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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Icann increases web domain suffixes | Icann increases web domain suffixes |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A global internet body has voted to allow the creation of new website domain suffixes, the biggest change for the online world in years. | A global internet body has voted to allow the creation of new website domain suffixes, the biggest change for the online world in years. |
| The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) plans to dramatically increase the number of domain endings from the current 22. | The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) plans to dramatically increase the number of domain endings from the current 22. |
| Internet address names will end with almost any word and be in any language. | Internet address names will end with almost any word and be in any language. |
| Icann will begin taking applications next year, with corporations and cities expected to be among the first. | Icann will begin taking applications next year, with corporations and cities expected to be among the first. |
| "Icann has opened the internet's addressing system to the limitless possibilities of the human imagination," said Rod Beckstrom, president and chief executive officer for Icann. | "Icann has opened the internet's addressing system to the limitless possibilities of the human imagination," said Rod Beckstrom, president and chief executive officer for Icann. |
| "No one can predict where this historic decision will take us." | "No one can predict where this historic decision will take us." |
| There will be several hundred new generic top-level domain names (gTLDs), which could include such addresses as .google, .coke, or even .BBC. | There will be several hundred new generic top-level domain names (gTLDs), which could include such addresses as .google, .coke, or even .BBC. |
| There are currently 22 gTLDs, as well as about 250 country-level domain names such as .uk or .de. | There are currently 22 gTLDs, as well as about 250 country-level domain names such as .uk or .de. |
| Costly process | |
| It will cost $185,000 (£114,000) to apply for the suffixes, and companies would need to show they have a legitimate claim to the name they are buying. | It will cost $185,000 (£114,000) to apply for the suffixes, and companies would need to show they have a legitimate claim to the name they are buying. |
| Analysts say it is a price that global giants might be willing to pay - in order to maximise their internet presence. | Analysts say it is a price that global giants might be willing to pay - in order to maximise their internet presence. |
| The money will be used to cover costs incurred by Icann in developing the new gTLDs and employing experts to scrutinise the many thousands of expected applications. | |
| A portion will be set-aside to deal with potential legal actions, raised by parties who fail to get the domains they want. | |
| The vote completes a six-year negotiation process and is the biggest change to the system since .com was first introduced 26 years ago. | The vote completes a six-year negotiation process and is the biggest change to the system since .com was first introduced 26 years ago. |
| Icann said it was beginning a global communications programme to raise awareness of the new domain names. | Icann said it was beginning a global communications programme to raise awareness of the new domain names. |
| Applications will start on 12 January. | Applications will start on 12 January. |
| High standards | High standards |
| Companies and organisations seeking one of the new gTLDs will have to meet high technical standards, according to Bruce Tonkin, chief strategy officer at Melbourne IT, a domain registry service. | Companies and organisations seeking one of the new gTLDs will have to meet high technical standards, according to Bruce Tonkin, chief strategy officer at Melbourne IT, a domain registry service. |
| "You need IT robustness and you need intellectual property protections beyond what is available in the dot com space. | "You need IT robustness and you need intellectual property protections beyond what is available in the dot com space. |
| "You have to have 24/7 abuse team. You have to have mechanisms where a trademark holder has first right to get their name," he said. | "You have to have 24/7 abuse team. You have to have mechanisms where a trademark holder has first right to get their name," he said. |
| The higher standards, said Mr Tonkin, meant the application process would be extremely rigorous. | The higher standards, said Mr Tonkin, meant the application process would be extremely rigorous. |
| "Using a real estate analogy, it would be roughly the equivalent of getting approval to build a sky scraper. | "Using a real estate analogy, it would be roughly the equivalent of getting approval to build a sky scraper. |
| "There's roughly 50 questions, roughly 2-3 pages per question. Icaan will then use experts in each field to evaluate them. | "There's roughly 50 questions, roughly 2-3 pages per question. Icaan will then use experts in each field to evaluate them. |
| "The concern that some people have is that the standards of these buildings will be so high, that they will never get built. It will be too expensive," he said. | "The concern that some people have is that the standards of these buildings will be so high, that they will never get built. It will be too expensive," he said. |