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Domain Name Registry, New gTLDs

Rightside Declines Donuts’ $70m Offer For Its gTLDs

Rightside have rejected the Donuts cash offer of $70 million for its entire registry of new generic Top Level Domains “after careful consideration and in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors”.Partly explaining their rejection, Rightside noted in a news release the “registry business that Donuts has proposed to acquire is the cornerstone of the company’s long-term target model.” The company is targeting annual registry revenue over the next three to five years of between $50 and $75 million. In their most recent financial announcement covering the first quarter of 2016, Rightside said their registry services revenue grew 64 percent to $2.6 million.Currently Rightside have 40 new gTLDs delegated with all but one having entered General Availability and registrations approaching 546,000, or 2.38 percent of all domains registered in new gTLDs, according to nTLDstats.com.The largest new gTLD registry operator by new gTLDs is Donuts with 194 and by registration numbers is xyz.com with over 6.476 million registrations, the largest being .xyz with over 6.458 million.Only time will tell if the Donuts offer is testing the waters and a subsequent higher offer comes in the near future.”Rightside’s Registry business is core to the Company’s strategy and provides the best opportunity to deliver long-term shareholder value. After thoughtful evaluation, Rightside’s Board has determined that Donuts’ proposal significantly undervalues Rightside’s Registry assets,” said Taryn Naidu, CEO of Rightside. “We believe Donuts’ proposal is an opportunistic attempt to acquire Rightside’s valuable portfolio of domain extensions with an undervalued price and in a manner that would not be in the best interests of Rightside shareholders.”Naidu added, “The Board and management are aligned on a clear strategy – building Rightside’s position as a leading domain name company that specializes in delivering new possibilities for consumers and businesses to define and present themselves online. We operate broad distribution assets and have acquired an outstanding portfolio of 40 new gTLDs that map to extremely large addressable markets and the culturally transformative activities that have shaped the world’s use of the Internet. We are well-positioned for growth.””Rightside and its shareholders have many reasons to be excited about the Company’s future opportunities. We remain confident that we have the right people, technology and products to continue to execute on our strategy and maximize shareholder value.”

Domain Name Registry, ICANN and Governance, New gTLDs

ICANN: Updated Auction Schedule – 13 May

ICANN new generic Top Level Domains logoThe Auction Schedule is updated as of 13 May 2015. Additional Auctions may be scheduled based on eligibility.

Understanding Auctions

Overview

Contention sets are groups of applications containing identical or confusingly similar applied for gTLD strings. Contention sets must be resolved prior to the execution of a Registry Agreement for an applied-for gTLD string. An ICANN facilitated auction is a last resort for resolving string contention sets, as described in the Applicant Guidebook (AGB) section 4.3.

Auctions will be conducted over the Internet using a procedure known as an ascending-clock auction, where the auctioneer successively increases the start-of-round and end-of-round prices, on a per auction round basis. Applicants within the contention set must submit bids to indicate their willingness to pay an amount within the defined price range in the auction round. As the price of the auction rounds increase, applicants may successively choose to exit the auction. When a sufficient number of applications have exited the auction process, so that the remaining application(s) are no longer in contention with one another, and all the relevant string(s) can be delegated as gTLDs, the auction will be deemed concluded. At this point, prevailing applicants that remained in the auction will pay the finalized price and proceed toward delegation.

The total amount of funding resulting from auctions, will not be known until all relevant applications have completed this step. Auction proceeds will be reserved and earmarked until the uses of funds are determined by the Board through consultation with the community. Click here to view the current status of the Auction proceeds and costs.

Auction Eligibility

A string contention set will be eligible to enter into a New gTLD Program Auction under the following circumstances only:

  • All active applications in the contention set have:
    • Passed evaluation
    • Resolved any applicable GAC advice
    • Resolved any objections
    • No pending ICANN Accountability Mechanisms
  • Each applied-for gTLD in the contention set is:
    • Not classified as “High-Risk” per the Name Collision Occurrence Management Plan

Auction Resources

Questions?

News Archive

23 April 2015 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 23 April 2015. Additional Auctions may be scheduled based on eligibility.

25 March 2015 – Results Available for 25 March 2015 Auction

An Auction to resolve two (2) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) strings was held on 25 March 2015. The result may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

23 March 2015 – Auction on 25 March 2015 and Updated Auction Schedule

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 25 March 2015 at 13:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for two contention sets. After the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page. The Auction Schedule is updated as of 23 March 2015 to reflect eligible contention sets.

6 March 2015 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 6 March 2015 to reflect eligible contention sets as well as the addition of an Auction Date for indirect contention.

25 February 2015 – Results Available for 25 February 2015 Auction

An Auction to resolve one (1) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) string was held on 25 February 2015. The result may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

24 February 2015 – Public Comment Report and Rules for Indirect Contention Auctions Available

ICANN has released its Report of Public Comments for the New gTLD Auction Rules: Indirect Contention Edition as well as the redline and final versions of the rules. An update to the Bidder Agreement has also been made.

19 February 2015 – Auction on 25 February 2015 and Updated Auction Schedule

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 25 February 2015 at 20:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for one contention set. After the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page. The Auction Schedule is updated as of 19 February 2015 to reflect eligible contention sets and accommodated postponement requests.

16 January 2015 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 16 January 2015 to reflect eligible contention sets and accommodated postponement requests.

14 January 2015 – Public Comment Closed: New gTLD Auction Rules for Indirect Contention

ICANN opened a public comment period to gather community input regarding the auction rules for indirect contention. Comments were due by 13 January 2015 at 23:59 UTC. Comments will be reviewed and a summary and analysis report will be published. Once the Auction Rules are finalized, auctions for contention sets with indirect contention will be scheduled. ICANN thanks all those who participated.

17 December 2014 – Results Available for 17 December 2014 Auction

An Auction to resolve two (2) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) strings was held on 17 December 2014. The result may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

15 December 2014 – Auction on 17 December 2014 and Updated Auction Schedule

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 17 December 2014 at 13:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for two contention sets. After the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page. The Auction Schedule is updated as of 12 December 2014 to reflect eligible contention sets and accommodated postponement requests, and revised 2015 Auction Dates.

19 November 2014 – Results Available for 19 November 2014 Auction

An Auction to resolve one (1) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) string was held on 19 November 2014. The result may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

14 November 2014 – Public Comment Invited and Indirect Auctions Webinar

ICANN has opened a public comment period on the detailed rules for Auctions involving Contention Sets containing Indirect Contention relationships.

ICANN will also host a Webinar on the topic on 3 December 2014 at 17.00 UTC. The webinar will provide an overview of the rules and highlight several examples of how the rules will be applied in an auction.

13 November 2014 – Auction on 19 November 2014 and Updated Auction Schedule

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 19 November 2014 at 20:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for one contention set. After the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page. The Auction Schedule is updated as of 13 November 2014 to reflect eligible contention sets and accommodated postponement requests.

3 November 2014 – New gTLD Auction Rules Update

The Auction Rules were recently updated to address feedback provided by the community over the course of several Auctions. The Auction Manager intends to provide an “early bidding” option prior to the standard 30 minutes of Round 1. Please find the latest version in the link below.

22 October 2014 – Results Available for 22 October 2014 Auction

An Auction to resolve three (3) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) strings was held on 22 October 2014. The results may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

20 October 2014 – Auction on 22 October 2014

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 22 October 2014 at 16:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for three contention sets. Within seven days after the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page.

10 October 2014 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 10 October 2014 to reflect eligible contention sets as well as accommodated postponements, which were provided to those where each member of the contention set requested a postponement. In addition, April and May 2015 Auction Dates have been added to the Planned Auction Date chart.

30 September 2014 – New gTLD Auction Rules Update

The Auction Rules were recently updated to clarify the use of the Auction Date Advancement/Postponement Request Form. The form is due at least 45 days prior to a scheduled Auction Date. In addition, clarification is added to the default process. If a Winner is declared in default, any remaining Bidder that withdraws its Application from the New gTLD Program will not be eligible to receive an offer to have its Application accepted. Please find the latest version in the link below.

17 September 2014 – Results Available for 17 September 2014 Auction

An Auction to resolve three (3) new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) strings was held on 17 September 2014. The results and Auction Reports may be viewed on the Auction Results page.

11 September 2014 – Auction on 17 September 2014 and Updated Auction Schedule

An Auction, facilitated by Power Auctions LLC, the Auction Manager, will be held on 17 September 2014 at 13:00 UTC. The Auction will resolve string contention for three contention sets. After the Auction is complete, results will be posted to the Auction Results page. The Auction Schedule is updated as of 11 September 2014 to reflect eligible contention sets and accommodated postponement requests.

11 August 2014 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 11 August 2014. This version is updated to reflect the 2015 Auction Dates for January, February, and March. Also reflected is the finalization of the Name Collision Occurrence Management Framework as it pertains to the Auction Schedule. Because the Framework is now finalized, postponement requests on this basis will no longer be accommodated.

10 July 2014 – Auction Date Advancement/Postponement Request Form

The Auction Date Advancement Form is updated to provide the option to request a postponement of the Auction Date. ICANN may accommodate one postponement request per contention set provided all members of the contention set request the postponement. For additional details on the process, please view the form below:

30 June 2014 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 30 June 2014. This version is updated to reflect the accommodated postponement requests due to the anticipated timeline for the finalization of the Name Collision Occurrence Management Framework.

4 June 2014 – Results of First Auction

On 4 June 2014 ICANN through its authorized auction services provider, Power Auctions LLC, completed the first auction to resolve a contention set for a new generic Top-level Domain (gTLD) string. Beijing Tele-info Network Technology Co., LTD. prevailed in the auction for the winning price of $600,000.

29 May 2014 – Updated Auction Schedule

The Auction Schedule is updated as of 29 May 2014. This version is updated to reflect the accommodated postponement requests due to the anticipated timeline for the finalization of the Name Collision Occurrence Management Framework.

19 May 2014 – New gTLD Auction Rules Update

The Auction Rules were recently updated. Please find the latest version in the link below. The current version and a redline copy of the prior version are also available in the Auction Resources section of the New gTLD Microsite.

8 May 2014 – New gTLD Auction Schedule, Advancement Request Form and Bidder Training Videos

The first Auction Event is scheduled for 4 June 2014. Auction notifications have been issued to members of eligible contention sets. There are also several new and updated items below and also available in the Auction Resources section of the New gTLD Microsite.

Read the Announcement

24 April 2014 – Wilmington Trust named as the escrow provider for Auctions

ICANN and Power Auctions LLC are pleased to announce Wilmington Trust, National Association (Wilmington Trust) as the escrow provider for the New gTLD Auctions. Module 4 of the Applicant Guidebook prescribes Auctions as the method of last resort to resolve string contention. Participation in an auction requires the bidders to submit a deposit prior to the Auction; these deposits establish the bidding limits for the bidder in the Auction. Wilmington Trust will hold the deposits in escrow until the Auction completes.

9 April 2014 – Updated Bidder Agreement and Resources

ICANN released an updated Bidder Agreement for New gTLD Auctions that addresses concerns raised during ICANN 49 in Singapore. The Auction Rules have been updated to align with new clauses in the Bidder Agreement. Applicants that submitted Bidder Agreement version 2014-02-26 prior to 9 April 2014 should execute the Bidder Agreement Amendment (current version under Auction Resources) and submit to ICANN via a Customer Portal case.

3 April 2014 – New gTLD Auction Rules

19 March 2014 – New gTLD Auction Schedule and Intent to Auction Notifications initiated

The schedule of the upcoming Auctions for unresolved contention sets is now available. The first Auction Event is scheduled for 4 June 2014. Auction notifications have been issued to members of eligible contention sets. Applicants must submit the required bidder materials within 28 days of receiving an Intent to Auction notification.

5 March 2014 – Public Comment Report Available: New gTLD Auction Rules

ICANN reviewed the community’s feedback and will implement several updates to the Auction Rules documents.

26 February 2014 – Updates to Auction Resources

5 February 2014 – Public Comment Closed: New gTLD Auction Rules

ICANN opened a public comment period to gather community input regarding the auction rules and other auction materials. Comments were due by 4 February 2014 at 23:59 UTC. Once finalized, Auctions will be conducted to assist applicants in resolving string contention.

7 November 2013 – New gTLD Auctions Webinar Materials

Date/Time: 7 November 2013, 22:00 – 23:00 UTC

An in-depth discussion on the Auctions process and what to expect.

7 November 2013 – Auctions Webinar

An in-depth discussion on the Auctions process, including an overview, proposed timeframes and deadlines, and preliminary key rules. ICANN will also gather community input on process elements that will affect parties preparing for Auction.

31 October 2013 – Preliminary Auction Rules

The preliminary New gTLD Program Auction Rules are based on section 4.3.1 of the Applicant Guidebook. This near final version should be reviewed by applicants who are likely to utilize ICANN’s New gTLD Program Auction process to resolve string contention. They are being published prior to finalization to facilitate applicant’s auction preparations and will be finalized as soon as is operationally feasible.

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/auctions

 

ICANN and Governance, New gTLDs

It’s Just Not .KOSHER – Jewish Groups Battle Over gTLD

ICANN new generic Top Level Domains logoBattles over who gets the opportunity to operate certain new gTLDs has been quite combative for a few, and one in particular is the .kosher application.

While there was only one applicant for .kosher, a subsidiary of OK Kosher, Kosher Marketing Assets LLC, which certifies more than 500,000 products and offices around the world, it drew criticisms from a number of Jewish organisations such as the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, STAR-K Kosher Certification Inc. (STAR-K), Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc), Kosher Supervision Service Inc. (KOF-K) and the Kashruth Council of Canada (COR) reported Haaretz.

However, Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief operating officer of OU Kosher, made clear in an interview with the Jewish Journal on 23 January that he still had doubts about how OK Kosher would use the newly delegated gTLD.

“We don’t believe that any one group should have control over the word ‘kosher,’ Elefant told the Jewish Journal. “If one kosher certifying agency has control over which businesses could obtain Web addresses ending in .kosher, he said, any business that wanted to have such a presence on the Web would be forced to sign up with OK Kosher.”

But according to the report “an expert working for the International Chamber of Commerce rebuffed this objection and awarded the right to manage .kosher” to OK Kosher “on 14 January concluding that there was no proof that it would have a negative impact reported the Jewish Journal.

“Competitors claim OK Kosher would use the domain to attain an unfair competitive advantage in the kosher certification business, but the International Chamber of Commerce rejected their objection,” reported Haaretz.

“OK Kosher’s head of public relations, Rabbi Chaim Fogelman, told the Jewish Journal that the company is not yet sure what it will do with the new domain, but it will be in line with their mission of “kosher without compromise.”

But there is a background to the battle over the rights to .kosher. “There’s a long history of intense rivalry — but also cooperation — between kosher certifiers in the United States,” reported the Jewish Journal. “Today, a consumer food product may have only one kosher symbol on its package, but it’s likely that its ingredients are certified by different agencies.”

That balance between competition and cooperation is a delicate one, and this dispute could push that system in one way or another, Timothy Lytton, a professor at Albany Law School whose book “Kosher: Private Regulation in the Age of Industrialized Food” was published last year. Gaining control over .kosher could give OK Kosher increased Internet traffic, he said.

“If that could be translated into greater market control or greater control over public understanding of kosher standards, that might push [the American system of kosher certification] in the direction of centralised control,” he said.

And while there is an application fee of $185,000 to apply for a gTLD, and many other costs, those opposing the bid spent around $100,000 on fees to ICANN and lawyers. And they could spend more to appeal the decision.

Elefant told the Jewish Journal that when news of OK’s application to take control of .kosher reached him at the OU in late 2012, it was a surprise.

“We were never informed by OK of their application,” he said. “We happened to find out — and religious Jews don’t like to use this word — coincidentally.”

Before they took their objection to ICANN, though, the OU, together with the four other agencies, approached OK Kosher according to the report. A meeting was held in January 2013 to see if some kind of mutually acceptable agreement could be reached.

But if the OU’s preference was for no agency to own the gTLD .kosher, OK Kosher took a different attitude. Fogelman said the .kosher gTLD has “enormous potential to spread kosher and educate about kosher.” Furthermore, Fogelman believes there is a danger to leaving the .kosher gTLD on the table.

“Allowing it to be directed by people who are either not qualified or have ulterior motives for managing .kosher has the potential for great disaster,” he said.

ICANN and Governance, New gTLDs

ICANN: NGPC Considers Remaining Beijing and Durban Advice on New gTLDs

ICANN new generic Top Level Domains logoThe ICANN Board New gTLD Program Committee (NGPC) met on 28 September 2013 and, among other things, adopted a scorecard of remaining advice from the Beijing and Durban GAC Communiqués.

The scorecard, available here <www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-new-gtld-annex-1-28sep13-en.pdf> [PDF, 94 KB], reflects the following:

.wine and .vin: On 9 September 2013, the NGPC received a letter from Heather Dryden to Steve Crocker re: .wine and .vin. The letter noted that there is no GAC consensus advice on additional specific safeguards, and that the GAC or its members may communicate further details to the Board as to the nature of the differences in views. As such, the NGPC stands ready to hear from GAC members as to the nature of the differences in views expressed in the advice while the NGPC is analyzing the community input received on this advice.

The NGPC directs staff to analyze the GAC advice and other community input received on this issue, and prepare an analysis and recommendation for decision at the NGPC meeting in Buenos Aires.

.spa, .yun, 广东 (guangzhou), .深圳 (shenzhen): ICANN will allow evaluation and dispute resolution processes to go forward, but will not enter into registry agreements with applicants for the identified strings, subject to the parties having reached agreement or the GAC issuing final advice prior to the close of the ICANN Public meeting in Buenos Aires.

.amazon (and related IDNs): directs staff to prepare additional analysis regarding the GAC advice and the issues raised by the applicant for NGPC consideration at a subsequent meeting.

Intergovernmental (IGO) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC/CICR) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC/FICR) acronyms: The NGPC is working on an implementation plan for the advice and will inform the GAC of the details upon approval by the NGPC.

Category 1 Safeguard Advice: The NGPC is working on an implementation plan for the advice and will inform the GAC of the details upon approval by the NGPC.

Category 2 Safeguard Advice: The NGPC directs staff to move forward with the contracting process for applicants for strings identified in the Category 2 Safeguard Advice that are prepared to enter into the Registry Agreement as approved.

The NGPC further directs staff to prepare an analysis and proposal for how to implement the Category 2 Safeguard Advice for applicants who do intend to impose exclusive registry access for generic strings.

The New gTLD evaluation and objection processes remains on track while the NGPC continues its deliberations. The NGPC is prioritizing its work in order to allow the greatest number of applications to move forward as soon as possible. We will continue to provide updates on the NGPC’s progress in responding to the GAC Beijing and Durban Advice.

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-01oct13-en.htm

Domain Name Registry, ICANN and Governance

ICANN Signs Accountability Framework with ccTLD Manager for Ecuador (.EC)

ICANN logoICANN has announced today (6 July) that it has signed an Accountability Framework with the country code top level domain (ccTLD) manager for .EC (Ecuador), NIC.EC (NICEC) S.A, on 23 June 2010.

The Accountability Framework program provides two mechanisms by which ccTLD managers can formalise their relationship with ICANN. The first is an Accountability Framework document that sets out the obligations of a ccTLD manager and ICANN. It also covers dispute resolution and termination and is designed for ccTLD managers requiring a formal document with ICANN.

The second mechanism is an exchange of letters between ICANN and the ccTLD manager designed for those for whom a simple statement of commitment is more appropriate.

Signed accountability framework and exchange of letters documents can be found at icann.org/en/cctlds/agreements.html.

ICANN signs Accountability Framework with cctld manager for Ecuador (.EC)

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-06jul10-en.htm

Domain Name Aftermarket, Domain Name Registrants

Domainers World

With domains there will always be a wise investor who looks at the opportunity of increasing there domain portfolio. Domain pulse has blogged about wise investments over the past few months and given a greater scope of how the domain world operates. I was reading through an article from Domain Informer that gives great insight into the way a domainer operates and the different categories they work in.

The Investor
These are the sharpest of them all. Buy good quality when prices are low, hold long term, sell high. These guys hold onto assets, maybe even develop them, ensure that they’re hot and in demand when the market is totally ripe, then sell them. The advantages of emulating this type is that you can afford to sell 1% of your portfolio each year and still manage to pull in the major bucks. The downside is renewals, unless your portfolio generates enough revenue, this cost needs to be factored in. People like Frank Schilling, Rick Schwartz, Sahar Sarid, Adam Dicker, Michael Goldman and probably most of the other big ticket guys will be found in this group.

The Flipper
These guys live to make a fast buck and sometimes the ‘buck’ can be a hundred thousand dollars or more on great buys. They know exactly which domain they can sell and to whom and for how much. If they can buy domains that they can sell immediately (1hr to 3 months) for higher valuation, they’re very liable to take the deal. This kind can be equated to the floor traders of yore. They’re fast, nimble and never hold large portfolios, in fact some only have the one domain they want to sell, right now, before moving on the next big deal. There is a lot of money to be made this way too, however its short term, here and now. So if you don’t sell, you don’t churn. I’ve seen some huge success stories in this lot too, Derek Giordano and Reece Berg are top of the mind here.

Further Information : http://www.domaininformer.com/guides/General_Information/articles/080526TheDifferentTypesofDomainers.html