
on
the
New
gTLD
Website
Tips:
 Consult
your
Applicant
Guidebook
 Plan
for
all
fees
and
processing
/me
 Be
sure
to
aWach
all
appropriate
documenta/on
9

10. Applica/on
Process
Applica/on
not
considered
complete
if:
•
Received
aXer
deadline
(12
April
2012)
•
Evalua/on
fee
has
not
been
paid
•
Applica/on
form
is
incomplete
10

11. Evalua/on
Process
Application Initial Transition to
Period Evaluation Delegation
Module 1 Module 2 Module 5
Extended
Evaluation
Module 2
Objection /
Dispute
Resolution
Module 3
Initial
Evaluation
Module 4
11

12. Program
Timeline
Jan
2012
Apr
2012
Nov
2012
Dec
2012
Dec
2013
Receive
Process
Transi/on
to
Delegate
Applica/ons
Applica/ons
Delega/on
TLD
12

13. Basic
Evalua/on
Path
12 April
2 mos
5 mos
2-5 mos
• All
Mandatory
Ques2ons
Answered
Background
Screening
• Required
Suppor2ng
Evalua2on
Panels
• Contract
Execu2on
Documents
in
Proper
• String
Similarity
• Pre-­‐Delega2on
Check
Form
• Applica2on
Fee
Received
• DNS
Stability
• Geographical
Names
• Technical/Opera2onal
Capability
• Financial
Capability
• Registry
Services
13

14. Ini/al
Evalua/on
String Applicant
reviews reviews
• String confusion • Technical &
Operational
• Reserved names capability
• DNS stability • Financial capability
• Geographic names • Registry services
14

15. Opportuni/es
for
Clarifica/on
Initial Extended
Registration Admin
Evaluation Evaluation
Clarification Check: Clarification Check:
Do the responses Do the responses
need to be need to be
clarified? clarified?
Determined by Determined by
Evaluation Panels Evaluation Panels
15

16. Extended
Evalua/on
12 April
2 mos
5 mos
5 mos
Extended Evaluation Criteria:
o Certain applicants who do not pass Initial Evaluation
o Applicant must request Extended Evaluation within 2 weeks of the
end of the Initial Evaluation
Process:
o Additional information is exchanged regarding application questions
o No new evaluation criteria are introduced
16

17. Protec/ng
Important
Interests
and
Rights
Grounds for Formal Objection
• String Confusion – string causes confusion
• Legal Rights – infringement of the objector’s rights
• Limited Public Interest – violates principles of int’l law
• Community – misappropriation of a community label
GAC Advice on New gTLDs
• concerns based on national laws or other sensitivities
17

18. Evalua/on
Path
with
Objec/on
12 April
2 mos
5 mos
1 May
Objection Filing Period 7
mos
Dispute Resolution 5
mos
18

19. Objec/ons
and
Dispute
Resolu/on
• Formal objections can be filed with
dispute resolution service providers
Objection
Filing Period • May be on any of 4 objection grounds
• Applicant may file response to objection
Response
• Dispute resolution service provider
convenes expert panel
Adjudication • Panel provides Expert Determination
19

20. Evalua/on
path:
Advice
of
Gov’ts
12 April
2 mos
5 mos
Comments Posted 60
days
Early Warning 60
days
Gov’t Advisory Cmttee Advice 7
months
Board Consideration
20

21. String
Conten/on
12 April
2 mos
5 mos
Two or more qualified applicants have applied for the same or
confusingly similar string.
String Contention Resolution
21

22. Resolu/on
of
String
Conten/on
I. Community Priority Evaluation
• Only available for community-based applications
• Evaluation based on a set of four criteria
1. Community Establishment
2. Nexus Between Proposed String & Community
3. Registration Policies
4. Community Endorsement
II. Agreement of the Parties
III. Auction Procedures – Mechanism of last resort
22

23. Transi/on
to
Delega/on
2 mos
o Registry agreement with ICANN required
o Executed within 9 months of the notification date
Pre-Delegation Testing
• Technical testing required
Delegation Process
• Begins with successful completion of pre-delegation testing
• May include additional technical steps.
23

24. Key
Dates
2011
12
January
Applica2on
Window
Opens
29
March
Ini2al
Registra2on
Due
12
April
Applica2ons
Complete
/
Window
Closes
Strings
Posted
Opens:

Applica2on
Comment
Process
1
May

GAC
Early
Warning

GAC
Advice
Period

Objec2on
Period
12
June
Ini2al
Evalua2on
Begins
Applica2on
Comment
Process
Closes
30
June
GAC
Early
Warning
Closes
12
November
Ini2al
Evalua2on
Closes

Results
are
Posted
24

25. Key
Dates
2011
29
November
Last
day
to
elect
Extended
Evalua2on
Begins:

Extended
Evalua2on

Transi2on
to
Delega2on
(for
Clean
Applica2ons)
30
November
 String
Conten2on
(for
Applica2ons
not
in
Dispute
Resolu2on
or
Extended
Evalua2on)
GAC
Advice
Period
Closes
Last
Day
to
file
an
Objec2on
2012
Extended
Evalua2on
Closes
30
April
Dispute
Resolu2on
Closes
Results
&
Summaries
Posted
15
May
String
Conten2on
Opens
(for
Applica2ons
with
Variables)
String
Conten2on
Closes
(for
Clean
Applica2ons)
30
May

Results
Posted
25

26. More
Informa/on
New gTLD Program
http://icann.org/newgtlds
Applicant Guidebook
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/dag-en.htm
Questions
newgtld@icann.org
26

27. Thank
You!