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Internet overhaul wins approval Internet overhaul wins approval
(20 minutes later)
A complete overhaul of the way people navigate the internet has been given the go ahead in Paris. A complete overhaul of the way in which people navigate the internet has been given the go-ahead in Paris.
The net's regulator Icann voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called top level domain names, such as .com or .uk, can be relaxed. The net's regulator, Icann, voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called "top-level" domain names, such as .com or .uk.
The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses while individuals could use their names. The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names.
Some believe there could be at least 5,000 new top-level domains, but others say there could be demand for billions. A second proposal, to introduce domain names written in scripts such as Asian and Arabic, was also approved.
Peter Dengate Thrush, a member of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), said the decision was of "historic importance". "We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated," said Roberto Gaetano, a member of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).
The new system should come in next year, but Icann admits there will be plenty of problems, and it may have to arbitrate between different organisations seeking the same name. 'Historic importance'
Icann has been working towards opening up net addresses for nearly six years.
At the moment, top-level domains are limited to individual countries, such as .uk (UK) or .it (Italy), as well as to commerce (.com) and to institutional organisations, such as .net, or .org.
To get around the restrictions, some companies have used the current system to their own ends.
For example, the Polynesia island nation Tuvalu has leased the use of the .tv address to many television firms.
Under the new plans, there could be thousands of domain names based on any string of letters.
Individuals will be able to register a domain based on their own name, for example, as long as they can show a "business plan and technical capacity".
While companies will be able to secure domain names easily based on their intellectual property, some domain names could become subject to contention and a bidding war.
The new system should come in next year.
Another member of Icann, Peter Dengate Thrush, said the decision to relax the rules was of "historic importance".