[ga] Request for Staff synthesis of input regarding "New TLD Questions"

[Danny Younger <dannyyounger@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Olof,

On 7 June 2005, you posted a document entitled, "New
TLD Questions" wherein it was written "ICANN staff
will synthesize the inputs to specifically answer each
of the issues posed".

As we are in the midst of a PDP on new TLDs, might I
ask you to forward the Staff synthesis of input to the
GA list for our review?

I have listed the questions below for the benefit of
those that have not yet read the preliminary Staff
work:
http://www.icann.org/tlds/new-gTLD-questions.pdf 

1. How many new TLDs should ICANN designate, and with
what frequency?

  a. What are the benefits and costs associated with
delegating and operating new TLDs?

  b. With what frequency should new TLDs be
introduced?

     i. Should applications be accepted at any time
and measured against published criteria?
     ii. Should strings to be allocated per round at
either at  fixed or indeterminate rate?
     iii. What feedback mechanisms and criteria should
be used to adjust the frequencies? 

  c. What are the technical limits on the number of
TLD strings that can safely be included in the root
zone file?

  d. What are the practical, logistical and resource
limits to the frequency of adding new TLDs?

2. Which naming conventions should apply?

  a. Which strings should be reserved or not
designated? (Consider technical issues, strings in use
in alternate roots, similarity to other TLD strings,
one- and two character strings, and regional issues:
political, cultural, and religious terms,
obscenities, and geographical terms.)

  b. What method and who should be employed to
evaluate the appropriateness of particular strings
that may be reserved?

  c. What level of protection should be given to
trademarks and other asserted rights in strings (e.g.,
pharmaceutical INNs, country names, current
registrants of similar TLD strings, IGOs, geographic
indications, personal names)?

  d. What methods should be used to protect trademarks
or other rights (e.g., a UDRP for TLDs, sunrise
period, list of reserved names)? How should conflicts
between parties with competing legitimate rights in a
name be resolved?

  e. Who and what form of organization should vet
which strings to designate?

3. Which allocation method or methods should be used?

  a. In what manners do various allocation methods
support the technical, market and geo-political issues
described in the questions above?

  b. Determine rules or restrictions that must be
applied to any allocation model in order to support
the technical, market and geo-political issues
described in the questions above?

  c. Determine appropriate uses for one-time, positive
revenue derived from allocation process.

4. What conditions should ICANN impose on new TLD
operators?

  a. In what cases should market forces versus imposed
conditions affect registry behavior and actions (e.g.,
pricing, data escrow, bonding. reserved second level
names)?

  b. To what extent should ICANN take steps to ensure
the success or sustainability of registry operations?
(Are minimum financial and technical eligibility
requirements appropriate and effective tools for
reducing the likelihood of registry failure?)

  c. Should ICANN implement a program to accredit
registry operators (i.e., registry back-end service
providers)?

  d. What differentiation or classes should be made
(compare today?s unrestricted, restricted, and
sponsored TLDs)? How should differentiations be
enforced? Can TLDs or SLDs be sublicensed? Can and
should STLD use be governed by agreement?

  e. To what extent should new TLDs be required take
steps to ensure continuity of operations in the event
of a business failure or disruption to the registry
sponsor or operator? What failover mechanisms must be
in place to protect registrants?

5. As a special case, how will the deployment of
Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) at the top level
impact discussion and findings on the questions above?

  a. What are the benefits and costs associated with
delegating IDN strings as TLDs?

  b. What are there technical issues preventing or
limiting the use of IDN TLDs?

  c. What naming conventions should apply to the
delegation of IDN TLDs (consider objectionable
strings, trademarks, TLD spoofing)? When should
proposed strings be referred for advice or vetting?

 d. What are the rights of existing TLDs regarding IDN
analogues, homophones and other equivalents?

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