STATEMENT
OF POLICIES
The dotPRO Consortium
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Introduction and Overview
Part I General TLD Policies
Part II Registration Policies
Part III Registration Restrictions
Part IV Context of the TLD Within the DNS
Part V Proof of Concept
INTRODUCTION
AND OVERVIEW
This application is filed on behalf of The dotPRO Consortium (“DPC”) for the right to operate and administer the registry for the .per Top-Level Domain (“TLD”). Conditional upon award, the entities comprising the dotPRO Consortium (the “Partners”) include:
· The .TV Corporation International (“dotTV”)
· Lycos, Inc.
· XO Communications, Inc.
· SK Telecom Co, Ltd.
· 7DC, Inc.
· OnlineNIC, Inc.
Collectively, the Partners encompass a broad geographical reach and possess an impressive range of Internet- and technology-related expertise. The DPC Partners are global leaders in the fields of domain name registration (in both registry and registrar functions), wireless networking, portals/search engines, web navigation, broadband, web-hosting, and online services. Respectively, the Partners’ operations are headquartered in the United States (dotTV, Lycos, XO), Korea (SK Telecom, 7DC), and China (OnlineNIC), with international offices located in Hong Kong and the UK (dotTV), Brazil, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the UK, Spain and The Netherlands (Lycos). Highlights of the Partners’ business activities include:
|
The
.TV Corporation International |
Pasadena,
CA (USA) |
·
Exclusive registry for the .tv ccTLD. ·
Over 100,000 premium domain names registered. |
|
Lycos,
Inc |
Waltham,
MA (USA) |
·
Leading internet search and navigation engine and portal. ·
Network of sites includes Lycos.com, Tripod, Angelfire, WhoWhere,
Lycos Communications, HotBot, HotWired, Wired News, Webmonkey, Quote.com,
Sonique, Gamesville, and Matchmaker.com. |
|
XO
Communications, Inc. (formerly Concentric Network and Nextlink
Communications) |
McLean,
VA (USA) |
·
Largest holder of fixed wireless spectrum in North America ·
End-to-end high-speed, IP-centric fiber optic backbone network
capabilities in the United States, Canada, and throughout much of Europe. ·
Provider of web-hosting, voice, internet access, private data
networking, and integrated services. |
|
SK
Telecom Co, Ltd. |
Seoul,
Korea |
·
Largest wireless telecommunications company in Korea with over 11.5
million wireless subscribers representing approximately 43% of the local
wireless market. ·
Employs a local workforce of 7,300 |
|
7DC,
Inc. |
Seoul,
Korea |
·
Recently ICANN-accredited Korean registrar |
|
OnlineNIC,
Inc. |
Xiamen,
China |
·
Largest and oldest ICANN-accredited registrar in China, established
in 1996 |
DPC proposes a two-tier TLD system that targets professional and commercial enterprises, consisting of “pro” as the top-level domain, and a set of second-level domains, each of which pertains to a specific professional community.
The string proposed is “.pro”, an abbreviation for the word “professional”, itself a root name that has broad multi-lingual appeal and will be understood by a large number of Internet users in the world’s professional and commercial communities
Initially, DPC proposes the following second-level domains be established, with as many foreign language equivalents as ICANN determines are appropriate or necessary:
|
Suffix |
Industry |
Users |
|
.med |
Medicine
and Healthcare |
doctors,
hospitals, HMOs, medical supply companies |
|
.law |
Legal
and Judicial System |
lawyers,
judges, courts and courthouses, law firms, clerks |
|
.agr |
Agriculture |
farmers,
food processors, distributors |
|
.ins |
Insurance |
brokers, agents, insurance firms, actuaries |
|
.fin |
Finance |
funds,
investment banks, brokerages, lenders, banks, accountants |
|
.aer |
Aerospace |
engineers,
manufacturers, airports, airlines |
|
.rx |
Pharmaceutical |
pharmacies,
pharmaceutical companies, laboratories, drugstores |
|
.trv |
Travel
& Leisure |
hotels,
restaurants, travel agents, resorts, airlines, car rentals |
|
.art |
Arts,
Entertainment, Recreation |
cinemas,
theaters, symphonies, museums, actors, venues, operas |
|
.pub |
Publication |
publishers,
authors, printers, writers, editors, photographers |
|
.auto |
Automotive |
manufacturers,
subcontractors, dealerships, parts, mechanics |
|
.npo |
Nonprofit |
charities,
missions, trade associations, unions |
|
.acct |
Accounting |
CPAs,
auditors, tax preparers, accountants, bookkeepers |
|
.trans |
Transportation |
trucking,
delivery services, railroads, shipping, carting |
|
.util |
Utilities |
power
companies, phone companies, energy, oil, cable, gas |
According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, the above industries employ more than 100 million people in the
United States alone, suggesting a significant worldwide applicability of the
proposed .pro TLD.
DPC will be constituted as a joint venture corporation which shall be jointly owned and controlled by the Partners. All management, marketing, business development, finance/administrative and legal functions will be performed directly by DPC’s own personnel. All registry functions will be outsourced to dotTV under contract enabling DPC to take advantage of dotTV’s existing state-of-the-art registry infrastructure.
DTVC asserts that the proposed system brings with it many advantages and will generally enhance the utility of the DNS. In addition to addressing specific needs of the Internet business community that are not currently met under the existing .com regime, the scheme proposed satisfies all or most ICANN’s stated criteria and, specifically, promotes stability, efficiency, and equity on the Internet. Furthermore the proposed scheme will serve as a test-bed for other potential TLDs based on a similar multi-level structure.
The two-level domain name
system being proposed is a self-regulating method of stabilizing and organizing
the Internet into distinct categories.
Inherent in the two-level .pro domain system is a roadmap leading to greater
precision that will help Internet users find their destinations more easily,
making both site marketing and browsing more efficient and less taxing on the
system as a whole.
Furthermore, the proposed
system will serve to “flatten” the large discrepancies between desirability of
various domain names that has exacerbated cybersquatting problems and led to
the saturation of the .com universe.
There will be greater supply, lower demand, and less money spent on domain
names that will never be used. In short,
it promotes stability in a way that a single gTLD rollout does not.
DPC will be able to draw
on the substantial financial, technical and management resources of its parent
companies to ensure its stability and success.
Additionally, the strong international experience and presence of the
Partners, either directly or through their respective strategic alliances, will
enable DPC to establish a worldwide distribution network to promote global
recognition and adoption of a new TLD.
As an operating TLD registry,
dotTV already has in place a proven, state-of-the-art global technical
infrastructure and high-speed name resolution capability that is overseen by
technical personnel with the highest level of expertise and relevant
experience. In addition to maintaining
the .tv registry and the requisite physical and technical infrastructure,
dotTV’s management has displayed the ability to creatively and innovatively
introduce and promote the acceptance of a novel TLD to the public. DPC will be able to draw on this management
and marketing expertise.
DPC
is able to propose an aggressively competitive business model that assumes a
wholesale price to registrars of $3.50 per domain name, and includes an initial
capital investment of $10,000,000 that will
include equity investments from each of the Partners. This
initial infusion will allow for a modest return on investment within a
reasonable timeframe.
I. GENERAL TLD POLICIES
PROPOSED STRING
The most important objective
of the next Top Level Domain (“TLD”) introduction is to maintain the stability
of the Internet. However, as in most
endeavors, there is a tradeoff between stability and simplicity. A new TLD nomenclature will not serve the
Internet community if it complicates the use and governance of the Internet at
the expense of security. To strike a
balance between these issues, it is proposed that ICANN establish a dual-level
domain nomenclature.
DPC requests that ICANN authorize it to introduce and administer a new generic TLD targeting professional and commercial enterprises that make their services available through the Internet We specifically propose that ICANN approve the introduction of “.pro”. DPC further proposes that domain names utilizing .pro will incorporate a second-level domain name identifying the nature of the goods or services provided by the registrant; e.g. “bencasey.med.pro”, “perrymason.law.pro” “franklloydwright.arc.pro.”
DPC’s proposal involves the assignment of a TLD preceded by a second-level domain that effectively helps both the website and the prospective visitor find each other. This itself was the purpose of the adaptation of the current address system from a series of numbers to one of more easily-understood character strings.
Universality of .pro
Most
of the following arguments and reasoning in support of .pro are equally
applicable in respect of any professional or commercial designation including,
by way of example, “.shop”, ”.biz”, or “.firm” or such other string as ICANN might determine most
appropriate for the targeted sector.
However, .pro is advocated in this application because the term
“pro” is an abbreviation for the word “professional”, a root name that has
broad multi-lingual appeal and will be understood by a large number of Internet
users in the world’s professional and commercial communities, including:
|
Language |
Spelling |
|
English |
Professional |
|
Spanish |
Profesional |
|
French |
Professionnelle |
|
Italian |
Professionale |
|
Portuguese |
Profissional |
|
Danish |
Professional |
|
Dutch |
Professioneel |
|
Hungarian |
Profi |
|
Polish |
Profesjonalny |
|
Norwegian |
Profesjonell |
|
Swedish |
Professionell |
|
Afrikaans |
Professioneel |
Advantages of .pro
Rather than proposing a single gTLD to denote a narrow range of users, .pro
in conjunction with a second-level domain that pertains to a specific
professional community will help to efficiently categorize the many potential
users of the Top Level Domain .pro.
In keeping with the needs of the Internet to remain both stable and at
the same time easy to use, this proposal presents a scheme with many
advantages, as outlined below:
The implementation of
a second-level domain system will eliminate or minimize confusion between
businesses and individuals with similar names in different sectors.
United States
trademark law provides for commerce to be divided into some 42 sectors, based
on the products/services marketed by a given organization. A particular name, such as Acme, may be
legally registered as the intellectual property of up to 42 distinct companies,
one in each industry sector. Of course,
national and global brands can petition for their name to be made unavailable
to any other company, regardless of sector, but an “Acme Hardware” may conduct
business alongside an “Acme Landscape Architects”. The latter company would have little incentive or legal standing
to pursue remedies for violation of its trademark rights. Both are capable of, and permitted to,
co-exist so long as they don’t cause confusion to consumers. Just as the laws of most nations allow for
several organizations to trademark the same word or name provided that they
operate in different industries, more companies with similar names will be able
to preserve their intellectual property by registering the second-level domain
in their respective sectors.
For example, a law
firm with the registered site “PerryMason.law.pro” is not likely to be
threatened financially or otherwise by a new power company calling itself Perry
Mason Electric and wanting to launch a website to be named
“PerryMason.util.pro” because, a consumer looking for an attorney is highly
unlikely to mistake the .util.pro company for a law firm when selecting
a hyperlink in search of the law firm’s site or when typing the name into their
browser.
1. Large demand. The number of potential users of the .pro gTLD is virtually limitless. Awareness of industry-specific domain names will reinforce the relevance of the Internet to heretofore non-users and offer them a compelling reason to establish an online presence. For this reason, organizations will have an attractive incentive to register their domain names when a relevant second-level domain becomes available and in so doing join and promote the online community.
2. Large supply. A second-level domain system with .pro as the gTLD increases the sheer number of websites geometrically, to accommodate the World Wide Web’s enormous and rapidly growing user base. This is in contrast with the addition of two or more TLDs, which would serve only to increase the number of available names arithmetically.
3. More desirable and useful. In breaking .pro into multiple second level domains, many more commercial entities who are already online, but are saddled with stilted versions of their name due to the saturation of .com, will find acceptable, even desirable domain names available. Under the current single-level system, both the utility and the law firm discussed above would be encouraged by such a system to pursue the domain name “PerryMason.pro.,” whereas a two-level system would give each an attractive option and geometrically increases the number of businesses and individuals who can have their desired domain name.
4. Multi-lingual application. As cited in the preceding section, the root “profession”, and the resulting gTLD .pro, fit comfortably into the vernacular of many languages using the Modern Roman Alphabet. 59 countries are familiar with the “pro” root in their language. Of 359 million Internet users worldwide, 248 million (69%) are familiar with the “pro” root in their language (source: U.S. Census Bureau). It is proposed that secondary level service designations be introduced in multiple languages where the market warrants; for example “pierremason.loi.pro” or “pierremason.adv.pro”.
1. Cybersquatting. Due to the fact that by definition .pro splits into a multitude of second-level domains, cybersquatters will find it difficult to “grab” desirable domain names in hopes of re-selling them for inflated prices. So many new possibilities will be available from which a company is able to select, that the practice of cybersquatting will become increasingly less attractive.
2. Relevance. A corollary to the cybersquatting issue: to cite a specific example, the General Motors corporation will have no need to concern itself with http://www.generalmotors.agr.pro or .med.pro (see next section for a discussion on this nomenclature) because it has no specific interest in these industries.
3. Bulk Registering. Firms will find no practical purpose to add to the glut of registered names by locking down domain names with similar spellings, variations, and even the exact same third-level domain URL in a wholly different industry. The practice of bulk registering will become less common as companies and professionals will find no need to waste time and throw money at this problem.
1. Self-regulating. As .com was intended for commercial users, the entire world of commerce heretofore had only one domain specifically designed for businesses. With a .pro combined with any number of second-level domains, it will be both obvious and desirable for a person or entity to apply for a domain name in (and, in the vast majority of circumstances, only in) her specific realm. The incentives and utility of the two-level domain name cited above will minimize the need for a governing body to sponsor or enforce correct domain name assignment, which will inherently create less controversy, fewer disputes, and a diminished need for oversight of the process.
2. Mechanism to control the “land rush”. To help address the potential “land rush” problem associated with the introduction of a new gTLD, secondary level domain classification can be rolled out over an extended period, with a schedule of upcoming second-level domains posted well in advance, allowing for a more orderly introduction of the new gTLD and less of a concern for registrants that their preferred name will be taken by the time they apply for it.
3. Organization and stability. Companies and their constituents (customers, website visitors, etc.) are equally incentivized to look to the specific second-level domain to find one-another on the Internet. Rather than duplicate the cumbersome and inefficient singular single level TLD problem witnessed with .com and inherent to any other proposal for a select few generic TLDs, a .pro registrant must make a selection as to which second-level domain is most applicable to their scope of business, creating an “invisible hand” dynamic that promotes stability and structure and eliminates the need for excessive oversight and enforcement in the registration process.
4. Expansion. Second-level domains can be easily rolled out to accommodate the needs of the Internet community, without the need for ICANN to administer an ongoing registry application and selection process. With DPC’s proposed system, there will be one TLD for which to maintain a registry. The introduction of .pro in the proposed two-level structure would achieve the same result as the introduction of 15 or 20 new TLDs such as .law or .med, which, presumably, would require the establishment of a corresponding number of additional registries.
Simply put, the stability of the Internet should be a top priority in this next crucial phase of domain name introductions, since the introduction of new TLDs is an irreversible act. The gradual evolution of the Internet as a worldwide resource effectively mitigated the “gold rush” problem as the web was embraced over time. The impending global top-of-mind awareness of the new gTLD introduction calendar may cause problems that will be compounded by selection of a TLD which is not carefully regulated or does not naturally regulate itself.
ICANN’s goals in introducing gTLDs are less likely to be attained if new and undifferentiated TLDs are introduced, encouraging applicants to simply attempt to re-register their existing .com domain name in whichever new gTLDs are rolled out next. The use of a domain name as a marketing tool was never the intent when IP Addresses were conceived. The extent to which the economic aspect of gTLD rollouts is minimized will determine the extent to which the global Internet community perceives the domain name registration process as what it was always intended to be: a technical tool for organization, stability, ease-of-use and the promotion of open standards.
PROPOSED SECOND LEVEL
DESIGNATIONS
It is proposed that ICANN will have sole discretion as to which second-level domains are to be established initially, and the timetable for the rollout of future second-level domain names. Initially, DPC proposes the following second-level domains be established, with as many foreign language equivalents as ICANN determines are appropriate or necessary:
|
Suffix |
Industry |
Users |
|
.med |
Medicine and Healthcare |
doctors, hospitals, HMOs, medical supply companies |
|
.law |
Legal and Judicial System |
lawyers, judges, courts and courthouses, law firms, clerks |
|
.agr |
Agriculture |
farmers, food processors, distributors |
|
.ins |
Insurance |
brokers, agents, insurance firms, actuaries |
|
.fin |
Finance |
funds, investment banks, brokerages, lenders, banks, accountants |
|
.aer |
Aerospace |
engineers, manufacturers, airports, airlines |
|
.rx |
Pharmaceutical |
pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, laboratories, drugstores |
|
.trv |
Travel & Leisure |
hotels, restaurants, travel agents, resorts, airlines, car rentals |
|
.art |
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation |
cinemas, theaters, symphonies, museums, actors, venues, operas |
|
.pub |
Publication |
publishers, authors, printers, writers, editors, photographers |
|
.auto |
Automotive |
manufacturers, subcontractors, dealerships, parts, mechanics |
|
.npo |
Nonprofit |
charities, missions, trade associations, unions |
|
.acct |
Accounting |
CPAs, auditors, tax preparers, accountants, bookkeepers |
|
.trans |
Transportation |
trucking, delivery services, railroads, shipping, carting |
|
.util |
Utilities |
power companies, phone companies, energy, oil, cable, gas |
According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, the above industries employ more than 100 million people in the
United States alone, suggesting a significant worldwide applicability of the
proposed .pro TLD.
As mentioned earlier, the
roll-out of these new second-level domains can be staggered or limited to test
the concept and control the “land rush.”
II. REGISTRATION POLICIES
LEGAL POLICIES
As a general opening comment, DPC encourages ICANN
to select the “best of class” legal policies from the various proposals it
receives and to enter into negotiations with the approved applicants for
adoption and implementation of such policies.
DPC would willingly and constructively work with ICANN to establish
“best of class” policies for the .pro domain.
Selection and
Appointment of Registrars
DPC proposes to operate solely as a registry with regard to the new gTLD. DPC will actively promote and authorize the involvement of a broad range of third party registrars in connection with the introduction of the new gTLD including all interested ICANN-accredited registrars and such other registrars as are deemed appropriate. The criteria for engagement of non-ICANN-accredited registrars would be based on a number of factors including credit worthiness and continuing compliance with dotTV’s registrar agreement. There shall be no limit on the number of registrars entitled to register the domain names, provided they meet DPC’s registrar requirements. DPC anticipates creating an automatic registrar sign-up process whereby registrars will be able to accept DPC’s registrar agreement and download the API required to integrate into DPC’s shared registration system. DPC’s registrar agreement will be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A [Document not available]. All registrars shall be required to provide a mechanism for their customers to accept DPC’s standard registration agreement for its customers.
Registrars will be charged a standard registry fee for .pro names registered by such registrars. dotTV will not attempt to regulate the retail price of the registrations. The registrars will be responsible for customer service, billing and collection. The registry will be responsible for name resolution and will maintain a registry of customer information, including the registrant’s contact information, IP address, domain names registered, price paid and renewal dates.
Intellectual
Property Issues
DPC encourages ICANN
to establish standardized procedures for the roll-out of all top-level
domains. Upon submission of the various
proposals, ICANN should engage in discussions with the various constituencies
interested in the introduction of new TLDs with the goal of agreeing on the
“best of class” solution. As all
roll-out procedures have their “pluses” and “minuses,” it is important that
there be “buy-in” from the relevant constituencies.
In this context, DPC
proposes the following procedure for ICANN’s consideration.
Startup Period
DPC will accept pre-registration applications during a 60-day period only from people representing and warranting that they have valid trademark or other rights and a good faith interest in adopting particular domain names. Pre-registrants will be clearly informed of DPC’s adoption of and adherence to the UDRP and the risk of registering domain names that might infringe another’s intellectual property rights.
Any .pro domain name
pre-registered by 2 or more persons will be subject to a 5-day auction
period. Only those persons attempting
to pre-register the name will be entitled to participate in the auction. The winning auction bid is designed to be a
one-time fee to help allocate the domain name.
Annual registration and renewal fees for these auctioned names will be
subject to the standard annual registration fee. DPC would be willing to contribute the proceeds of these
auctions, less the standard registration fee, to an appropriate charity or
towards research and development relevant to the domain name system. At the conclusion of this auction period,
full payment must be received by wire transfer within 5 days or the domain name
will be automatically transferred to next highest bidder(s) who shall be subject
to the same payment requirements.
Upon receipt of full payment, the domain name will be registered in the name of the successful bidder. The successful bidder shall be subject to DPC’s dispute resolution policies. If the successful bidder is challenged in a UDRP proceeding and loses, the domain name will be transferred to the UDRP winner upon payment of DPC’s standard registration fee for the registration period selected by such person. The UDRP loser shall forfeit the auction fee previously paid.
Any domain name pre-registered by only one person will be registered to the pre-registrant at the standard registration fee.
Any domain names not pre-registered will be made available in the post-startup period in accordance with DPC’s standard registration procedures.
Post-Startup Period
In the post-startup period, all .pro names will be sold on a first come first served basis. Registrants will be required to represent and warrant that they have rights to the domain name being registered. Registrants will also be advised that domain names are subject to forfeiture in the event of a successful UDRP or court proceeding. UDRP proceedings will be the primary mechanism to police intellectual property abuses.
As stated earlier, DPC encourages ICANN to select a “best of class” solution to this difficult trademark/domain name problem. The above procedure is offered as a potential solution for consideration and discussion. Specifically with regard to “famous trademarks,” if ICANN or another appropriate authority adopts a list of commonly agreed upon famous trademarks and procedures to be followed with respect thereto, DPC would adopt and implement specified procedures to protect such trademarks.
Whois Data
DPC encourages ICANN to select a “best of class” solution for appropriate Whois procedures. DPC would willingly comply with any procedure formulated or endorsed by ICANN. In the absence of such procedures, DPC would require Whois data from all domain name registrants. Continued registration in the domain would be subject to accurate Whois data being provided. DPC would either keep its own database of Whois data or insure access to the databases of its registrars. DPC, like dotTV, would limit the number of Whois lookups to reduce the possibility of data mining.
Dispute Resolution
DPC will adopt the UDRP and abide by decisions rendered by WIPO and others which arbitrate UDRP cases. DPC will also abide by the decisions of courts of competent jurisdiction.
Data Privacy
DPC encourages ICANN to establish “best of class” procedures with respect to data privacy issues. DPC would willingly comply with any such procedures. In the absence of any such procedures, DPC’s data privacy policies would be as follows:
DPC’s privacy policy would be substantially similar to that currently applied by dotTV, as such policy may change from time to time.
DPC would set up an escrow account to safeguard all customer information. Registrars would be required under their registrar agreements to supply appropriate customer information. The data contained in this escrow account would be updated on a frequent basis.
DPC would maintain a state of the art Whois directory similar to that currently utilized by dotTV. dotTV imposes certain limits on the number of Whois lookups to reduce the possibility of data mining.
DPC recognizes the enormous sensitivity associated with the formulation and implementation of privacy policies and the challenge of balancing personal privacy rights with the legitimate interests of intellectual property rights holders. Again, to the extent that ICANN or other appropriate persons are able to formulate standard policy which successfully addresses these concerns, DPC will promptly adopt and rigorously adhere to such policy.
Billing and
Collection
Registrars will handle billing and collections for customers that register domain names on their sites. The registrar agreements between dotTV and registrars will govern the payment arrangements between DPC and registrars. A draft of the DPC registrar agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Services and
Pricing
dotTV proposes to charge a standard registry fee of $3.50 to all registrars. Registrars shall be free to charge varying prices to their customers.
Intellectual
Property
See “Intellectual Property Issues” above for a description of DPC’s position on start-up procedures designed to protect intellectual property rights.
Initial TLD
Opening
DPC anticipates approximately 3,000 pre-registration
applications per day during this start-up phase. DPC believes the start-up phase should be fairly short,
especially in light of the substantial
publicity that will surround the introduction of new TLDs and the substantial
distribution channels that will exist if all of the ICANN accredited registrars
are empowered to sell the domain names upon launch.
DPC does not intend to police the number of domain names registered by any registrant. DPC believes that its proposal to register third level domains will naturally restrict the number of domain names purchased by speculators. DPC believes that the best means for policing registration abuse is a UDRP proceeding brought by an aggrieved registrant.
DPC does not believe it is in the position to evaluate parties’ trademark rights on a global basis. DPC intends to adopt certain procedures during the start-up phase (as described above) which it expects will reduce registration abuses. In the event registration abuse takes place, DPC believes that the appropriate mechanism to rectify such abuse is the UDRP.
III. REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS
Not applicable. The
proposed TLD is unrestricted.
IV. CONTEXT OF THE TLD WITHIN THE DNS
There is a need for
greater domain name organization that is not currently being met. The two-level domain name system being
proposed is a self-regulating method of stabilizing and organizing the Internet
into distinct categories, making both site marketing and browsing more
efficient and less taxing on the system as a whole. In short, it promotes stability in a way that a single gTLD
rollout does not.
The main distinction between this proposal and the status quo (i.e. .com) is the combining of the second-level service designation with the .pro TLD. For reasons discussed above, this will serve to “flatten” the large discrepancies between desirability of various domain names that has exacerbated cybersquatting problems and led to the saturation of the .com universe.
The world’s professional business communities will be served through use of their respective second-level designations. There will be greater supply, lower demand, and less money spent on domain names that will never be used. In addition, the system proposed will help Internet users find their destinations more easily. Inherent in the two-level .pro domain system is a roadmap leading to greater precision. The “marketing-tool” function of the DNS and its undesirable by-products will diminish, but the usefulness of the DNS as it was originally intended will only increase.
V. PROOF OF CONCEPT
The modularity of the two-tier structure allows for a far easier rollout of future top- and second-level domain names. The roll-out of subsequent second-level domains will pose no threat to companies with existing websites, and will result in an even better classification system. The transition to other second level domains within .pro, as well as the jump to other gTLDs, will be far more fluid with this model in place.
The usefulness and level of market acceptance of a marginally-more complicated (but infinitely more understandable) two-tier system will be tested and proven by our proposal. It is our belief that the proposed new gTLD structure satisfies all or most ICANN’s stated criteria and, specifically, promotes stability, efficiency, and equity on the Internet. Furthermore the proposed scheme will serve as a test-bed for other potential TLDs based on a similar multi-level structure.
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.
_______________________________
Signature
Anthony J. Bishop
Vice President and General Counsel
The .TV Corporation International
on behalf of
The dotPRO Consortium
October 2, 2000