.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 ;-)

Want to SELL your new gTLD?

Congratulations today to StartingDot who sold its portfolio of new gTLDs to Afilias. The 3 new gTLDs (.SKI - .ARCHI and .BIO) were sold for an undisclosed amount and I bet that it will be "less restricted" to register a ".archi" domain name in a close future. Here is why, the .ARCHI FAQs state:

CAN ANYONE REGISTER A .ARCHI DOMAIN?
No, in order to register a .ARCHI domain name, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• being an individual professional architect or an architecture firm registered as a member of the International Union of Architects (“UIA”) Member Section. The current list of UIA Member Sections and Allied Member Section is available on the UIA website or;

• being an architecture-related organization (such as schools, museums, professional media, etc.) listed on a dedicated list defined by the APAC (i.e., Archi Policy Advisory Committee which is the supervising and regulatory body of the .ARCHI Domain) in collaboration with the UIA and available here.

Learn more about who can register a .ARCHI domain by reading our Domain Name Policy.

Basically, it means that you must belong to the group of Architects to register a domain name ending in ".archi" and if you don't, you're not supposed to be able to buy one (even if you can at most accredited Registrar). I suspect this is going to change for two reasons:

1. Afilias usually sells new domain names with no restriction;
2. The link to the .ARCHI Domain Name Policy is broken ;-);
3. The Press Release says: "...should enable all 3 of these TLDs to reach their full potential" and this tells a lot.

Is it really a problem if such domain names can be registered by anyone who wants one? I personally don't think so. I even think that selling the portfolio of TLDs now is the best moment to do it since the StartingDot's team has built the .ARCHI's credibility insisting on presenting the .ARCHI new gTLD as the only option for Architects. If Afilias now offers other Registrants to acquire a ".archi" domain name for another use...

Another interesting thing about this acquisition is this little sentence in the press release: "Other Registry Operators interesting in talking with Afilias should contact us at WeBuyTLDs@Afilias.INFO". We don't talk about buying domain names here, we talk about buying complete Registries: a real business today.


News:

1. Dispute - Hugo Boss recovers domain in cybersquatting dispute (hugoboss.site);
2. Press Release - Registry acquires Premium TLDs .ARCHI, .BIO and .SKI;
3. Registration volumes:
1. New gTLDs related to CITIES;
2. New gTLDs related to CATERING;
   (the .PAMPEREDCHEF new gTLD was added to the report)
3. New gTLDs related to PHOTOGRAPHY.
4. Virgin Loses URS On The Domain Name VirginMedia.vip;
5. African brands wiped off the map as ICANN flips the kill switch on 10 gTLDs;
6. New Internet Security Domains Debut;
7. Photos & Highlights from the 1st Domain Startup Summit in Santa Monica, California.

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Verisign is confirmed as .WEB Registry

A lot of people are talking about the .WEB new gTLD acquisition by Verisign for an amount of $135,000,000. Stories are covered in our Newsletter. Many new gTLDs have been delegated with some dispatched in different of our new gTLD reports.
We are working on a new website with A LOT of content coming. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of this website? Contact us now.

News:

1. The .QUEST new gTLD Sunrise Period starts today;
2. New Ombudsman begins;
3. Give .GAY to the gays, roars exiting ombudsman;
4. ICANN - The .RIO Case study;
5. IANA Insanity - or, how I learned to stop .worrying and .love the .new .internet;
6. Registration volumes:
1. New gTLDs related to CITIES;
2. New gTLDs related to CATERING;
3. New gTLDs related to PHOTOGRAPHY.
7. Announcement - JCB Launches New Website;
8. The .WEB auction cover for today:
1. Excellent read - Why Verisign Bought The .WEB Domain Extension And What NOT To Expect";
2. Thoughts About Verisign’s $135 Million Dollar .Web Acquisition & What It Means For Domainers;
3. Article - Verisign Buys .web Domain Rights For US$135 million;
4. Article - Verisign likely $135 million winner of .web gTLD;
5. Article - $135 Million Winning Bid for .WEB Sets a Stunning High Water Mark for Rights to Run a New gTLD.
9. Legal - A new gTLD for the Finance industry;
10. .PHARMACY new gTLD - Illegal Purchases of Controlled Substances Are Made Easier via Rogue Internet Drug Outlets, Reports NABP.
11. Just delegated new gTLDs:
1. The .LILLY new gTLD
   (added to the HEALTH report)
2. .MCKINSEY
3. .AFAMILYCOMPANY
4. .LADBROKES
5. .UCONNECT
   (added to the CARS report)
6. .ABC
7. .HYATT
8. .INTEL
9. .GLADE
10. .PRU
    (not added to the FINANCIAL new gTLD report)
11. .JEEP
    (already added to the CARS report)
12. .SRT
    (added to the CARS report)
13. .VISA
    (added to the FINANCIAL report)
14. .BANAMEX
    (added to the FINANCIAL report)
15. .PRAMERICA
16. .CHRYSLER
    (already added to the CARS report)
17. .DISCOVER
    (already added to the FINANCIAL report)
18. .CITI
    (added to the FINANCIAL report)
19. .AMERICANFAMILY
20. .HONEYWELL

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Innovation in the new gTLD space? (in French)

Si le registre reste le point de départ de tout nom de domaine, ne peut-il pas en plus devenir un point focal de l’industrie qu’il convoite ? Un carrefour de la communauté qu’il représente ? 

Dans ce contexte, ne peut-il pas proposer au titulaire une valeur ajoutée supplémentaire au nom de domaine et proposer l’enregistrement de son site Internet dans un annuaire des utilisateurs de son extension?

Rappelons que le registre est aussi propriétaire de la base de données des titulaires et que cela ne représente pas un problème de s’adresser à eux.

Un annuaire des utilisateurs d’une même extension est un projet facile à réaliser, mais d'autres idées peuvent également être mises en oeuvre. Le registre propriétaire du ".email" ne pourrait-il pas par exemple proposer une solution d’email cryptés et celui du ".directory" une solution d’annuaire?

Lire l'article complet dans le Journal Du Net.

New gTLD applicant sues ICANN

The ICANN recently rejected a request to postpone the .WEB new gTLD auction. This time, one of the multiple applicants concerned by the auction sues the ICANN for lack of investigation on auction rival.

News:

1. Six new gTLDs were just delegated:
1. The .DUNS new gTLD
2. .MSD (added to the HEALTH new gTLD report)
3. .BOOKING
4. .AMFAM
5. .ESURANCE
6. .CITADEL (added to the FINANCE new gTLD report)
2. Registration volumes:
1. New gTLDs related to CITIES;
2. New gTLDs related to CATERING;
3. New gTLDs related to PHOTOGRAPHY (the .SONY new gTLD has entered the report).
3. Interesting - What was done with the highest selling new gTLD domains; 
4. French - .BIBLE : Deus ex machina?
5. Paid add (see Twitter link) to promote .VACATIONS domain names;
6. Getting Paid $10 To List Your Names?
7. Colin Campbell and Jeff Sass: speakers at The Domain Conference;
8. HOT - Donuts files $10 million lawsuit to stop .WEB new gTLD auction;
9. Review - IANA Transition and ICANN Corruption (capture and control).

www.newsletter.domains

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More and more new gTLDs are delegated

You probably noticed that many new gTLDs are (and keep) being delegated during the holidays. According to each new delegation,we add gTLDs to the right report. The .SWIFTCOVER new gTLD was added to the CARS report and the awaited .DOCTOR was added to the HEALTH report. The .LUNBECK (a Trademark) just has its first domain name registration listed.
The Generic new gTLD report (see link below) was updated to day and we are happy to see that the .INTERNATIONAL new gTLD receives more registrations than previous weeks before.

News:

1. Registration volumes:
1. HOT - Generic new gTLDs with a potential to replace ".com" domains;
2. New gTLDs related to HEALTH;
3. New gTLDs related to CARS;
2. dotBrand - Barclays new domain name strategy and operations decrypted;
3. COOL - data on domain growth: geographic top level domains are more popular than IDNs, at least in terms of registration volume;
4. The .WEB auction goes ahead after ICANN denies new gTLD applicant's appeal;
5. Article - 8 companies saying yes to new gTLDs;
6. dotBrand - New gTLD benchmarks: how do your brands compare?
7. Nine new gTLDs were delegated:
1. the .DUCK new gTLD (nothing to do with the animal);
2. .RAID (nothing to do with the French Police élite forces);
3. .SWIFTCOVER (added to report)
4. .SCJOHNSON
5. .IEEE
6. .OFF
7. .DOCTOR (added to report)
8. .RIGHTATHOME
9. .TIAA
8. ICANN Publishes gTLD Statistics and Trends Report, Asks for Community Feedback;
9. If you missed a new gTLD newsletter,they are archived at www.newsletter.domains.

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