Shocker: ICANN Nixes Expressions of Interest for New TLDs
Friday, March 12th, 2010
No Expressions of Interest for new top level domain names.
I guess I’m not in the internal loop at ICANN, but I’m surprised that its board voted to completely nix the idea of “Expressions of Interest” for new top level domain names.
The idea was simple. If you want to apply for a new top level domain name, you would make a $55,000 deposit per TLD and name the string.
This would resolve a whole host of issues. First, we’d know how many TLDs will be applied for when the new TLD application process starts. This could resolve issues with root zone scaling, assuage trademark interest fears (or at least let them know what they’re dealing with), and uncover possible conflicts and issues that will rear their heads when the application process starts (and it’s too late to do anything about it).
But ICANN’s board decided the costs of running the EOI were outweighed by the costs of a potential delay to new gTLDs by using resources for EOI, not knowing the date the overarching issues for new TLDs will be resolved, and difficulty synchronizing the new TLD progress with the EOI process. So ICANN wants to focus staff resources on resolving remaining new TLD issues rather than doing the EOI.
Practically speaking, this means we’ll go into the new TLD process blind. We’ll have no idea how many TLDs will be applied for. We’ll have to resolve root zone scaling for the prospect of 100 TLDs or 10,000 TLDs. We won’t understand potential string conflicts and gaming until its too late.
That’s unfortunate.
Yes, there are issues with the proposed EOI. But it seems to me that the benefits of EOI outweighed the costs.
Related posts:
- ICANN Board to Consider “Expressions of Interest” for New TLDs at December Meeting
- ICANN Asks for Your Feedback on “Expressions of Interest”
- Expressions of Interest for New TLDs Still a Long Wait
Tags: expressions of interest, new tlds
Welcome to the Twilight Zone.
Apparently pro-EOI people in Nairobi aren’t too shocked by the outcome based on the mood at the conference.
I’m sure it’s easy to spot the pro-EOI people. They’re the ones sitting in a corner pulling the wings off of flies.
David, we don’t always agree, but that was funny.
@Andrew, tough to be surprised at ICANN making bad decisions, delaying things again. That organization is like some foul mix of the UN and the DMV.
No surprise here. The incumbent big registries are popping the corks off of champagne bottles much like the 72 Dolphins have every year for the past 28 years especially when combined with the other vote on registry registrar separation.
@ Michael – how does this help the incumbents? I thought they were lining up at the trough to provide back end services to new tlds?
38 years on my previous post — sorry.
Funds may dry up for those wanting to directly get in the registry space to provide registry backend services (who are not in the space today). This will force new tld applicants who wanted to work with a new registry rather than an existing registry to have to end up working with an existing registry for backend services and possibly be financed by them, lose control over how to market the new tld, etc.
To your point, existing registries are lining up at the trough to provide backend services. I think in the long run this will make it easier for them and more difficult for some new players to get in the registry backend services space.
New TLDs are coming at some point or another. The same registries who are providing registry backend services today will be the ones providing it tomorrow. It is virtually impossible for any new registry to get in the space hence the corks being popped. Having said that I hope some new player proves me wrong.
@ Michael – ah, now I get it.
@David that’s funny
Do any of the proposals for new extensions contain anything innovative?
Besides the noise.
@ Anthony Mitchell – not that I’ve seen.
Michael. Amen bro.
hi all
, i wondering why the increasing number of TLDs will make companies and organization difficult to protect their brand name? TLDs not a bad thing right ? :S
Yeo,
Once you have some intellectual property that is actually worth protecting, then you’ll think differently.