The document discusses the challenges and opportunities for registrars in the new gTLD expansion, including recommendations to focus on generic top-level domains like .WEB and .BLOG as well as geographic TLDs in major cities. It outlines the new TLD application process and timelines, noting the evaluation period could last into 2014 due to contention issues. The expansion creates opportunities for registrars but also uncertainty around usage models and trademark protection for certain applied-for strings.

1. Profiting “Right of the Dot”
Adam Eisner
Director, OpenSRS Product Management

3. Me
 8+ years at Tucows
 Member, EURid Registrar Advisory Board

4. Agenda
Today‟sTLD/ccTLD challenges
 Tomorrow‟s TLD challenges

5. Today’s Challenges
 How many countries should I
carry?
 What do I do when customers ask
for more?

6. Solving Our ccTLD Problem

7. Recommended Approach
 Major gTLDs
 Generic: .COM/.NET/.ORG
 Great for specials: .INFO/.BIZ
 Good for specifics: .MOBI/.PRO

8. Recommended Approach
 Major gTLDs
 Generic: .COM/.NET/.ORG
 Great for specials: .INFO/.BIZ
 Good for specifics: .MOBI/.PRO

9. Recommended Approach
 “Specialty” extensions
 .CO: Excellent generic, very successful
 .ME: Need me say more?
 .TV: All things video. Very popular.
 Also consider: .IM, .LY, .IO, .NU, .LA

10. Recommended Approach
 Country Codes
 .EU, .UK, .FR, .IN: Large audiences, few
restrictions
 Other large regions:
.CA, .AU, .US, .DE, .RU, .BR
 Your own local extension(s)

11. Tomorrow’s Challenges
I can now choose domains
based on country, city, state,
region, community, interest,
brand and more. Which do I
sell?

12. Timeline
 2000: First „new TLD‟ round
 .INFO, .BIZ, .COOP, .PRO, .MUSEUM, .NAME, .AERO
 2004: Additional round
 .ASIA, .JOBS, .CAT, .MOBI, .POST, .TEL, .XXX (long story),
.TRAVEL
 2008: New, larger round approved
 2008 – 2012: much back and forth re: implementation
 June 2012: Applications revealed …

13. … 1,930 applications for 1,409
new domain extensions(!)

14. Application Types
 Generic
 .APP, .ART, .WEB, .LOL, etc.
 Community: identify w/ group
 .GAY, .IRISH, .ZULU, .RADIO
 IDNs

 Geographic: identify w/ region
 .LONDON, .AFRICA, .PARIS, .KIWI
 Brands
 .IBM, .AUDI, .HSBC, .AMEX, .GOOGLE, .FEDEX, .NIKE, .BMW

15. source: dot-nxt.com

16. graphic: Sketchlex

17. source: dot-nxt.com

18. Noticeably MIA
 Facebook, Twitter, eBay
 Disney
 ESPN, CNN, MTV
 Coca-Cola
 Adidas
 Porsche

19. Industry Applicants
 Directi:
31 apps (.hosting, .baby, .movie +)
 Demand/Enom: 26
(.rip, .ninja, .green, .wow +)
 Tucows: 4
(.online, .media, .marketing, .group)
 Momentous: 4 (.design, .style, .rip, .sucks)
 GoDaddy:2 (.home, .casa)
 Namecheap: 1 (.online)

20. What We Like
 Easy to sell generics:
 .WEB, .BLOG, .INC, .BOOK, .MOVIE, .MUSIC,
.MAIL, .HOTEL, .HELP, .SHOP
 “Big market” geographics:

.LONDON, .NYC, .PARIS, .BOSTON, .MIAMI,
.VEGAS, .TOKYO

21. What We Might Like
 Community TLDs
 .ECO, .GAY, .GREEN, .NGO, .SCOT, .IRISH
 Depending on community size and restrictions
 Some (not all) will have extra requirements

22. What Adam Really Likes
 .DUCK, .KETCHUP
 Communities or products?
 .HORSE
 Not to be confused with .RODEO
 .DOTAFRICA
 Oooops
 .CASHBACKBONUS
 .TRAVELERSINSURANCE

23. Application Acceptance

24. Application Acceptance
 Objections
 String confusion
 Legal rights
 Limited public interest
 Community
 Clarifications / rejections
 Auctions
 There can be multiple valid applications
 These applications can have different business models

25. Other Unknowns: Usage

26. Usage
“Charleston Road Registry intends
to apply for an exemption to the
ICANN Registry Operator Code of
Conduct and to act as the sole
registrar for the proposed gTLD.”
- Applications for .CLOUD, .DRIVE, .BLOG and more

27. Usage
“CLOUD registry will not be
promoted by hundreds of
registrars simultaneously, so there
will not be multiple-applications for
a particularfordomain.” .FREE, .GROUP and more
- Applications .BOX, .CLOUD, .BOOK,

28. Recommended Approach
 Evaluate strings
 Consider most generics
 Look at geographics, community apps that make sense
 IDNs likely a tough sell to start
 Prepare for sunrise and landrush
 Most extensions will have both
 Trademark Clearinghouse means more streamlined
process
 Expect Clearinghouse details later this year!

30. Approximate Timelines
 Evaluation period: est. Q3 2012
 To begin in July (?) and last ~ 15 months
(?)
 Clearinghouse launch: est. Q4 2012
 “Best case” TLD launches: est. Q4
2013
 Contention/extended evaluation can
run into 2014

31. More Information
 OpenSRS Blog
 Opensrs.com/blog
 ICANN
 Newgtlds.icann.org
 Full gTLD List
 Newgtldsite.com

32. Thank You!
Adam Eisner
Director, OpenSRS Product Management
Email: aeisner@tucows.com
Twitter: @adamrides