According to a press release we received this morning, The Board of Directors of Top Level Domain Holdings (AIM:TLDH) issued an update to its new gTLD application with the biggest news out of the release is that it is withdrawing 4 of its new gTLD application
TLDH announced that is decided to withdraw its application for .Free; .Sale; .Spa; .Zulu.
Those withdrawals are not reflected on ICANN’s site.
“We are pleased to announce that the meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”), held in Beijing from April 11-14, is expected to be the last before contracts for new generic top-level domains (“gTLDs”) are formally signed.”
“No new roadblocks were brought up at the Beijing meeting, and the Board of TLDH is confident that the program will now move forward with progressively clearer timeframes for each gTLD’s release.”
“Neither ICANN’s Government Advisory Council (“GAC”) which delivered its official advice on individual strings in the program, nor the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (“SSAC”), which reported on any possible risks to the overall security and stability of the Internet, called for any delays. The ICANN roadmap strongly indicates that the Company should be launching its own first top-level domains early in Q4 2013.”
I”CANN has likewise announced that 132 applications have passed initial evaluation, including two applications from TLDH: .网址 (“web address” in Chinese) and .购物(“shopping” in Chinese).”
“ICANN is currently processing initial evaluations at the rate of about 50 per week, and has announced that it will ramp-up the rate of evaluations to 100 per week, based on which ICANN should be finished with initial evaluations by August 2013. ICANN also announced that it expects to start signing contracts by the end of May at the rate of approximately 20 per week.”
Fred Krueger, executive chairman of TLDH, commented:
“We are delighted by the progress being made by ICANN, the status of our portfolio and the progress we are making in relation to those applications which are in contention with other applications.”
The Board expects that some contentions will be resolved soon, although the majority are likely to be resolved closer to the commencement of ICANN-sponsored auctions, which will occur if applicants cannot resolve contentions on their own. ICANN has indicated its auctions will likely begin in November 2013.
gTLD portfolio update
The Board is also pleased to report that TLDH’s portfolio received relatively few third-party objections, all from rivals for the TLDs in question.
TLDH was notified that objections had been filed against only seven of its new gTLD applications, representing 9.7% of the Company’s portfolio: two objections for .music and one each for .购物 (“shopping” in Chinese), .gay, .eco, .home, .vip, and .realestate.
By comparison, Amazon received 24 objections (32%), Google 22 objections (22%) and Donuts 55 objections (18%). The Company will respond in due course and the Board are confident that the Company will overcome these objections.
GAC Advice
The GAC strongly advised against four gTLDs, none of which TLDH applied for.
Another 513 gTLDs were given some kind of advice by the GAC, ranging from serious reservations to desired improvements.
The Company has decided as a consequence of these warnings, and after discussion with relevant governments, to withdraw four of its applications:
.FREE, .SALE, .SPA and .ZULU.
The Company expects to receive refunds totaling $520,000 (£341,304) from ICANN, and to have released to it $144,000 (£94,515) currently set aside in letters of credit for ICANN’s Continued Operations Instrument requirement.
Timeline
The Board anticipates that over a hundred new gTLDs will have signed contracts with ICANN by the time of the next ICANN meeting in Durban, South Africa, commencing 15 July 2013. Following the execution of its contract with ICANN, each gTLD will schedule its pre-delegation testing as a final technical check, then proceed to delegation, integration with the Trademark Clearing House, and then launch. The Company estimates that the time from contract to launch will be approximately 3 months. TLDH’s operating company, Minds + Machines, is now focused on the upcoming launches of .LONDON, .BUDAPEST, .NRW, .GOP and .KIWI. The Company is also actively pursuing arrangements with other applicants for new gTLDs.
TLDH gTLD Application Status
| String | Priority Draw Number | Group equity interest | # of competing applications | GAC objections/Early warnings | Third party objections |
| 网址 (“site”) | 15 | 100% | 1 | ||
| 购物 (“shopping”) | 62 | 100% | 0 | Yes | |
| dog | 110 | 100% | 2 | ||
| fishing | 139 | 100% | 1 | ||
| casa | 171 | 100% | 1 | ||
| GOP | 192 | client | 0 | ||
| home | 215 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| love | 262 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| rugby | 278 | client | 2 | ||
| budapest | 288 | 100% | 0 | ||
| book | 291 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| kiwi | 331 | client | 0 | ||
| llc | 335 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| blog | 358 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| cpa | 403 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| media | 407 | client | 2 | ||
| deals | 439 | 100% | 2 | ||
| law | 453 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| ecom | 456 | client | 0 | ||
| wedding | 459 | 100% | 2 | ||
| lawyer | 467 | 100% | 1 | ||
| flowers | 481 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| tickets | 485 | client | more than 2 | ||
| review | 492 | 100% | 1 | ||
| bradesco | 504 | client | 0 | ||
| fashion | 516 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| cloud | 536 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| vodka | 577 | 100% | 0 | ||
| pizza | 595 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| rodeo | 621 | 100% | 0 | ||
| nrw | 630 | 80% | 0 | ||
| london | 635 | client | 0 | ||
| green | 640 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| coupon | 654 | 100% | 1 | ||
| country | 664 | 100% | 1 | ||
| broadway | 667 | client | 2 | ||
| style | 669 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| vip | 683 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| store | 690 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| music | 749 | 50% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| life | 758 | client | 2 | ||
| dds | 760 | 100% | 1 | ||
| roma | 786 | 100% | 0 | ||
| marketing | 793 | client | 2 | ||
| tube | 806 | client | 2 | ||
| baby | 872 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| zulu | 899 | 100% | 0 | Yes | |
| sale | 903 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| app | 918 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| data | 921 | 100% | 2 | ||
| science | 924 | 100% | 1 | ||
| immo | 960 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| realestate | 1044 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| free | 1048 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| guide | 1081 | 100% | 1 | ||
| work | 1085 | 100% | 0 | ||
| radio | 1087 | client | more than 2 | ||
| website | 1103 | 100% | 2 | ||
| bible | 1114 | client | 0 | ||
| design | 1128 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| latino | 1134 | 100% | 1 | ||
| inc | 1136 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| group | 1159 | client | more than 2 | ||
| property | 1160 | 100% | 2 | ||
| beauty | 1164 | 100% | 2 | ||
| miami | 1185 | 100% | 0 | ||
| hotel | 1215 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| cooking | 1241 | 100% | 0 | ||
| cricket | 1316 | 100% | 2 | ||
| horse | 1317 | 100% | 0 | ||
| fit | 1336 | 100% | 1 | ||
| basketball | 1364 | client | 2 | ||
| site | 1367 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| spa | 1374 | 100% | 2 | Yes | |
| abogado | 1376 | 100% | 0 | ||
| restaurant | 1423 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| gay | 1428 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| video | 1466 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| eco | 1475 | 100% | more than 2 | Yes | |
| art | 1523 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| luxe | 1536 | 100% | 0 | ||
| bayern | 1552 | 80% | 0 | ||
| online | 1602 | client | more than 2 | ||
| tech | 1623 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| yoga | 1626 | 100% | 2 | ||
| casino | 1630 | client | more than 2 | ||
| poker | 1638 | client | more than 2 | ||
| garden | 1658 | 100% | 2 | ||
| beer | 1675 | 100% | 0 | ||
| soccer | 1708 | 100% | more than 2 | ||
| surf | 1711 | 100% | 0 | ||
| school | 1720 | 100% | more than 2 |
Is the king of .zulu running low on cash? The rumour has it so.
Looks like GAC advice has claimed its first victims. At least that’s what TLDH is saying.
TLDH is claiming in an update to investors that the reason for withdrawing free, sale, spa and zulu is because of GAC advice. “Another 513 gTLDs were given some kind of advice by the GAC, ranging from serious reservations to desired improvements. The Company has decided as a consequence of these warnings, and after discussion with relevant governments, to withdraw four of its applications.”
Seriously? I can see Zulu as they should have never applied for that in the first place but they are quitting because of GAC Advice on free, sale and spa?
What are they going to do about law, lawyer, cpa, baby, eco, casino, poker….?
Seems to me there is more to this story than withdrawal because of GAC Advice. There has to be.
Cool, so our tiny and insignificant little ccTLD, ZULU . co . za will retain some value… 😉
It appears gTLD applicants are are trying to look cool and calm to keep investor confidence, but I would love to be a fly on the wall of some these boardrooms…
I imagine sheer panic whilst at the same time looking for a gentlemanly exit….
personally if i were you I would be more concerned with .africa
Agreed MB, although as an accredited registrar for the .Africa manager, we will be selling .Africa domains.
As the .co.za cTLD is already the most widely used, most secure and stable in all Africa, the .africa has a good home.
However I see .Africa falling into the NGO / charity category and unless it can survive being tarnished by Nigerian and other scammers, I don’t see it making much headway globally…
well although it doesn’t seem ROTD will be involved in any way in the .Africa extension we think it has enormous possibilities and if property managed and promoted should do very well over the long haul.
Hello MHB,
Smart Online Marketers when given the choice between the .COM extension which Consumers have supported for 30 years. As opposed to the gTLDs that have virtually no consumer support and are really valueless as Marketing Tools, we know they will appeal to Consumers preferences and not Fickle domainers pipe dream gTLDs. Count on it.
We bet, right of the dot will eventually, if not initially, recommend .COM extension for professional survival.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
.spa -> TLDH, Donuts and 1 community application. It’s likely they bet on the community application winning community priority.
.free -> Amazon and Google in the contention set, both known for free services. Also has Uniregistry which means no money to be made in private auctions.
.sale -> 4 contenders besides TLDH. One is Uniregistry so no private auction as well. I think they could try wining this one, but if the business doesn’t look too promising, they probably decided to focus efforts on other TLDs.
.zulu -> This is weird. Although they had some questioning whether the Zulu King could be a valid Geo support for them, the Geo panel decided .zulu isn’t a Geo TLD, so they don’t need support from anyone. May be they noticed that with a .durban (Zulu capital) TLD coming with the power of the local ccTLD behind it, .Zulu that was a questionable business since day 1 was going nowhere.
the way “Jeff” wants to keep stretching the time that .COM has been promoted to 30 years is hilarious.
nobody was promoting .COM or domains in the late 80’s.
you sound desperate when you stretch out the years longer than web browsers have been in use.
Gratefully, Absolutely Nobody (Made up Group) (Aluminum Tiger)
Hello MHB,
Look up .COM inception date FOOL, you know who you are a FOOL Ghost ???
Few days short of 30 solid years of trust!
Enjoy your ignorance Ghost.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger
Jeff,
what websites were consumers on the internet visiting in the late 80’s ?
.com or otherwise — if thats too hard im wondering if you could point me to the list of websites you regular visited in 1993 (20 years ago)
waiting…..
Gratefully, Nobody Important (yeah, me again) (Pink Panther)
ontheinterweb,
You are utterly untrained in marketing analysis that is very evident.
You will be waiting a long time for answers to your foolish questions.
Sometimes we all think you are Bi-Polar ?? If not there is just no way of knowing who a ghost is?
You seriously need to get a Grip.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff,
since you’re here to “educate businesses” why not use this discourse with a “Bi-Polar fool” as an opportunity to do just that.
you say consumers have been visiting .COM for close to 30 years… the problem is .COM wasnt even the prominent TLD, even in the early 90’s.
prove me wrong.
Gratefully, Somebody Special (hi) (My Favorite Color is Blue)
Hello MHB,
.COM has been the dominant force since its inception date, I guess there are fools who don’t understand this. These same fools were teething when I was Analyzing markets Professionally.
Where do these Ghosts come from??
Gratefully, Jeff schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff,
you just re-stated what you originally said.
now – which .COM sites did consumers visit in the late 1980’s ?
Gratefully, Not Really Though () (I Wanna Be a Domainer When I Grow Up)
Hello MHB,
Business Truths trump uneducated guesses and always will, PERIOD.
Uneducated Marketers may dance around the May Pole , fooling only themselves), with their uninformed rhetoric.
( The cock may crow but the hens of truth lay the eggs ).
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
so then just answer and stop with the dennis-miller sounding replies.
which websites did consumers visit in the 1980’s?