ICANN Going To Argentina In November 2013, Then Singapore, London, North America in 2014

ICANN have announced they will be heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 17 to 21 November 2013 for the 48th of their thrice yearly meetings.

ICANN have announced they will be heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 17 to 21 November 2013 for the 48th of their thrice yearly meetings.As per usual there was a call for interested parties to host the meeting. One location application was received, but ICANN deemed this unsuitable as it did not have all of the facilities needed to host an ICANN Meeting.So subsequently ICANN staff undertook a search and settled on Buenos Aires according to the minutes of the Special Meeting of the ICANN Board of 20 December.For 2013, meetings will be held in Beijing, China, from 7 to 11 April and then Durban, South Africa, from 14 to 18 July.Looking at 2014, ICANN has decided to hold its meetings in London, Singapore and a yet to be determined location in North America. Possibly due to the difficulty in finding hosts for the meetings, the board decided on the above locations. But it appears that there might not have been much public consultation for the 2014 meetings, which ICANN is not required to do but has done as part of its community engagement.The lack of likely suitable hosts interested in hosting future meetings, in part due to the costs involved, were reasons ICANN undertook to consolidate the number of locations where meetings would be held in the from 2015 and beyond.Looking at 2015 and beyond, ICANN requested comments on its Consolidated Meetings Strategy proposal earlier in 2012. The Public Participation Committee, under its charter to increase public awareness of, and participation in the affairs of ICANN, will oversee the creation and activities of a Multistakeholder Meeting Strategy Working Group that will examine the design, frequency and regional rotation of future meetings and conferences.

Parody: Singapore Police Arrest Domainer Over .XXX Registration

A domainer in Singapore found himself subject to a rough arrest that resulted in him having broken bones and teeth when police forcibly entered his apartment, when all he claims to have been doing was protecting his trademark.

Update: Oops, but in the haste to bring this story, I didn’t look closely enough, and Domain Gang is a parody site. If it was 1 April I would have been an April Fool!A domainer in Singapore found himself subject to a rough arrest that resulted in him having broken bones and teeth when police forcibly entered his apartment, when all he claims to have been doing was protecting his trademark.According to a Domain Gang report Jiaming Sim applied for the domain name during the .XXX Sunrise period and four hours later police entered his apartment, confiscated his computer equipment and put him under arrest.To read more on this story, see the Domain Gang report at domaingang.com/domain-news/singapore-domainer-gets-jail-for-xxx-domain-registration/

New TLD registry service providers are not created equal says Adrian Kinderis

AusRegistry International logoby Adrian Kinderis, CEO of AusRegistry International, explains why choosing a registry services partner is the most important decision applicants will make.

The ICANN Singapore meeting last week was all about certainty. The official approval of the new Top-Level Domain program and the delivery of an application timeline by the ICANN Board has provided the certainty we have all been eagerly waiting for

AusRegistry International logoby Adrian Kinderis, CEO of AusRegistry International, explains why choosing a registry services partner is the most important decision applicants will make.

The ICANN Singapore meeting last week was all about certainty. The official approval of the new Top-Level Domain program and the delivery of an application timeline by the ICANN Board has provided the certainty we have all been eagerly waiting for.

What I can also be certain about is that potential applicants are now desperately trying to finalise their new Top-Level Domain strategies. To those applicants, I have one very important message:

Choosing a domain name registry services partner for your new Top-Level Domain is the most important decision you will make from here on in.

As such, I think it is also important for potential applicants to understand that not all registry services providers are created equal. There are several key criteria for differentiation that can help potential applicants decipher all the spin and make an informed decision.

Below is my summary of the criteria I believe are critical for your choice in registry services partner.

1) Experience – Your chosen partner must have long-term experience in developing, growing and operating a current, high volume namespace. In this game, experience counts for everything.

2) Financial Security – Financial security ensures long term viability of your provider. This means that your registry services partner will be around for as long as your TLD needs them to be.

3) Flexibility – Your solution must be built for the specific requirements of your new TLD. Flexibility from your registry services partner will ensure you aren’t restricted by technical capability.

4) Focus – Are new TLDs a primary focus of the business? They should be…

5) Diverse Expertise – Navigating the TLD minefield is no easy task. To ensure success, you’ll need a combination of dedicated industry consultants, knowledgeable technical resources and sales & marketing experts to meet ICANN’s stringent requirements. Great registry services require an equal balance of brain power and technology.

6) Commitment – Ask prospective partners how much of their own time has been invested understanding the intricate details of the Applicant Guidebook and ICANN’s processes. Have they been an advocate and influencer of the program since its inception? Are they committed to the success of this revolutionary program?

7) Price – Extremely low per domain pricing structures may seem like a good idea in theory, however  you must question the ability for that entity to manage a registry well and, importantly, support your ongoing business long-term. If your partner is hamstrung because they have over committed on pricing, you may experience some challenges long-term.

What you are looking for is a service provider that can positively cover off all these points at a consistently high level. What you want to avoid is a provider that may excel at one point to the detriment of another.

There is only six months until the 12 January 2012 application window opens and the time to act is now. I’ve provided you with all the information you need to make the right decisions about your new Top-Level Domain. There is just one more piece of information I forgot to include: info@ausregistry.com.

Drop my team a line one day to see how we stack up.

This article was sourced from the AusRegistry blog at:
www.ausregistry.com/blog/?p=803

.SG Premium Domain Names Available Soon

SGNIC logoSGNIC have announced the release of a limited number of premium .SG domain names, ranging in price from S$642 to $21,400. Where there is a domain name with multiple applications, the domain name will go to the applicant with the highest bid. The domains are available for application between 1 and 31 July

SGNIC logoSGNIC have announced the release of a limited number of premium .SG domain names, ranging in price from S$642 to $21,400. Where there is a domain name with multiple applications, the domain name will go to the applicant with the highest bid. The domains are available for application between 1 and 31 July.

The Premium domain names are names that are limited in quantity and command a higher value than non-premium domain names. They include:
(a) Single character domain names (“SCDNs”), i.e. a name which is made up of a single alphabet, with a Base Price of $20,000. For example, A, B, C, … X, Y, Z; and
(b) Numeric domain names (“NDNs”) i.e. a name which is made up of:
(i) All single digits. For example, 0, 1, 2 … 9.  These are classified as NDN (Platinum) with a Base Price of $20,000;
(ii) All 2 digits. For example, 00, … 99. These are classified as NDN (Golden) with a Base Price of $1,000;
(iii) All 3 and 4 digits. These are classified as either NDN (Golden) or NDN(Silver) depending on the combination. The Base Price of a NDN (Silver) is $600; or
(iv) Selected 5 to 11 digits, which are classified as either NDN (Golden) or NDN(Silver) depending on the combination.

If there is a premium name not available in this round, potential registrants are encouraged to contact SGNIC by email to dnq@sgnic.sg. If there are sufficient demand for those PDNs, SGNIC will release them in subsequent launches.

Asia Registry logoAnyone interested in one of the premium domains should contact Asia Registry, part of the instra group, an accredited .SG registrar.

For more information, see the SGNIC website at nic.net.sg.

.SG Domain Names in Full Chinese and Tamil Characters Now Available

SGNIC logo[news release] The Singapore Network Information Centre (SGNIC), the national registry for domain names, will be accepting registrations for Internationalised Domain Names (IDN) from 4 July 2011 onwards

SGNIC logo[news release] The Singapore Network Information Centre (SGNIC), the national registry for domain names, will be accepting registrations for Internationalised Domain Names (IDN) from 4 July 2011 onwards.

This offers greater choice to consumers as they can soon register for Web addresses that their target market or audience can better identify with, such as Chinese and Tamil-speaking communities in China and India who are also starting to use full Chinese and Tamil characters in website addresses. SGNIC will offer these IDNs under the top-levels of “.新加坡” and “.சிங்கப்பூர்”.

SGNIC General Manager Lim Choon Sai said, “SGNIC hopes to give users greater choices and add to the range of domain names available here. We believe this is timely given the growing interest, especially among businesses both here and overseas, to reach the emerging Indian and Chinese overseas markets, which may feel more comfortable using their own language characters. Brand owners can also build up and strengthen their online identities further with this new service.”

The launch of IDN comes after SGNIC released Chinese Domain Names at the 2nd and 3rd level in 20092 and follows the global trend of using non-Latin characters in domain names. Some countries/regions which have implemented full IDNs include Russia, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Registrations of IDNs in Singapore will be phased according to the Schedule below. The categories of applicants mentioned in the first two phases of the launch can also apply for registering premium names (single-character domain names and numeric domain names) if they have registered these premium names under existing .sg categories. New premium names can also be applied under Phase 2.

Registration phases:
a. Phase 1: For existing CDN holders (4 July – 15 August 2011)
b. Phase 2: For Trademark holders, government agencies and other
interested businesses and individuals (12 September – 8 November
2011)
c. General Launch: 14 December 2011 onwards

For more information, please refer to www.sgnic.sg

Asia Registry logoTo register your .SG domain name, check out Asia Registry here.

ICANN Advisory: News Conference to Inaugurate Cyber Security Facility in Singapore

ICANN logoSGNIC logoProminent Internet organizations and the Singapore Government will answer journalists’ questions about the inauguration of a Singapore facility that will become the first of three hardened facilities that will bring an extra measure of security to Internet users around the globe

ICANN logoSGNIC logoProminent Internet organizations and the Singapore Government will answer journalists’ questions about the inauguration of a Singapore facility that will become the first of three hardened facilities that will bring an extra measure of security to Internet users around the globe.

Packet Clearing House (PCH) and ICANN will join the Singapore government at the news conference.

The three new facilities, located in Singapore; Zurich, Switzerland (still under construction) and San Jose, California, will provide cryptographic security using the recently deployed Domain Name System Security (DNSSEC) protocol. Internet users in each country that adopts the new service will be assured of the authenticity of the websites they visit and the email addresses they use.

Here are the details:

WHAT: News Conference

WHO: Representatives of ICANN, Packet Clearing House (PCH), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

WHEN: Wednesday, 22 June 2011, 1430-1530 Singapore (0530-0630 UTC).

WHERE: Swissôtel The Stamford, Moor Room, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore.

OFF-SITE ACCESS: Journalists from around the world can participate in the news conference via remote access.

A live video webcast may be accessed at icann.adobeconnect.com/sin41-press.

NEWS CONFERENCE RECORDING: As soon after the news conference as possible, a recording of the event will be posted to www.icann.org/en/press/

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
www.icann.org/en/news/advisories/advisory-14jun11-en.pdf

Pre-Singapore ICANN Policy Update Webinar Invitation

ICANN logoIn order to participate, please RSVP via email to the GNSO Secretariat

(gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org) to receive the call details.

Whether you plan to participate in the upcoming ICANN meeting in Singapore remotely or in person, you’re invited to a quick reminder of the background and current status of each major policy issue currently under discussion in ICANN

ICANN logoIn order to participate, please RSVP via email to the GNSO Secretariat

(gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org) to receive the call details.

Whether you plan to participate in the upcoming ICANN meeting in Singapore remotely or in person, you’re invited to a quick reminder of the background and current status of each major policy issue currently under discussion in ICANN.

The ICANN Policy Staff will provide a briefing on Wednesday 8 June at 19.00 UTC and Thursday 9 June at 12.00 UTC, summarizing policy issues across the different ICANN Supporting Organizations, namely the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) and Address Supporting Organization (ASO). Amongst other topics, updates will be provided on:

  • Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy Issue Report (GNSO)
  • Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part B (GNSO)
  • Post-Expiration Domain Name Recovery (GNSO)
  • Recent WHOIS work
  • Study Group on Use of Names for Countries and Territories (ccNSO)
  • Framework of Interpretation Working Group for the delegation and re delegation of ccTLDs (ccNSO)
  • Joint DNS Security and Stability Analysis Working Group
  • Global policy for handling recovered IPv4 address space (ASO)

The two sessions are duplicates, scheduled to accommodate different time zones. Each session, scheduled to run for 90 minutes, will be conducted in English only. The meeting will be run in Adobe Connect with a slide presentation along with a dial-in conference bridge for audio.

Participants will have opportunity to ask questions at the end of each session. During the course of the webinar, questions may be submitted using the chat function of Adobe Connect. If you are not able to participate in either of the live sessions, the recording of the session will be made available shortly after the meeting. The policy staff is always available to answer any questions that you email to policy-staff@icann.org.

In order to participate, please RSVP via email to the GNSO Secretariat (gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org) to receive the call details. Please indicate which call you would like to join, Wednesday at 19.00 UTC or Thursday at 12.00 UTC (to convert those times into your local time, see: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedform.html). We will send you an e-mail reminder before the event with log-in and dial-in details. Please DO NOT RSVP to any other ICANN staff members e-mail address.

This ICANN announcement was sourced from:
icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11may11-en.htm

SGNIC Releases Premium .SG Domains

SGNIC logoSGNIC are releasing a limited number of premium .SG domain names. The domain names will be available by application at a Base Price ranging from SG$600 to $20,000. If the name has multiple applications, it will be allocated to the applicant with the highest bid

SGNIC logoSGNIC are releasing a limited number of premium .SG domain names. The domain names will be available by application at a Base Price ranging from SG$600 to $20,000. If the name has multiple applications, it will be allocated to the applicant with the highest bid.

Details of the launch can be found in the following documents:

SGNIC have provided an FAQ on the premium domain name allocation:
1. What are Premium Domain Names (“PDNs”)?

Premium domain names (“PDNs”) are names that are limited in quantity and command a higher value than non-premium domain names. It consists of:

(a) Single character domain names (“SCDNs”), i.e. a name which is made up of a single alphabet, with a Base Price of $20,000. For example, A, B, C, ……X, Y, Z; and

(b) Numeric domain names (“NDNs”) i.e. a name which is made up of:

(i) All single digits. For example, 0, 1, 2 ……9.  These are classified as NDN(Platinum) with a Base Price of $20,000;
(ii) All 2 digits. For example, 00, ……99. These are classified as NDN(Golden) with a Base Price of $1,000;
(iii) All 3 and 4 digits. These are classified as either NDN(Golden) or NDN(Silver) depending on the combination. The Base Price of a NDN(Silver) is $600; or
(iv) Selected 5 to 11 digits, which are classified as either NDN(Golden) or NDN(Silver) depending on the combination.

2. The PDNs that I wanted is not released for bidding. When will SGNIC release them for bidding?

If there are sufficient demand for the PDNs, SGNIC will release them for bidding. You can indicate your interest by emailing the specific PDNs to dnq@sgnic.sg.

3. How frequent will the PDNs be released for bidding?

The PDNs will be released for bidding on a quarterly basis if there are sufficient demands to warrant a release.

4. In the event that two or more applications are received for the same PDN and I am not successful in bidding for the PDN, will the Base Price be refunded to me?

Yes, SGNIC will refund the Base Price to all unsuccessful applicants.

5. Can I submit a scanned copy of the Priority Claim Form to SGNIC Accredited Registrars?

Yes, you can either submit the original or a scanned copy of the Priority Claim Form.

Asia Registry logoTo apply for your .SG Premium Domain Name, check out Asia Registry, part of the instra group, an SGNIC accredited registrar here.

ICANN Jordan Meeting Moved to Singapore

ICANN have officially announced the upcoming meeting to be held in Amman, Jordan, has been cancelled while rumours are circulating that it will be moved to Singapore, following the unrest across the Middle East, including in Jordan.

ICANN have officially announced the upcoming meeting to be held in Amman, Jordan, has been cancelled while rumours are circulating that it will be moved to Singapore, following the unrest across the Middle East, including in Jordan.Rumours were circulating at the Domain Pulse meeting in Vienna last Thursday and Friday were the meeting will be held in Singapore, although there has been no official confirmation from ICANN. The meeting is scheduled to happen on 19 to 24 June 2011.”The Board reluctantly made its decision after closely monitoring the rapidly changing developments affecting the Middle East,” says a posting on the ICANN Blog. “The decision reflects the Board’s view that regional developments could have a negative impact on attendance at the meeting.””We would like to offer our warm thanks to our Jordanian hosts, who were extremely constructive and helpful throughout the planning and preparation stages of the meeting. It is our sincere hope that Jordan might be willing to extend its kind hospitality to ICANN again in the future.”ICANN say more details on the upcoming meeting location will be made soon, although with the meeting only a few months away, Singapore would also seem a logical place with the infrastructure available to hold such a meeting likely to be available at short notice.

Singapore Registry to Introduce Chinese Domains

SGNIC logoThe Singapore Network Information Centre (SGNIC) will be launching Chinese domain names (CDN) on 3 November. The move means businesses and consumers can look forward to using Chinese characters in their website address to better reach their customers or friends who prefer Chinese web addresses

SGNIC logoThe Singapore Network Information Centre (SGNIC) will be launching Chinese domain names (CDN) on 3 November. The move means businesses and consumers can look forward to using Chinese characters in their website address to better reach their customers or friends who prefer Chinese web addresses.

This opens up new options for domain names, as anyone can soon register addresses such as  .sg so that their target market or audience can better identify with them. SGNIC will offer these Chinese domain names at both 2nd and 3rd levels in all categories (namely, .sg, .com.sg, .gov.sg, .org.sg, .edu.sg, .net.sg, .per.sg). For instance, a 2nd level domain name would be  .sg, while a 3rd level domain name would read as  .com.sg.

The launch will take place in the following phases:

  • Phase #1: Government Applications 23 Nov 2009 – 31 Dec 2009
  • Phase #2: Trademark Owners Applications 7 Jan 2010 – 18 Feb 2010
  • Sunrise: 25 Mar 2010 – 6 May 2010
  • General Launch: 10 June 2010 onwards.

“SGNIC hopes to give users greater choices and also add to the range of domain names available here,” said Lim Choon Sai, SGNIC’s general manager.

“We believe this is timely given the growing interest, especially among businesses here, to reach the Chinese markets, which may feel more comfortable using their own language.”

Asia Registry logoRegistrations can be made with any of SGNIC’s participating accredited registrars such as Asia Registry and are available in all the domain name categories, namely .sg, .com.sg, .org.sg, .net.sg, .edu.sg, .gov.sg, .per.sg.

Registrations are subject to the “SGNIC Chinese Domain Names (CDNs) Launch Guidelines” which prescribes policies and procedures concerning applications during the various phases, priority claims, biddings and other general implementation details.

Applications during the first three phases will be on batch-processing for each phase while applications for the General Launch will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Please refer to the launch schedule and relevant documents below for more details.

Launch Schedule

Milestones Duration Activities
Phase 1: Government Applications 9:00am 23 Nov 09 to 12:00pm 31 Dec 09 Acceptance of applications from government agencies. Names will be processed as a batch.
5:00pm 6 Jan 10 Batch Activation of all names registered during Phase 1.
Phase 2: Trademark Owners Applications 9:00am 7 Jan 10 to 5:00pm 18 Feb 10 Acceptance of applications from trademark owners. Bidding will ensue if there are multiple applications for the same domain name. Names will be processed as a batch.
5:00pm 24 Mar 10 Batch Activation of all names registered during Phase 2.
Sunrise 9:00am 7 Jan 10 to 5:00pm 18 Feb 10 Acceptance of applications from trademark owners. Bidding will ensue if there are multiple applications for the same domain name. Names will be processed as a batch.
5:00pm 24 Mar 10 Batch Activation of all names registered during Phase 2.
General Launch 10 Jun 10 Acceptance of applications from all entities on a first-come-first-served basis. There will be no priority fee imposed.