Internet overseer paves way for expansion of web addresses

Jun 20, 2011, 5:17 GMT

Singapore - The global overseer of the internet address system approved the expansion of domain names Monday to allow businesses, governments and communities to create their own extensions.

The move could lead to the appearance of hundreds of new website suffixes up from the current 22 domain name endings such as .com, .org, .net and .gov.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) overwhelmingly approved the use of new generic domains to allow public or private organizations to apply for a web address of their choice.

The change would allow companies or cities to create websites using their names as an ending, like .canon or .berlin. Both had earlier expressed interest in using new domains.

'Today we made history,' ICANN chief Rod Beckstrom said after the board's special meeting in Singapore.

ICANN opened up the internet's naming system 'to unleash the global human imagination,' he said, adding that entities worldwide could use 'the dot with whatever they want' in any language, including Arabic, Chinese and other scripts.

Critics raised concerns that the programme could provide chances for counterfeiters and others to infringe on trademarks and stir confusion.

ICANN, a non-profit corporation formed in 1998 in cooperation between governments, the global internet community and business groups, has been working on an applicant guidebook for new domain names for years, with each of the drafts posted for public comment.

According to a resolution approved by the board, a first application round would start on January 12 and close April 12.

Beckstrom said late 2012 would be 'the earliest possible time' to have new domain names approved.

So far, 120 parties had publicly expressed an interest, he said, noting that ICANN had no specific expectations regarding the number of applications.

Applicants must pay an evaluation fee estimated at 185,000 US dollars, and the process was expected to last nine to 20 months, ICANN said.

Members of the board supporting the programme said it was not perfect but 'very solid,' adding that after years of preparation, it was 'time to take a decision.'

Opponents said there were still 'some significant and strongly felt differences,' including problems with a subsidizing scheme for developing countries.

The board voted 13-1 with two abstentions.