Yvette Miller ⬥ 30 May
ICANN has updated its auction schedule for resolving outstanding Contention Sets, or groups of applications for the same or similar new top-level domains (TLDs) like .COUPON and .MOM.
The first auction will still be held on June 4, but now only one auction will be held in the month of July. According to ICANN’s announcement, auctions have been further delayed as TLD applicants await the results of the Domain Name Collision Occurrence Management Framework, which will guide applicants on how to handle potentially problematic domain names within their extensions. For more information on what domain name collisions are and why they are a problem, check out our blog post on the issue.
As contention sets are resolved through mutual agreements, private auction, or ICANN auction, the winners will be TLDs to watch, as some may become the most popular extensions yet. Multiple applications for the same term means that more than one company saw the potential opportunity in the extension, and more than one company has a vision for what the TLD can deliver to Internet users. That’s a potential recipe for success.
For Your Radar
June 4: First ICANN Auction
June 22 – 26: ICANN 50 in London
October 12 – 16: ICANN 51 in Los Angeles
October 29: Nine-Month Contracting Deadline for Applicants with CIRs
July 29, 2015: 18-Month Contracting Deadline for Applicants with CIRs that Request and are Granted the 9-month extension
Public Comment Periods to Consider:
June 27: Comment period closes on Enhancing ICANN Accountability
July 11: Comment period closes on WHOIS Requirements and National Law Conflicts
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