21 Mar 2011 07:00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 21 March 2011
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
("TLDH" or the "Company")
ICANN San Francisco meeting update
ICANN Board adopts timeline to completion of implementation of new gTLD process
The Directors of Top Level Domain Holdings, Ltd. (AIM: TLDH.L), the only publicly traded company focused exclusively on acquiring and operating new top-level domains, are pleased to provide an update on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") meeting in San Francisco that concluded on 18 March 2011.
The ICANN Board of Directors resolved that it intended to complete the process for final approval of the new generic top-level domains ("gTLDs") implementation program at an extraordinary meeting of the ICANN Board to be held on Monday, 20 June 2011, at the next ICANN public meeting in Singapore.
Since ICANN's last meeting, in December 2010, the ICANN Board has made substantial progress in reaching agreements and compromises with ICANN's Government Advisory Committee ("GAC"), which represents the interests of governments. ICANN and the GAC have met in a number of specially convened face-to-face sessions over the last few months, including twice during the recent ICANN meeting in San Francisco. During that time, the points of disagreement have been substantially reduced, and ICANN has adopted a detailed timeline and implementation plan ahead of its meeting in Singapore to further reduce or eliminate any remaining concerns prior to final approval of the new gTLD program.
In particular, ICANN intends that its final response to outstanding issues with GAC will be published on 15 April 2011, with a 30 day consultation period thereafter.
The period for public comment will close on 15 May 2011. ICANN then plans to publish the Final Guidebook for gTLD applications on 30 May 2011.
If the new gTLD program is approved as expected in June, the Directors of TLDH expect that the window for new gTLD applications will open in September or October of 2011. The Directors believe that Company and its subsidiary, Minds + Machines, remain well positioned for the forthcoming new gTLD program.
TLDH's CEO, Antony Van Couvering, said:
"Adjusting the new gTLD program to respond to governmental concerns is the last gateway prior to final approval. We are very pleased at the progress to date and the demonstrated intention of both parties to come to a conclusion. Everyone who wants to see new gTLDs should be enthused by the results of the latest ICANN meeting, and in particular by the publication of a detailed, realistic, and determined timeline."
"We were particularly encouraged by the closing comments of Peter Dengate-Thrush (the Chairman of the ICANN Board) in respect of the proposed timeline when he stated that the ICANN Board "is very keen to see this timetable [followed] and intends to adhere to it." Furthermore the proposed ICANN Board meeting to approve the new gTLD programme will be held on the first day of the 5 day Singapore ICANN meeting so that in Peter Dengate-Thrush's concluding comments, "we have a fantastic new gTLD launch party in Singapore."
At the San Francisco meeting, the ICANN Board also directed its staff to sign a contract with the backers of .XXX, despite concerns from the GAC, thereby approving the controversial top-level domain with finality. The Directors believe that this decision highlighted the ICANN Board's determination to stay out of content regulation, which it regards as outside its remit and is an important and positive precedent for new gTLDs going forward.
For further information, please contact:
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
North America
Frederic Krueger
Tel: +1 310 866 1935
or
Antony Van Couvering
Tel: +1 917 406 7126
Europe
David Weil
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7881 0180
Nominated Adviser to the Company
Beaumont Cornish Limited
Roland Cornish / Michael Cornish
Tel +44 (0) 20 7628 3396
gth media relations
Toby Hall /Christian Pickel
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3103 3903
About Top Level Domain Holdings Limited, http://tldh.org
Top Level Domain Holding is a publicly-traded holding company listed on the London AIM market. The company is focused on the new top-level domain space. Top-level domains, such as .com, run by VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN), and .biz, run by NeuStar (NYSE: NSR), are regulated by ICANN. ICANN has announced plans to expand the number of top level domains. TLDH intends to make targeted investments in this space, focusing on both infrastructure technologies and specific top-level domains, and recently raised £4.8 million in anticipation of doing so.
About Minds + Machines, http://mindsandmachines.com
Minds + Machines is a registry services provider that works internationally with commercial organisations, cities, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs to secure and operate new web domains, known as top-level domains (TLDs). Minds + Machines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Top Level Domains Holdings, Ltd.
ENDS