Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 31, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
According to CEO Paul Twomey, Internet administration organization ICANN expects up to 2,000 applications for new top-level domains (TLDs) over the next two years. The organization is currently meeting in Los Angeles to set the course for expanding the address zones. “ICANN has already presented a timetable for the introduction of new TLDs. According to it, the new TLDs are to come in mid or late 2009 at the earliest. However, it has not yet been clarified whether these domains will be gTLDs or ccTLDs,” Richard Wein, managing director of the Austrian domain administration nic.at, reports in an exclusive conversation with the news service pressetext.de.
For gTLDs (generic TLD), policy authority lies with ICANN. The organization determines how the domain is used, what it costs and which guidelines apply. For ccTLDs (country code TLD), all decision-making powers lie with the national administrative body. In addition, there are further subcategories in the TLD structure, for example sponsored domains (sTLDs), which are aimed at a particular customer group (.aero for the aviation industry, .museum for museums or .travel for the travel and tourism industry). sTLDs are administered by the respective applicant.
Specifics about possible new TLDs are not currently under discussion in Los Angeles. However, some organizations are vehemently demanding the approval of city domains . “This effort is currently being driven primarily by .berlin, supported by .nyc and .paris,” says Wein, who is attending the ICANN conference. However, the question arises as to where the line should then be drawn. “The problem I see is where it will lead if ICANN now approves .berlin, .paris and so on. Will every city then have the opportunity to apply for a TLD? .mistelbach probably makes little sense,” Wein says.
An important point in awarding a TLD is in any case the backing and need of the Local Internet Community (LIC). What constitutes a sensible expansion of the address zone is difficult to predict, however, says Wein. “The current examples have shown that sTLDs with a closed customer base, such as .travel or .musuem, are pointless and are not accepted. By contrast, the last ‘new’ domains such as .info or .biz, which are in principle open to everyone, have tended to catch on,” says the nic.at managing director.
