[council] Verisign IDN TLDs

[Bret Fausett <bfausett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Council Members (with a copy to Chuck Gomes),

I note, via the GA list and the ALAC mailing list, that Verisign has
launched what appear to be new TLDs in an alternate root, or some resolution
equivalent. The Verisign web site contains the following announcement:

> VeriSign Now Offering Chinese Character Extensions
> VeriSign Digital Brand Management Services is now offering the following
> Chinese character extensions:
> 
> ・         .中国 (.china)
> ・         .公司  (.company)
> ・         .网络 (.network)
> 
> Domain names cannot exceed 20 characters (each constituting element is
> considered as one character). For further details, please contact your
> VeriSign Digital Brand Management Services Account Team or Enterprise Customer
> Support.
> 
http://www.verisign.com/Resources/Digital_Brand_Management_Services_Resource
s/Digital_Branding_Bulletin/page_039521.html#0100000A

Given the fact that we are currently working on a process for new TLDs,
including new IDN TLDs, this is curious timing. I wonder if we could request
a briefing, first in writing and then at the next council call, from
Verisign about what it is doing technically with these new “TLDs.” The At
Large has raised this as an issue to be addressed within the ALAC, and I
expect that Council will want to look at it as well.

     -- Bret