Friday, August 12, 2016

.AND for Google?

Round 1 of the ICANN new gTLD program
Google submitted an application for the .AND new generic Top-Level domain in the first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program but the methodology to apply - the "Applicant Guidebook" - did not allow Google to since ISO alpha 3 codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3) were prohibited as new gTLDs.

Charleston Road Registry INC, the Google's company dedicated to creating and managing new gTLDs for Google, had to withdraw the .AND application.

Round 2 of the ICANN new gTLD program
No one knows when Round 2 of the ICANN new gTLD program starts but I just read the latest GNSO Council Review of the Helsinki GAC Communiqué and noted this paragraph (point 4, page 6):
"Use of 3-letter codes in the ISO-3166 list as gTLDs in future rounds".

Basically it states that "the GAC advises the ICANN Board to:
  1. encourage the community to continue in depth analyses and discussions on all aspects related to a potential use of 3-letter codes in the ISO-3166 list as gTLDs in future rounds, in particular with regard to whether such a potential use is considered to be in the public interest or not.
  2. keep current protections in place for 3-letter codes in the ISO-3166 list in place and not to lift these unless future in-depth discussions involving the GAC and the other ICANN constituencies would lead to a consensus that use of these 3-letter codes as TLDs would be in the public interest.
The RATIONALE states: "In view of the intense debates and controversies over the use of geographic names in new gTLDs, the GAC requests that the community does not rush into a removal of the Applicant Guidebook protection of ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes".

Of course, there is a lot more being said and I suggest to read the Communiqué but this question opens the door to the possibility that Google could submit a .AND new gTLD application again in Rond 2

By the way, what does "AND" stand for?
No worry...it is just Andorra: the cheapest place to buy cigarettes and alcohol on earth ;-)

New gTLDs: yesterday night's Newsletter

Below are the titles of yesterday night's Newsletter (sent each day at 8PM CET). To read previous letters, readers can go to www.newsletter.domains or subscribe to receive all links to articles, press releases, new gTLD reports and latest announcements related to new gTLDs.

News:
  1. Booking.yeah - The huge misstep by Booking.com;
  2. Round 2 - Next new gTLD round could start sooner than expected;
  3. Trailer - Blair Witch (www.blairwitch.movie);
  4. Book - Joining the Machines to the Domain;
  5. The .MOTORCYCLES Sunrise Period ends;
  6. Delegated - 12 new gTLDs were just delegated:
    1. .HOT 
    2. .PAY 
    3. .HUGHES 
    4. .DISH 
    5. .CAPITALONE 
    6. .SLING 
    7. .SECURE 
    8. .MCDONALDS 
    9. .AMEX 
    10. .OPEN 
    11. .MCD 
    12. .AMERICANEXPRESS 
  7. Centuries-old companies both fail community gTLD test;
  8. Patent - Geographically appropriate domain name system assignment ;
  9. How a $135 million auction affects the domain industry and your business;
  10. Registration volumes: 
    1. HOTSingular and Plural new generic Top-Level Domains; 
    2. FRENCH new gTLD applications;
    3. New gTLDs related to RELIGION.
Why it makes sense to subscribe to the New gTLDs Newsletter
Subscribing to the gTLD.club Newsletter is the opportunity to receive a letter with the daily information about new gTLDs. Since the letter is sent at 8 PM CET, it means that residents of New-York receive the letter in the beginning of the afternoon and residents of LA receive it just before Lunch. The rest of the information is sent the next day. For information, subscribing to www.newsletter.domains or www.gtld.club is the same.

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

.BRAND new gTLD Reports are updated once a month: CLICK HERE !