IDN Variant TLD Program – Interim Report Examining the User Experience Implications of Active Variant TLDs

To better understand and address the challenges surrounding the activation of variant internationalized top-level domains (IDNs), this interim report:

1) summarizes and compares, from a user experience and registry management perspective, variant practices in several ccTLD registries,

2) proposes a set of guiding principles to define an acceptable user experience, and

3) identifies how various user communities (e.g., end users, system/network administrators, application developers, registrants, registrars and registries) will be impacted by active variant top-level domains.

The interim report is published for public comment thirty (30) days (plus 21-day reply period) and is to be followed by the final report, to be published with ninety (90) days after the closure of the public comment forum. The final report will incorporate the community input with proposed guidelines and recommendations for active variant TLDs.