Today, the Board of Directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) approved the implementation of the New gTLD Program and announced the following implementation timeline:
June 20, 2011 — ICANN begins its Global Communication Campaign regarding the New gTLD Program, continuing for six months before the application window opens.
January 12, 2012 — the New gTLD application window opens.
April 12, 2012 — the application window closes.
(New gTLDs that are awarded through this program will likely not be eligible for launch until 2013.)
The implementation of the New gTLD Program by ICANN will have a significant impact on brand owners. Valuable background information on this issue is offered in CSC’s recent whitepaper, New gTLDs: What Should I Tell My Board?
To learn more about potential benefits, challenges, strategies and how CSC can help you with New gTLDs, please join us at any one of the upcoming CSC live events:
June 28th — CSC Web Seminar — ICANN Updates From Singapore
June 29th — CSC Domain & Brand Protection Roundtable — New York, New York (Waldorf-Astoria Hotel)
June 30th — CSC Web Seminar — Applying For and Operating a New gTLD