Description of 

Top Level Domain (TLD) Policies

[For sponsored TLDs, this part of the application is to be completed by the sponsoring organization. For unsponsored TLDs, the registry operator should complete this part of the application. Please refer to the Detailed Application Instructions for more information on the requirements for new TLD applications.

The operation of a TLD involves the implementation of policies on a very large number of topics. Applicants are urged to use their response to this part of the application to demonstrate their detailed knowledge of what topics are involved and their careful analysis and clear articulation of the policies they propose on these topics.

Please place the legend "CONFIDENTIAL" on any part of your description that you have listed in item F3.1 of your Statement of Requested Confidential Treatment of Materials Submitted.

Section III of this application applies only to applicants for restricted TLDs. Ordinarily, restricted TLDs should be sponsored.]

I. GENERAL TLD POLICIES (Required for all TLDs. Note that two special policy areas policies during the start-up period and restrictions on who may register within the TLD and for what purpose‑‑are covered in sections II and III below.) - Our Response

E1. In General. Please provide a full and detailed description of all policies to be followed in the TLD (other than those covered in response to items E11-E21). If the TLD's policy on a particular topic is proposed to be identical to that reflected by a particular version of any of the following documents, it is sufficient for your response to identify the topic, to give a brief summary of the policy, and for the details to reference the document and section:

ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement

NSI Registrar License and Agreement

ICANN / NSI Registry Agreement

Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy

Your response should comprehensively describe policies on all topics to be followed in connection with the proposed TLD. The following items (E2‑E10) are examples only and should not limit your description.

E2. TLD String. Please identify the TLD string(s) you are proposing. For format requirements for TLD strings, see the answer to FAQ #5.

E3. Naming conventions. Describe the naming conventions and structure within the TLD. E.g., will registrants have names registered at the second level (directly under the TLD, as in registered name.com), or will the TLD be organized with sub-domains so that registered domain names are created at a lower level (as in registered name.travel.com)?

E4. Registrars. Describe in detail the policies for selection of, and competition among, registrars. Will domain name holders deal through registrars, directly with the registry operator, or some combination of the two? What are the respective roles, functions, and responsibilities for the registry operator and registrars? If registrars are to be employed, how and by whom will they be selected or accredited? If the number of registrars will be restricted, what number of registrars will be selected? Have the qualifying registrars already been selected? On what basis will selections among those seeking to be registrars be made, and who will make them? If registrars are to be used, what mechanisms will be used to ensure that TLD policies are implemented?

E5. Intellectual Property Provisions. Describe the policies for protection of intellectual property. Your response should address at least the following questions, as appropriate to the TLD:

E5.1. What measures will be taken to discourage registration of domain names that infringe intellectual property rights?

E5.2. If you are proposing pre‑screening for potentially infringing registrations, how will the pre‑screening be performed?

E5.3. What registration practices will be employed to minimize abusive registrations?

E5.4. What measures do you propose to comply with applicable trademark and anti‑cybersquatting legislation?

E5.5. Are you proposing any special protections (other than during the start‑up period) for famous trademarks?

E5.6. How will complete, up‑to‑date, reliable, and conveniently provided Whois data be maintained, updated, and accessed concerning registrations in the TLD?

E6. Dispute Resolution. Describe the policies for domain name and other dispute resolution. If you are proposing variations to the policies followed in .com, .net, and .org, consider the following questions:

E6.1. To what extent are you proposing to implement the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy?

E6.2. Please describe any additional, alternative, or supplemental dispute resolution procedures you are proposing.

E7. Data Privacy, Escrow, and Whois. Describe the proposed policies on data privacy, escrow and Whois service.

E8. Billing and Collection. Describe variations in or additions to the policies for billing and collection.

E9. Services and Pricing. What registration services do you propose to establish charges for and, for each such service, how much do you propose to charge?

E10. Other. Please describe any policies concerning topics not covered by the above questions.

Answers to ( E1- E10 ) 

GENERAL .EVENT POLICIES

We will bring increased order to the Internet and make the Internet easy and accessible to the world through the introduction of the .event TLD. Our TLD will represent the event industry in its broadest categorization.  Our innovative use of a sub-domain system will allow us to simplify searches and access to Internet sites. Additionally, it will organize event-related sites in a clear and precise manner.  We will provide for second-level registration of (name).event domains as well as lower-level registrations such as (name).sport.event.  

 

The policy that has been established and accepted by our Board is to offer only second-level domain registrations during the start-up period. This start-up period, lasting six months, will be "closed" to the general consumer market.  During the start-up period, only current domain name, trademark, famous name holders and legitimate businesses seeking to register domains related to the name of their company or its products will be allowed to register their name as a .event.  This provides the opportunity for name and trademark protection. 

 

The Policy Board will reserve certain non-specific, common word, second-level domain names for use as Registrar sites for the planned sub-domain issuance.  Price and terms will be subject to separate negotiations with the Registration Board and approval by the Policy Board.  After the start-up period, we will accept .event registrations from the general market.  Concurrent with allowing the open registration of .event, we will introduce six sub-domains.  

 

The initial sub-domain offering will be in broad categories to allow for familiarization with the concept.  The first six to be introduced will be .sport.event, .sale.event, .expo.event, .music.event, .family.event, and .community.event. Subsequent introductions will offer three new sub-domains and will occur quarterly.  Each introduction will feature a three month start-up period during which only current domain name, trademark, and famous name holders will be allowed to register their name as a .sub.event.  After the start-up period, we will accept .sub.event registrations from the general market. 

The "start-up" period is in place to help protect ownership of names, giving the owners a grace period to register their intellectual property without competition.  In the case of trademarked names, the registration screen will include a field to enter the trademark number.  This field will be linked with the trademark data base.  If the name and the number do not match, or if they do match but the name is already registered, the registration will not be completed.  

 

The screen will ask the customer to call our Customer Service department to help resolve the issue.  The issue of "cyber-squatting" is in many ways undefined and unresolved.  While we support current efforts to define and control the issue, we recognize that the issue is still volatile.  We will endeavor to comply with the most current and widely accepted policies on a continuing basis. 

 

The media and the public have recently focused on the presence of inappropriate material on the Internet. By definition, as a Restricted TLD, we have the obligation and the right to limit content found within our registered user's sites to material appropriate and of a nature consistent with the scope of our TLD.  While it is not our intention to exclude any events from the .event TLD, we  recognize our obligation to limit content, and have chosen to use the standards of the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) Ratings system (www.w3.org/pics).  

 

Currently we have set our content limit at Rating 3 thereby accepting any and all event-related content deemed to be at or below this rating.  While we have set the limit at PICS Rating 3, we reserve the right to revise this rating limitation as deemed appropriate by the Policy Board. Any site reported to our Policy Board to be in violation of any of our restrictions will come under review.  The determination of the Policy Board can range from dismissal to warning or revocation of the domain name registration.

 

The Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy will be the standard whereby all disputes between domain name registrants will be resolved.  All relevant registrant data will be posted in the Whois database.  The Whois database will be available through all of the Registrar and Registry sites.  In addition, relevant information will be available by request via email or other written communication to interested parties.

 

The Service and Pricing structure is attached as Appendix H.  The general policy is to charge for the registration of second-level domains and sub-domains.  Additionally, Registrars will pay an annual fee and a portion of the income from all registrations that they process. This will be negotiable, but will follow standard industry models.  All financial transactions will be handled with electronic media only. Our Billing and Collection services will be handled internally or by a processing company to be chosen at a later date.

II. REGISTRATION POLICIES DURING THE START‑UP PERIOD 

(Required for all TLDs) - Our Response

E11. In this section, you should thoroughly describe all policies (including implementation details) that you propose to follow during the start‑up phase of registrations in the TLD, to the extent they differ from the General TLD Policies covered in items E1‑E9. The following questions highlight some of the areas that should be considered for start‑up policies:

E12. How do you propose to address the potential rush for registration at the initial opening of the TLD? How many requested registrations do you project will be received by the registry operator within the first day, week, month, and quarter? What period do you believe should be considered the TLD's "start‑up period," during which special procedures should apply?

E13. Do you propose to place limits on the number of registrations per registrant? Per registrar? If so, how will these limits be implemented?

E14. Will pricing mechanisms be used to dampen a rush for registration at the initial opening of the TLD? If so, please describe these mechanisms in detail.

E15. Will you offer any "sunrise period" in which certain potential registrants are offered the opportunity to register before registration is open to the general public? If so, to whom will this opportunity be offered (those with famous marks, registered trademarks, second‑level domains in other TLDs, pre‑registrations of some sort, etc.)? How will you implement this?

Answers to ( E11 - E15 )  

REGISTRATION POLICIES DURING THE START-UP PERIOD

This start-up period lasting six months will be "closed" to the general consumer market.  During the start-up period, only current domain name, trademark, famous name holders and legitimate businesses seeking to register domains related to the name of their company or its products will be allowed to register their name as a .event.  This provides the opportunity for name and trademark protection. The Policy Board will reserve certain non-specific, common word, second-level domain names for use as Registrar sites for the planned sub-domain issuance.  

Price and terms will be subject to separate negotiations with the Registration Board and approval by the Policy Board.  After the start-up period, we will accept .event registrations from the general market.  Concurrent with allowing the open registration of .event, we will introduce six sub-domains.  The initial sub-domain offering will be in broad categories to allow for familiarization with the concept.  The first six to be introduced will be .sport.event, .sale.event, .expo.event, .music.event, .family.event, and .community.event. 

Subsequent introductions will offer three new sub-domains and will occur quarterly.  Each introduction will feature a three month start-up period during which only current domain name, trademark, and famous name holders will be allowed to register their name as a .sub.event.  After the start-up period, we will accept .sub.event registrations from the general market. 

Based on our research and predictions of Internet growth, as well as the global nature of our expected market, we predict the following initial registrations.  We have included first day, week, month, and quarter predictions for each of our prediction confidence levels.

To handle the rush of registrations that we anticipate during the start-up period we have generated initial staff and hardware models that will support the predicted Day One, ten percent confidence level (most optimistic) registration rate.  In doing this we can ensure a stable start-up period and therefore promote confidence in the .event TLD.  

 

The net result of this is that we do not need to use artificial inflation of our registration pricing model to slow the initial registration rate of the .event TLD.  In keeping with our mission statement to make the Internet accessible to the world, our policy will be to make access to the .event TLD fair and equitable for everyone in the global Internet community. 

 

Keeping our pricing model level allows for equal opportunity for everyone and does not place any part of the market at a disadvantage.  Additionally, we do not plan to place limits on the total number of registrations per registrant.  We do plan, within the first year, to implement a verification process to ensure that the domains registered are in compliance with current cyber-squatting rules and regulations. 

III. REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS 

(Required for restricted TLDs only) - Our Response

E16. As noted in the New TLD Application Process Overview, a restricted TLD is one with enforced restrictions on (1) who may apply for a registration within the domain, (2) what uses may be made of those registrations, or (3) both. In this section, please describe in detail the restrictions you propose to apply to the TLD. Your description should should define the criteria to be employed, the manner in which you propose they be enforced, and the consequences of violation of the restrictions. Examples of matters that should be addressed are:

E17. Describe in detail the criteria for registration in the TLD. Provide a full explanation of the reasoning behind the specific policies chosen.

E18. Describe the application process for potential registrants in the TLD.

E19. Describe the enforcement procedures and mechanisms for ensuring registrants meet the registration requirements.

E20. Describe any appeal process from denial of registration.

E21. Describe any procedure that permits third parties to seek cancellation of a TLD registration for failure to comply with restrictions.

Answers to ( E16 - E21 )  

REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS

 

The restrictions on the .event TLD are categorized as Tier 1 and Tier 2 restrictions.  Tier 1 restriction requires that sites are “event related,” though we use the broadest definition of “event.”  Tier 2 restriction requires that domain names registered in the sub-domain system also have content relative to the individual sub-domain.  To register a .event  requires meeting the Tier 1 restriction.  To register a .sub-domain.event requires compliance with both Tier 1 and Tier 2 restrictions.  In addition, our policy contains a “Morality Clause” based on the PICS Ratings System.  

 

We recognize our obligation to limit content, and have chosen to use the standards of the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) Ratings system (www.w3.org/pics).  Currently we have set our content limit at Rating 3 thereby accepting any and all event-related content deemed to be at or below this rating.  While we have set the limit at PICS Rating 3, we reserve the right to revise this rating limitation as deemed appropriate by the Policy Board. Consistent with our policy of openness, public comment is always welcome and reviewed.  

 

Any site reported to our Policy Board to be in violation of any of our restrictions will come under review.  The determination of the Policy Board can range from dismissal to warning or revocation of the domain name registration.  Any site determined to violate the restrictions will be given written warning with terms to be determined by the Policy Board.  If the TLD is eventually revoked, the registrant has the right to appeal as is consistent with the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Policy.  Our Policy Group maintains a staff to randomly audit .event sites to verify compliance with the stated restrictions.  This staff will also audit sites for compliance with current cyber-squatting regulations.

           

The registration process begins at the www.register.event site.  The potential registrant begins by using the Whois database to inquire if the Domain Name requested is available.  If the name is taken, the database will deny the registration.  The registrant then has the option of choosing another domain name to search or to get the contact information of the current owner of their originally requested name.  In the event that the registrant is the Trademark owner of the name, they may contact our Policy Group via our call center.  

 

If the name is not previously taken, the registrant will then be asked to complete the registration field.  The data on the field will be the contact information including, but not limited to, the name and address, business name, phone number, and email address of the potential registrant.  The registrant will be asked if they are the Trademark owner.  If so, they will be asked to put the Trademark number in the Owner field.  This number will be verified against the Trademark Owner database.  

 

If the provided Trademark data from the registrant does not match, the registrant will be asked to call Customer Service and the process will end.  If it does match, the customer will then proceed to the “event justification” page.  On this page they will be asked to justify that the site content will be event-related.  In the case of a sub-domain registration, they will also be required to include information justifying the sub-domain relativity.  The final page will be the payment screen on which they will input their billing name and address and provide a method of electronic payment.  

 

We intend to accept major credit and debit cards including but not limited to VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Plus, Star, Access, etc.  After confirmation of electronic payment, the registrant will be given an Order Number.  An electronic receipt may then be printed and will be sent to the provided email address.  To ensure the protection of privacy, we will employ state-of-the-art data encryption for all transmitted information.

IV. CONTEXT OF THE TLD WITHIN THE DNS 

(Required for all TLDs) - Our Response

E22. This section is intended to allow you to describe the benefits of the TLD and the reasons why it would benefit the global Internet community or some segment of that community. Issues you might consider addressing include:

E23. What will distinguish the TLD from existing or other proposed TLDs? How will this distinction be beneficial?

E24. What community and/or market will be served or targeted by this TLD? To what extent is that community or market already served by the DNS?

E25. Please describe in detail how your proposal would enable the DNS to meet presently unmet needs.

E26. How would the introduction of the TLD enhance the utility of the DNS for Internet users? For the community served by the TLD?

E27. How would the proposed TLD enhance competition in domain name registration services, including competition with existing TLD registries?

Answers to ( E22 - E27 ) 

CONTEXT OF THE TLD WITHIN THE DNS

IEI will sponsor the first TLD to focus on global unification, including a minimum of eight distinct language options on our launch date, with planned expansion to meet all international needs.  Implementation of the restricted domain .event and the proposed sub-domain system will also appeal to the event industry in its broadest sense, allowing advertisers to post information ranging from upcoming retail sales events to recent medical patents or releases.  

 

While any company or other entity wishing to host or post an event online can currently do so using existing TLD’s, the introduction of .event will increase the availability of online events to the target markets.  Management plans further call for the most forward-thinking processes and systems, to include cutting-edge technology which could potentially support all current worldwide TLD registrations and all Internet traffic, in the event of a catastrophic geographic failure of the current Internet.

 

Sponsoring the new TLD will ensure that IEI is a leader in the event industry, providing direction and organization to the Domain Naming System (DNS) and increasing access to information.  The scope of current unrestricted TLD’s, such as .com, is so broad that finding specific information, even with the use of a search engine, is an extremely tedious task.   .event will simplify this process by offering an easy, logical separation of data, and will employ search engines organized by sub-domains, not pricing structure.  The company’s objective is to help all users search the Internet and actually find what they are looking for, without sorting through thousands of unnecessary sites.

 

Consistent with the Internet industry, registration will be available for domestic and international customers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   Our registration page will feature a fun, visually appealing, and easy-to-navigate interface. Registration pricing will be competitive, and our Web site will provide access to an extensive database of all registered companies. 

V. VALUE OF PROPOSAL AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT 

(Required for all TLDs) - Our Response

E28. Recent experience in the introduction of new TLDs is limited in some respects. The current program of establishing new TLDs is intended to allow evaluation of possible additions and enhancements to the DNS and possible methods of implementing them. Stated differently, the current program is intended to serve as a "proof of concept" for ways in which the DNS might evolve in the longer term. This section of the application is designed to gather information regarding what specific concept(s) could be evaluated if the proposed TLD is introduced, how you propose the evaluation should be done, and what information would be learned that might be instructive in the long‑term management of the DNS. Well considered and articulated responses to this section will be positively viewed in the selection process. Matters you should discuss in this section include:

E29. What concepts are likely to be proved / disproved by evaluation of the introduction of this TLD in the manner you propose?

E30. How do you propose that the results of the introduction should be evaluated? By what criteria should the success or lack of success of the TLD be evaluated?

E31. In what way would the results of the evaluation assist in the long range management of the DNS?

E32. Are there any reasons other than evaluation of the introduction process that this particular TLD should be included in the initial introduction?

Answers to ( E28 - E32 )

VALUE OF PROPOSAL AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT 

The value of this proposal as a Proof of Concept lies in the several distinct advantages produced by our unique model:

• Publicly Accessible Restricted TLD.  The introduction of a Restricted TLD, that is, a TLD which focuses on a particular type or section of the global market, but is available to both the business and consumer communities for registration of any event-related site, enhances the traditional TLD model.   Organization of the TLD structure in this way will optimize the accuracy of Internet searches, making it easier for the consumer to locate desired information.  For example, if a person were searching for information regarding different universities they would search for only .edu sites.  If the entire Internet were organized by restricted, categorically-defined TLDs, any search for a particular site or type of information would be made more accurate, and consequently less cumbersome.

• Sub-Domain Structure.  To further enhance the organization of the Domain Naming System (DNS) we will introduce a sub-domain system to further organize Internet content into categories within each TLD.  For example, we will introduce sub-domains named .sport.event, .music.event, .expos.event, .sale.event, .family.event, and .community.event in our first sub-domain introduction.  This logical sub-structure will further simplify the process of locating sites and information, enabling a more global application of the Internet for consumers, and allowing advertisers to better define and target their markets.  

• Search Engine.  In contrast to the predominant model, we will provide a search engine organized by content, particularly domain and sub-domain, rather than pricing structure.  Although this new model does not offer the same level of profitability for the Registry, it will better serve the needs and interests of the Internet community as a whole.

• Technological Superiority.   Our technological model is designed to be secure, redundant, and without an upper expansion limit, thereby capable of supporting all existing world-wide top-level domain registrations and Internet traffic; it is unparalleled in the industry.  Employing a model of this type will substantiate the capability of the Internet “back bone” to match the technological evolution of the consumer and business markets.

These concepts offer a logical and intuitive restructuring of the organizational model of the Internet.  At the very least, the .event TLD will provide empirical data for evaluation of our proposed methods for improving the functionality and overall usefulness of the Internet for the consumer and business communities. 

The viability of our model will be affirmed by positive response from target markets, Internet users, and regulatory agencies, such as ICANN.  Additionally, universal acceptance and future duplication of our categorically-defined TLD model will further demonstrate the merits of our vision.

In addition to the overall impact on Internet functionality, .event will also offer leadership to the long-overdue and much needed event industry transition into the Internet community.  

By signing this application through its representative, the Applicant attests that the information contained in this Description of TLD Policies, and all referenced supporting documents, are true and accurate to the best of Applicant's knowledge.

Stephen W. Mclain

Executive Vice-President

and Secretary

 

October 2nd, 2000