APTLD - Taipei

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APTLD - Taipei

• Peter de Blanc
• pdeblanc_at_usvi.net
• http//www.nic.vi

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APTLD-Taipei 26 Aug 2001

• Thank you for the invitation to participate!
• Disclaimer
• The comments, suggestions, and ideas expressed in
  this presentation are my own.
• These proposals have not been published or
  posted, and there is no consensus yet.
• In the interests of a more clear communication, I
  may us language that is not diplomatic.
• Any statistics referenced may be approximate.

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AP-ccTLD-ICANNRelationships

• The Money
• The Power
• The Credibility and The Balance

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Where is the Money?

• 30 Million names in .com, .org, .net
• New registrations thru July, 2001 3,123,612
• VeriSign has about 50 share as registrar
• England registers 150,000 per month
• Over 100,000 testbed IDNS
• Increasing Trade name protection in ccTLD
• However 180 ccTLDs under 50,000 names

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Where is the Power

• Facilitating Trade All countries
• Access Internet users as a market for domain
  names.
• Access to consumers for advertising and
  e-commerce.
• ccTLD diversity, lends Legitimacy, 244 ccs
• G8 countries, 7 looking for balance with US
• EU already in WTO disputes with US on several
  matters.
• Regional Internet Associations (cc only)
• North America
• Asia Pacific
• European Union
• Latin America
• Africa and Middle East

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The Credibility and Balance

• ICANN needs ccTLD to provide credibility.
• Without ccTLD ICANN is clearly US-centric
• ICANN will attempt to make individual deals with
  strong countries one by one.
• In some cases ICANN may succeed with this.
• This could increase Internet colonialism
• A strong ccTLD is the key to balance of money,
  power, credibility.

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ccTLD Issues

• International Domain Names
• New gTLDs and their impact
• Procedure for update of IANA database
• Contract with ICANN
• Pressure to include universal UDRP
• Representation Level in ICANN
• Financial contributions to ICANN

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International Domain Names

• Where is control of namespace?
• Issues of National Pride and Solidarity
• The money.
• Possible solutions by negotiation
• Devise a method, political and technical, that
  allows financial participation or compensation
  for sale/rental of Intellectual Property of
  language.

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IDNS Possible Solutions

• Translations performed by region or association
  of ccTLDs sharing that language
• Translate the names by specific country claiming
  the language. (example, Korea)
• Registrars pay a fee for to translation
  organization, goes to benefit ccs involved.
• Licensing similar to music and Intellectual
  Property agreements.
• All of this by negotiation.

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New ICANN Structures?

• ALSC report possibilities
• Directors 6-6-6 Tech, Providers, Users
• ASO-PSO-6, DNSO 6, At-Large Ncom 6
• Mike Roberts Proposal
• ccTLD 2 directors, gTLD 2 directors
• Elisabeth Porteneuve Proposal
• 6-6-6 with ccTLD at 6 directors

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The cart and the horse

• Top down ICANN decides ccTLD relation
• ICANN sends down documents to ccTLD
• ICANN creates contract for ccTLD
• Bottom Up ccTLD creates organizations
• ccTLD agrees on documents- sends to ICANN
• ccTLD agrees on general form of contract
• Individual ccTLD may modify as needed
• Relationship becomes peer-to-peer
• Agreements negotiated by equals

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New Structure wwTLD.org

• wwTLD Organization, a legal corporation
• Membership by ccTLD
• Minimum US 1.00 dues
• For purpose of bi-lateral membership agreement.
• Electorate composed of all members.
• Three directors from each region Chairman
• ICANN may add Middle East region
• Regional Associations are Advisory Board
• wwTLD.org enters into MoU for SO w/ICANN

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Conclusions Part 1

• Many are unsatisfied with unbalance of power and
  money.
• IDNS will be a major source of revenue
• Probably US 100 million/year by 2003
• There must be some way to distribute income
• Massive education is required to get business to
  register in-country, or at least use registrar in
  country, to retain foreign exchange.
• Developing ccs will not benefit financially or
  technically without guidance and a central
  organization.

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Conclusions Part 2

• In the absence of law, negotiation rules.
• A strong, financial viable organization for
  ccTLDs is necessary for negotiation with ICANN
  and domain name business interests.
• ccTLD must take the initiative, and not wait to
  see what ICANN and domain name business interests
  offer.
• ccTLDs must get their fair share of political
  respect, retain local sovereignty, and share in
  revenue from Internet gold rush domain name
  business.
• We can do it, if we wish to.
• This is a good time to start. (ALSC ICANN
  reorganization)

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Discussion

• Action Items?
• Montivideo?
• ALSC report draft is out tomorrow!
• ICANN re-organization by November?