2.2 How do I apply for a new gTLD?

Any established public or private organization anywhere in the world can apply to create and operate a new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) registry. Applicants will need to demonstrate the operational, technical and financial capability to run a registry and comply with additional specific requirements. Please refer to the Applicant Guidebook for detail information on the application process, including the application questions in Module 2, attachment 2.

Please note that applying for a new gTLD is not the same as buying a domain name. An applicant for a new gTLD is, in fact, applying to create and operate a registry business supporting the Internet's domain name system. This involves a number of significant responsibilities, as the operator of a new gTLD is running a piece of visible Internet infrastructure.

The application window is expected to open on 12 January 2012 and close on 12 April 2012.

The evaluation fee is US$185,000. Applicants will be required to pay a US$5,000 deposit fee per requested application slot when registering. The deposit will be credited against the evaluation fee. Other fees may apply depending on the specific application path. See the section 1.5 of the Applicant Guidebook for details about the methods of payment, additional fees and refund schedules.

When the application round opens, candidates will apply via an online application system called TAS – TLD Application System.

So Google essentially paid $200k to get their TLD evaluated, but how come did the evaluators think it was OK to admit TLDs that are essentially an advertisement for the company?

And, if that was allowed in the rules (I guess somewhere in the 300+ page Applicant Guidebook), why didn't most companies apply for one? It's not that much money for a big corp, after all

I'm also sure that the reason "most companies" didn't apply for one is that they didn't meet the technical or operational requirements, whatever they are.

But I don't know, and it might be a conspiracy - I am often naive :-)

The only organization I really trust is EFF (though recently Cory Doctorow has been spewing some radical political views on boingboing). I used to trust the ACLU as well. But I have some trust for ICANN and the root DNS operators.

https://afilias.info/dotbrand

Details about the 2012 'new gTLD Program' are available [3], as well as a list of brand gTLD applications [4].

[1] https://icannwiki.org/.google [2] https://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applications... [3] https://icannwiki.org/New_gTLD_Program [4] https://icannwiki.org/New_gTLD_Brand_Applications