DSTI/ICCP/TISP(2004)2/FINAL 

Advantages of new generic Top Level Domain names 

One of the strongest arguments for opening the market to a greater number of new gTLDs is for 

entities wanting to create new services which they believe can be best facilitated by using new gTLDs or 

sTLDs. In ICANN's first round of new gTLDs `service specific' proposals were not among the successful 

candidates. That being said new services have emerged under some of the new gTLDs. One example of a 

new service, to date, is the fostering of international domain names under 

.info

. Another is the potential use 

of 

.aero 

in connection with flight and airport information. A prototype service was piloted from October to 

November 2003 in Geneva. Users could type in their flight number, expressed as a 

.aero

 URL and directly 

access the information pertaining to the flight number entered. Examples included: http://BA723.aero or 

http://LX1751.aero.   

A number of the sTLDs

nominated for ICANN's consideration in 2004 propose to offer new services. 

All these services could seemingly be operated at the second level but the prospective registries clearly 

believe that they would be best facilitated with a TLD. For the proponents of such names a TLD appears to 

represent a superior marketing tool rather than being a technological imperative.

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 Importantly, many of the 

traditional opponents of new TLDs may be among the largest beneficiaries of these services. One example 

might be business use of the proposed sTLD aimed at facilitating the creation of content sites specific for 

mobile devices or the proposed service with spam free e mail. It must also be said that there is opposition 

in some parts of the Internet community to service or terminal specific gTLDs.

42

While ccTLDs provide an alternative to the limited number of gTLDs, there is a good argument for 

saying that equity is not well served by a first come, first served process, if the domain name system is 

characterised by scarcity. As an increasing number of countries, outside developed countries, increase 

Internet access and develop greater Internet capabilities equity may be best served by also creating 

opportunities for users in those countries to register names under new gTLDs.  

It might be argued that by opening up a wider variety of gTLDs greater competition will be provided 

to ccTLDs. The proposed 

.asia, 

if approved, would provide a new option for users of ccTLDs in that 

region.

43

 The already approved 

.eu 

will provide an alternative to ccTLDs in Europe.  On the other hand, 

some registries may see names such as 

.asia

, as complementary to their businesses rather than competitive. 

Most of the ccTLD registries in the Asian region welcome the creation of 

.asia 

and have signed letters of 

intent to join the DotAsia sponsoring organisation.

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Some ccTLDs are clearly aimed at global markets or specific market segments in developed countries 

such as 

.cc 

(Coco s Keeling Islands) and 

.tv 

(Tuvalu). The 

.la

 domain, for example, is the country code for 

Laos but is marketed to users in Los Angeles.

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 In addition to these two domains, Network Solutions 

markets 

.ws

 (Western Samoa), 

bz

 (Belize), 

.ms

 (Monserat), 

.gs

 (South Georgia & South Sandwich 

Islands) 

.vg

 (British Virgin Islands), 

.tc

 (Turks & Caicos Islands). In the case of 

.tv, 

second level

domain 

names such as news.tv are offered at prices up to USD 1 million per name.

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 The 

.tv

 registry also offers 

single letter names and single numbers which are not available under traditional gTLDs. Second level 

registrations, such as h.tv and k.tv or 2.tv and 7.tv, are available for registration for USD 10 000.  

Apart from the ccTLDs aimed at global markets some appear to be offering services to market 

segments targeted by sTLDs. One example is 

.pw

 (Palau) which appears to be aimed at shared 

communities. The 

.pw 

registry markets itself as the `personal Web' domain rather than as a country code 

for Palau.

47

 Other examples are domains that might be associated with particular services such as

 .md

. In 

the case of 

.md, 

users in Moldova can register a name, for USD 59 per annum, through a state owned 

company. An alternative company markets 

.md

 to the global healthcare industry with prices ranging from 

USD 200 to USD 300 per annum from some registrars.

48

 Given that an increasing number of ccTLDs are 

targeting specific market segments there may be benefits in providing greater competition from new 

 36