2 Jun 2011 11:10
For immediate release: 02 June 2011
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
("TLDH" or the "Company")
ICANN update
The Directors of Top Level Domain Holdings Limited (AIM: TLDH.L), the only publicly traded company focused exclusively on acquiring and operating new generic top-level domains ("gTLD"), are pleased to announce that on 30 May 2011 the "new gTLD Applicant Guidebook" was issued by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") in line with its indicated timetable. This followed ICANN's 20 May 2011 teleconference with the Governmental Advisory Committee ("GAC") at which outstanding issues relating to trademark protection and objection procedures for governments were discussed.
A follow-on meeting between ICANN and GAC has now been scheduled to take place on 19 June 2011 ahead of ICANN's extraordinary meeting in Singapore on 20 June 2011 at which the ICANN Board will consider final approval for the new gTLD program. Should the program be approved, it is anticipated that ICANN's proposed four month communications window will begin late June with the application window for new gTLD opening immediately thereafter in November 2011. The opening of the application window will allow all parties including those which TLDH's wholly owned registry business, Minds+Machines, is supporting - to apply for their desired gTLD.
Antony Van Couvering, CEO of TLDH and Minds+Machines, commented:
"Following an extensive three year evaluation process in which all issues have been thoroughly covered, the determination within ICANN to launch the gTLD program as planned is clear. Should the program be approved later this month, we anticipate a significant step-up in activity amongst third party groups seeking to apply to operate new generic top level domains."
For further information, please contact:
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
North America
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.
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