.CC, .g TLDs

["Gregory L. Wilmes" <wilmes@lawx.com>]

I won't be surprised if many companies or individuals have already paid
for .CC or .g TLDs believing that they were "open".  Even the home Web
page of the .CC registration service indicates that .CC is used
world-wide just like .COM. If this isn't accurate, then companies need
to know that right up-front.  Please visit the following Web sites to
see a sampling of how .CCs are ALREADY being used by companies:

www.mortgages.cc  (registered to a U.S. bank on the east coast)
www.wine.cc       (registered to a wine group in California)
www.intel.cc      (registered to Intel Corporation of the U.S.)
www.nike.cc       (registered to Nike in the U.S.)
www.joppa.cc      (registered to a U.S. publications company)

There are probably hundreds or thousands of others who have registered
.CC or .g TLDs believing they were "open".  How will their rights to
these names change if it is now decided they are "closed"?  Consumers
may also get blind-sided if a .CC or .g TLD name they are used to seeing
gets changed.  Companies will have to revise print advertisements, Web
sites, etc.  Will lawsuits ensue against the .CC and .g registry
services because of representations that such TLDs are "open"?  Many
questions need to be answered, and there will be some unhappy companies
and individuals if the names are determined to be "closed".

Sincerely,