clownpenis.fart

October 8, 2017 5:06 AM

With all the good domain names taken, I was taking a look at the long list of new top level domains to try see if any might suit a proposed website. The ICANN list of TLDs - which is now quite long - contains a number of TLD extensions that are not actually available to register. Does the fact that they are on the list mean that they will eventually become available to register?

The particular TLD that I am interested in (.data) was apparently delegated in late 2016 to a company/sponsoring organization "Dish DBS Corporation".Domain names with this extension cannot yet be registered by any registrar.

I don't know whether this means that the sponsoring organisation is planning to keep the extension to itself (presumably they paid a fortune to ICANN), or whether it means that domains with this extension could suddenly become available to register any day now?

Is there a way to find out in advance when exactly (or if at all) this new TLD will "come online" and be available to register, so that I can be ready and waiting to beat the inevitable rush of squatters?

posted by moorooka to Technology (1 answer total)

Best answer: ICANN makes the public portion of the application available (click the link with those words near the top of this page). In this case I think the meat is that the owner plans (at least initially) to offer the .data TLD only to "qualified" applicants:

Applicant seeks the proposed .DATA gTLD as a controlled gTLD, to serve as a trusted and intuitive namespace to:

• encourage Members (as defined below) to create a connected digital presence and personalized .DATA experience for their customers, partners and others. Applicant will further the creation of such a connected digital presence by providing Members with open and non-discriminatory access for Members to the .DATA gTLD, in accordance with the Registry Agreement and ICANN rules and guidance;

[…]
As used herein, the term “Affiliates” means DISH Network Corporation and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, other than Applicant.

As used herein, the term “Qualified Applicants” shall mean entities that provide video streaming or consumer content storage services, products and vendors.

As used herein, the term “Members” means Applicant, Affiliates of Applicant, Qualified Applicants. For the avoidance of doubt, Applicant reserves the right to open this TLD to additional classes of registrants in the future (“Other Registrants”), which Other Registrants shall not be considered Members.

The application (apparently submitted in 2009!) doesn't say how they plan to determine what qualifies a qualified applicant, or at least I didn't find it while skimming.

The application says they'll be using Afilias as their registrar. You can sign up on that page for a newsletter that may or may not actually inform you when .data launches.

BTW the Dish in question is the provider of direct broadcast satellite (DBS) TV services you might already know, and they are also the owners of the Sling internet TV service. It wouldn't surprise me if they plan to "sell" the gTLD at such a price it's not worth buying, simply as a competitive advantage. Hey Netflix, wanna own netflix.data? Pay us!
posted by fedward at 9:48 AM on October 8, 2017 [1 favorite]