Updated 23 February 2011
ICANN is publishing today the summaries and analyses of public comment on the previous version of the Applicant Guidebook and on other previously published New gTLD Program papers.
ICANN thanks all those who participated in the various public comment periods. ICANN has read and considered each of the submissions, and summaries and analysis of comment are now available for the following:
- Comment Summary and Analysis: Proposed Final New gTLD Applicant Guidebook [PDF, 1.11 MB] (12 Nov 10 – 15 Jan 11)
- Comment Summary and Analysis: An Economic Framework for the Analysis of the Expansion of Generic Top-Level Domain Names (Phase I Report) [PDF, 311 KB] (16 Jun 10 – 21 Jul 10) This analysis has been completed by the authors of the report.
- Comment Summary and Analysis: Economic Considerations in the Expansion of Generic Top-Level Domain Names (Phase II Report: Case Studies) [PDF, 267 KB] (3 Dec 10 – 15 Jan 11) This analysis has been completed by the authors of the report.
- Comment Summary and Analysis: Summary of the Impact of Root Zone Scaling [PDF, 159 KB] (6 Nov 10 – 7 Nov 10)
- Comment Summary and Analysis: Milestone Report and Addenda: Joint SO/AC Working Group on Applicant Support [PDF, 19 KB] (11 Nov 10 – 10 Jan 11) This analysis has been completed by the Working Group.
- Comment Summary and Analysis: Delegation Rate Scenarios for New gTLDs [PDF, 36 KB] (6 Oct 10 – 5 Nov 10)
Two new papers discussing specific aspects of the program will be published in addition:
- A study of defensive registrations and registrant behavior in order to better understand the prevalence of defensive registrations in new gTLDs.
- Community gTLD change request handling: a discussion draft for a procedure to address the need for a process to evaluate proposed amendments that may have the effect of changing the charter or purpose of a community-based TLD. The ICANN Board directed the formulation of such a briefing paper for the GNSO.
Also being published under separate cover are:
- The IDN Variant Issues Project: A Study of Issues Related to the Delegation of IDN Variant TLDs [PDF, 393 KB]; and
- A set of briefing papers for the upcoming ICANN Board and Governmental Advisory Committee consultation scheduled for 28 Feb 11 – 1 Mar 11 in Brussels.
The ICANN Board and Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) will meet in Brussels from 28 Feb 11 – 1 Mar 11 and during the ICANN meeting in San Francisco (13 Mar 11 – 18 Mar 11) in the interest of resolving the outstanding issues the GAC has identified with the new gTLD process.
A new version of the Applicant Guidebook is not being published at this time. This decision was made with the intent to avoid presuming the outcomes of the discussions among the Board, GAC, and community. Given the short time period between these consultations and the ICANN meeting in San Francisco, there is little utility to publishing a version with new changes, which would also be subject to additional changes based on the outcomes of these meetings, and without time for comment between versions.
Work on the Applicant Guidebook is continuing in parallel with these activities. ICANN is continuing to work with stakeholder groups in order to fully understand comments made on the Guidebook and make changes based upon them. It is expected that the next version of the Guidebook to be released will incorporate updates based on: public comment, ongoing consultations, and changes resulting from the Board-GAC consultations and from community discussions in San Francisco.
Expected Path Forward
- Board-GAC Consultations: 28 Feb 11 – 1 Mar 11
- ICANN meeting: 13 Mar 11 – 18 Mar 11
- Release of Applicant Guidebook: 14 Apr 11
The date of the Guidebook publication is proposed and does not indicate whether the Guidebook is a “final” Guidebook or whether it would be posted for public comment. It is the province for the Board of Directors to take a position on the disposition of the Guidebook. Those decisions cannot be taken until the planned GAC consultations conclude and the Board also can listen to community comments during the upcoming ICANN meeting.