iEstates.com

A bill just proposed in the Hawaii state legislature seeks to require the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to make application for the new gTLD’s of .hawaii, .hi, and .aloha.

One of  the TLD the legislature is requiring the state to apply for .Hi isn’t even available to be applied for under the Guidebook  so if they make application for it, they will basically be throwing their $185K  away.

Here is the bill in part:

According to tweets from a couple of people at NeuStar, the ICANN TAS system is having problems today.

Jeff Neuman of NeuStart Tweeted today:

“Check your applications in TAS. Reports of missing applications- Our application 4 .Neustar is 1 of them”

“”TAS also lost our “unique” ID which we got upon paying initial 5k. We need ID to pay remainder, fill out app & see all apps.”"

Ken Hanson of Neustar also Twitted today:

“Check your applications in TAS this morning. Reports of missing application”

On Tuesday we were on a blogger call with Rod Beckstrom the CEO of ICANN who told the bloggers that everything was “running smoothly” on the new gTLD process.

Looks like today there maybe an issue which apps getting lost during the submission process.

We will keep checking Twitter for other reports of problems and will update you as the day goes on.

UPDATE

ICANN has now tweeted:

“A display issue occurred in TAS, it has been corrected. All data is now visible & no information was lost”

 …

I just listened in to a call with the CEO of ICANN Rod Beckstrom, on an update on the new gTLD program  he gave to some bloggers.

“For us, No news is good news, things are running smoothly we have not encountered any major technical or service issues.”

Beyond that Mr. Beckstrom was unwilling to give any updated numbers in terms of the number of applications submitted or the number of companies that had paid the $5,000 for the spot to file and application.

ICANN has previously stated that 25 companies had paid the $5K fee.

Today Mr. Beckstrom wouldn’t disclose how many application fees of $180K (less the $5K fee for the spot online to file) have been received.

Another uncertainty in the process is the selection of the company(s) that will handle the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) and whether any company will be willing to undertake hearing those for the published goal of $300-$500 per, as we sit today, its not clear that anyone is beating down ICANN door to take this project on.

Beckstrom did indicate that they have received interest from qualified company(s) to operate the Trademark Clearing House and it sounds like ICANN is closer than to making a selection.  Also from the call its clear that there will not be a public comment period on ICANN’s selection of the provider to run the Trademark Clearing House.

Finally as far as publishing the list of applications received, although shooting for two weeks after the closing of the application period Mr. Beckstrom would not commit to the list being published on May 1, 2012.

 …

According to a press release we were sent today, Sedari,  a consulting and technology company focusing on TLD Business Management has been engaged by the Foundation for Assistance for Internet Technologies and Infrastructure Development (FAITID), a not-for-profit Russian foundation which is preparing  applications for the .MOSCOW and .MOCKBA (in Cyrillic) top-level domain names.

The implementation of the new top-level domains will make possible websites with addresses such as WWW.COMPANY.MOSCOW and for museums МУЗЕИ.МОСКВА.

From the PR:

“Russia, though cautious in their approach to IDNs in the new TLD program, trusts Sedari with one of their critical national assets – its capital city” said Sedari’s CEO Dr Liz Williams. “This is the first of Sedari’s city domain names to be signed and one of a number of Internationalised Domain Name applicants we are advising. FAITID is a great organization full of enthusiastic and experienced professionals who will offer Muscovites and others exciting opportunities for second-level names in Russia,” Williams continues.

The .MOSCOW and .МОСКВА project is backed by Moscow’s local government and won an impressive showing of support from over 17,000 Internet users in on-line and off-line polls.

“Implementation of any TLD is a complicated project with many issues to resolve” says Dmitry Burkov, FAITID Board Member, “That’s why we’ve chosen Sedari as our strategic international partner for .MOSCOW and .МОСКВА. Sedari management has the experience and industry knowledge on ICANN that makes us confident the company is familiar with all the procedures of the corporation, in particular related to new TLDs. Together with Sedari we’ll make the project for Moscow top-level domains successful giving Russian users more choice in the domain name space.”…

According to a press release today Top Level Domain Holdings Limited (AIM:TLDH.L) “will shortly be purchasing its first batch of twenty application slots for new gTLDs on behalf of itself and clients of Minds + Machines.”

“This first tranche will include slots for client applications for geographic-based gTLDs and generic words.”

“The Company expects to submit multiple batches for application slots during the application window.”

So to be clear here what the company is saying is they are sending ICANN in $100K to purchase 20 slots (at $5K per) which will then allow them to submit 20 applications at $180K per.   I believe at TRAFFIC Peter Thrush said that Minds+Machines would be making application for  40-50 new gTLD strings at a cost of $10M just for the applications.

“Separately, the Directors are pleased to report that Minds + Machines has today been appointed as the registry services provider for DOT KIWI LIMITED, a New Zealand company that has publically stated it will apply for the “.kiwi” gTLD string.”

“A proportion of DOT KIWI’s domain revenue and profit will be donated to a trust established to help fund the reconstruction of the earthquake devastated city of Christchurch, New Zealand.”

You want to register for a new gTLD?

The TLD Application System (TAS), the online system for submission of new gTLD applications is now live.

Check out it out here.

Once you fill out that form, you just have to send in your $5K which will allow you to submit your application and the $180,000 balance that goes with.

Applications as of 7PM EST are now being accepted

The deadline to get your application in is April 12, 2012.

Don’t’ forget you have to have your online TAS registration complete and your $5K to reserve your online application spot in by March 28th 2012.

Here is all of the info from ICANN:

“”After more than seven years of planning, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has initiated a process that could trigger a dramatic expansion of the Internet.

Starting today, ICANN begins accepting applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs).  The world of .com, .gov, .org and 19 other gTLDs will soon be expanded to include all types of words in many different languages. For the first time generic TLDs can include words in non-Latin languages, such as Cyrillic, Chinese or Arabic.

Applicants will use the TLD Application System (TAS) to submit their application, in which they answer the 50 questions detailed in the Applicant Guidebook.  Links to register in TAS are provided on the ICANN New gTLD page.

An updated version of the Applicant Guidebook was posted with the opening of the application window. The updated version incorporates clarifications made through responses previously published by the gTLD customer service center. Main points of clarification are on topics such as batching, background screening, the applicant support program, Continued Operations Instrument, GAC advice processes, and the registry code of conduct. Additional information and answers to previously asked questions can be found in the Program’s Supplemental Notes. These materials are not intended to introduce new requirements or criteria. Links to both the Applicant Guidebook and the Supplemental Notes can be found at the ICANN New gTLD page.

Also available now are changes to the Applicant Support Program: limited financial assistance is offered to qualifying applicants. Through this program, applicants, especially from developing economies, have access to financial assistance in the form of an evaluation fee reduction and other in-kind or community pro bono services. The financial assistance element of the program will allow a limited number of qualifying applicants to pay a US $47,000 evaluation fee instead of the full USD $185,000. This fee reduction has been made possible because ICANN’s Board of Directors has dedicated USD $2,000,000 to the program. This is a seed fund to which other organizations can donate. In response to public comment, the draft program has been updated to increase availability of refunds, make the program available to certain trademark owners, and broaden the scope for those seeking to serve the public interest. More information on the Applicant Support program can be found on the ICANN New gTLD page.

ICANN encourages all interested parties, whether applicants or observers, to refer to the New gTLD section of ICANN’s website for authoritative documents, helpful resources, and latest developments. The New gTLD site is found at http://newgtlds.icann.org.”"

FoxBusiness.com published a story today entitled “Web Addresses To Get A Major Update As Custom Names To Replace .Com”

The article of course is talking about the new gTLD’s and is just one of a hundred stories written about the new gTLD’s this week by non-domain publications.

Its certainly the most aggressive headline of any story on the new gTLD’s to date but again just one of many that are being written on the subject.

The Huffingtonpost.com story on the subject is entitled:

“”Domain Names: The End Of The Dot-Com Era?”"

Well at least that one had a question mark at the end.

Wired wrote a story today as well which you can read here.

AllthingsD.com story is here

If you want to see  stories on the domain industry coming from outside the domain industry, be sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter as we post lots more stuff over there than we can on TheDomains.com

It appears ICANN is NOT willing to give any assurance to applicants who put down their $185,000 application fee that any special refund would be available in the event a court orders ICANN to stopped or delay the new gTLD program.

When asked about the refund policy of ICANN in the event that some court orders ICANN to stop or delay the new gTLD program, ICANN was quite clear.

“We will only offer refunds that are laid out in the Applicant Guide Book.”

“The Guidebook does not specifically talk about a refund based on court action.”

“The only refunds provided under the Guidebook are:

“If the GAC (Governmental Advisory Counsel)  issues an early waring and the applicant withdraws its application they get 80% of the application fee back;

“If an Applicant withdraws before initial evaluation they get 70%  of their application fee back”

“After initial evaluation if the applicant withdraws their application they get 20% of the application fee back.”

So ICANN is clearly asking the applicants to take the risk of litigation with them.

Some groups like the ANA have openly threaten to sue ICANN to stop the new gTLD program and they have said they might not sue right away.

When it come to a partial refund of the application fee, the old saying Time is Money, is particularly true.

Something that any applicant needs to consider before writing out the check for $185,000 per application.

In a story just published by the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Race To Nab Web Addresses” chats about how this week ICANN will start accepting applications for new gTLD’s

“‘This week will bring the long-awaited opening up of a new realm of Web addresses in which just about any word—such as dot-furniture or dot-arcticvacations—can serve as a domain name. And to some, that spells opportunity.”

“It will be the first time in more than a decade that anyone can apply for the rights to control a slice of the broader Web marketplace, as opposed to just domains for specific types of Internet users.”

The article quotes a  Jeffrey Smith saying that:

“He and domain-name speculators like him have been building entire businesses around ideas for new right-of-the-dot names, and in many cases they have lined up backers to help them cover application and other costs.”

“Mr. Smith and his eight partners started their business in 2000 for the sole purpose of having it become a dot-shop registry holder that could sell dot-shop Web addresses, such as jeans.shop and coats.shop. “I’ve dedicated the last 10 years to this,” says the 46-year-old Mr. Smith.”

“Mr. Smith says he has already put more than $2 million of his own money into his speculative dot-shop registry business. He and his partners have also lined up four angel investors to raise capital.”

I hate to tell Mr. Smith but GMO Interest the largest ISP in Japan and the 13th largest domain name registrar according to RegistrarStats.com, has been quite public in their interest in applying for .Shop and has maybe spent more money just on ICANN parties to promote their .Shop application than Mr. Smith and his partners have spent.

The article also quotes Jacob Malthouse who plans to apply for .Eco and attorney and fellow domain blogger Enrico Schaefer, who is quoted as saying:

“Mr. Schaefer thinks his undisclosed dot-something could become a leading rival to the ubiquitous dot-com registry. “Dot-com is not immune to real competition,” he says. “This will be the very first opportunity for competition to come to dot-com in a real, meaningful way.”

This is just one of many articles we should see this week about the new gTLD program in the mainstream press.

You can check out the whole article here.

The National Press Club just announced it is going to hold a session entitled:

“Beyond .com, .gov, .net and .edu… Expansion of Internet Addressing”

On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 2pm EST at the Zenger Room, National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, DC

ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer Rod Beckstrom and Board Chair Dr. Stephen Crocker will discuss the launch of hundreds of new generic top-level Internet domains (gTLDs) such as .hotel, and .paris scheduled to begin taking applications on Jan. 12.

National Press Club members outside Washington and out-of-town journalists may watch the news conference via a live webcast at www.icann.org