DUBLIN–(Afilias Limited, the ICANN-designated registry operator for the .INFO top level domain (TLD) and a global provider of technical registry services, today announced that it will apply for the Simplified and Traditional Chinese language equivalents of .INFO under ICANN’s new gTLD program.

“Given the global presence of Afilias, Internationalized Domain Names — informally known as IDNs — have always been of great interest to us. We were the first company to launch IDN email, and believe that having IDN equivalents of .INFO for the world’s most populated country, in its primary languages, will be a major benefit to all Internet users in China,” said Ram Mohan, Executive Vice President and CTO, Afilias.

Roland LaPlante, Afilias Senior Vice President and CMO, said, “ICANN will only accept applications for new gTLDs between January 12, 2012, and April 12, 2012. Since it will likely be several years before anyone can again apply for an IDN version of a gTLD, we’re pleased to lead the way for IDN use and adoption.”

Afilias will support the new Chinese versions of .INFO with the same technology that will support many other new TLD applications: a state-of-the-art EPP registry, a globally diverse and redundant Anycast DNS network, 24×7 call-center and technical support, and links to the global distribution channel. In addition, Afilias provides other premium solutions to augment its registry offerings, including technology to enable mobile phone compatibility for websites and a unique IDN-capable email solution.

All Afilias services are DNSSEC and IPv6 ready, and reflect more than 10 years of experience in supporting gTLDs operating under ICANN contracts.

15 December 2011

Following the ICANN Board’s approval on 8 December 2011 of the amendment to the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process Implementation Plan, ICANN is providing this notice of publication for the Revised Implementation Plan. This amendment was considered following guidance received from the ccNSO during the ICANN meeting in Dakar, Senegal.

Two versions are posted: 1) the revised IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process Implementation Plan (http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/idn-cctld-implementation-plan-15dec11-en.pdf [PDF, 851 KB]) and 2) a version that tracks the changes from the previous version (http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/idn-cctld-implementation-plan-redline-15dec11-en.pdf [PDF, 902 KB]). The community should take note that the original version of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process Implementation Plan is now archived and superseded by the Revised Implementation Plan.

Background

On 26 October 2011, the ccNSO Council approved a resolution and communicated it in a letter from ccNSO Chair to ICANN Board Chair asking the Board to direct staff to amend the relevant sections of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Implementation Plan. The amendment is to address specific cases when a requested IDN ccTLD string may be confusingly similar with the two-letter ASCII ccTLD corresponding to the same country or territory.

This work was developed out of the ccNSO Council Resolution from the ICANN meeting in San Francisco in March 2011. This resolution requested a sub-group of the IDN ccPDP Working Group 1 to develop, as soon as possible, guidelines (within the framework of the existing rules for the Fast Track) to improve the predictability of the evaluation process relating to string confusion as defined in the IDNC WG Final Report and the Final Implementation Plan, as adopted by the ICANN Board in November 2009.

ICANN conducted an initial review of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process and its implementation between October 2010 – January 2011. A summary and analysis was published in February and the Board acknowledged the Fast Track review at the ICANN meeting in March 2011.

The IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process Implementation Plan was approved by the ICANN Board at its meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea in October 2009. A link to the original Implementation Plan may be found at: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/idn-cctld-implementation-plan-16nov09-en.pdf [PDF, 498 KB]

Following the ICANN Board’s acceptance at the October 2011 meeting in Dakar, Senegal, ICANN is today providing notice of implementation for version 3.0 of the Guidelines for Implementation of Internationalized Domain Names. The IDN Guidelines are a list of general standards that many top-level domain registries deploying IDNs are required to follow based on the Internationalized Domain Names for Applications (IDNA) protocol standard from the IETF.

The Guidelines document was developed by IDN Guidelines Revision Working Group (comprised of ccTLD and gTLD registry representatives with IDN experience supported by ICANN staff). The new version modifies the current Version 2.2 to reflect the IDNABIS revision (“IDNA2008 protocol”) of the initial IDNA protocol (“IDNA2003″). ICANN previously published a draft version of the guidelines for public comment (see http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/idn-guidelines-revision-27jul11-en.htm). The ICANN Board of Directors endorsed version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines during their meeting on 28 October 2011. Registries offering IDN registrations should begin transitioning to version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines.

The Internationalized Domain Names for Applications (IDNA) protocol is the technical standard for the implementation of IDNs for TLD registries, registrars and software developers that make IDNs available for their customers. The IDNA protocol references and further detail about the 2008 revision can be found here: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/rfcs.htm

20 October 2011

ICANN is pleased to announce the successful completion of String Evaluation on proposed IDN ccTLD string for Malaysia.

Details of the successful evaluation are provided here: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/string-evaluation-completion-m-en.htm#my.

The IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) ccTLD Fast Track Process was approved by the ICANN Board at its annual meeting in Seoul, South Korea on 30 October 2009. First requests were received starting 16 November 2009. The process enables countries and territories to submit requests to ICANN for IDN ccTLDs, representing their respective country or territory names in scripts other than Latin. IDN ccTLD requesters must fulfill a number of requirements:

• the script used to represent the IDN ccTLDs must be non-Latin;
• the languages used to express the IDN ccTLDs must be official in the corresponding country or territory; and
• a specific set of technical requirements must be met (as evaluated by an external DNS Stability Panel comprised of DNS and IDN experts).

The request and evaluation processes entail three steps:

• Preparation (by the requester in the country / territory): Community consensus is built for which IDN ccTLD to apply for, how it is run, and which organization will be running it, along with preparing and gathering all the required supporting documentation. Requests are submitted through an online system together with additional material supporting the process at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/.
• String Evaluation: Requests are evaluated in accordance with the technical and linguistic requirements for the IDN ccTLD string(s) criteria described above.
• String Delegation: Requests successfully meeting string evaluation criteria are eligible to apply for delegation following the same ICANN IANA process as is used for ASCII based ccTLDs. Requesters submit string delegation requests to IANA root zone management: root-mgmt@iana.org.

With this announcement, a total of 29 countries/territories requests have successfully passed through the String Evaluation. Of these, 20 countries/territories (represented by 30 IDN ccTLDs) are delegated in the DNS root zone; with the remainder either readying to apply, or actively applying for, delegation of the string. Up-to-date numbers about the IDN Fast Track Program will continue to be provided on the Fast Track Process web page at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/ and at the ICANN Dashboard on Performance Metrics at https://charts.icann.org/public/index-idn.html.

ICANN is pleased to announce the successful completion of String Evaluation on proposed IDN ccTLD string for Kazakhstan.

Details of the successful evaluation are provided here: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/string-evaluation-completion-k-en.htm#kz.

The IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) ccTLD Fast Track Process was approved by the ICANN Board at its annual meeting in Seoul, South Korea on 30 October 2009. First requests were received starting 16 November 2009. The process enables countries and territories to submit requests to ICANN for IDN ccTLDs, representing their respective country or territory names in scripts other than Latin. IDN ccTLD requesters must fulfill a number of requirements:

• the script used to represent the IDN ccTLDs must be non-Latin;
• the languages used to express the IDN ccTLDs must be official in the corresponding country or territory; and
• a specific set of technical requirements must be met (as evaluated by an external DNS Stability Panel comprised of DNS and IDN experts).

The request and evaluation processes entail three steps:

• Preparation (by the requester in the country / territory): Community consensus is built for which IDN ccTLD to apply for, how it is run, and which organization will be running it, along with preparing and gathering all the required supporting documentation. Requests are submitted through an online system together with additional material supporting the process at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/.
• String Evaluation: Requests are evaluated in accordance with the technical and linguistic requirements for the IDN ccTLD string(s) criteria described above.
• String Delegation: Requests successfully meeting string evaluation criteria are eligible to apply for delegation following the same ICANN IANA process as is used for ASCII based ccTLDs. Requesters submit string delegation requests to IANA root zone management: root-mgmt@iana.org.

With this announcement, a total of 28 countries/territories requests have successfully passed through the String Evaluation. Of these, 20 countries/territories (represented by 30 IDN ccTLDs) are delegated in the DNS root zone; with the remainder either readying to apply, or actively applying for, delegation of the string. Up-to-date numbers about the IDN Fast Track Program will continue to be provided on the Fast Track Process web page at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/ and at the ICANN Dashboard on Performance Metrics at https://charts.icann.org/public/index-idn.html.

ICANN looks forward to enabling the availability of non-Latin country-code domains for countries that meet the Fast Track Process requirements.  ICANN will continue to accept new string evaluation requests in the Fast Track Process.  Staff support is available to help all countries and territories interested in participating in the Fast Track Process. Please email idncctldrequests@icann.org for any inquiries for participation.

Dot VN, Inc., (http://www.dotvn.com) (OTC Trading Symbol: DTVI), an Internet and Telecommunications Company and the exclusive online global domain name registrar for the Country of Vietnam (“the Company” or “Dot VN”), announced today that since it’s official launch of the Vietnamese Native Language Internationalized Domain Names (“Vietnamese IDN”) on April 28, 2011, registrations have exceeded 294,000 domain names which surpasses the total number of standard Vietnamese ccTLD registrations.
“We are very pleased with the continued excitement and demand for the Vietnamese Native Language domain names.” said Dot VN CEO Thomas Johnson. “We expect the continued explosive growth of the Vietnamese IDNs with the eventual launch of cutting edge features and applications such as social networking functionality, daily deals and group buying services which deliver the best offers and content to our users. Additionally, we believe that the IDNs will serve as the most effective way for advertisers and brand managers to reach and influence sophisticated and affluent Vietnamese consumers. Dot VN will continue to strive towards evolving the Vietnamese IDNs into the ultimate online community for the Country of Vietnam.”
About Dot VN:
Dot VN, Inc. (www.DotVN.com) provides innovative Internet and Telecommunication services for Vietnam and operates and manages Vietnam’s premier online media web property, www.INFO.VN. The Company is the “exclusive online global domain name registrar for .VN (Vietnam) and the recently launched Vietnamese Native Language Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs).” Dot VN is the sole distributor of Micro-Modular Data CentersTM solutions and E-Link 1000EXR Wireless Gigabit Radios to Vietnam and Southeast Asia region. Dot VN is headquartered in San Diego, California with offices in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. For more information, visit www.DotVN.com.

Posted by Lisa Shieh, Inside AdWords crew