Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has recently approved allotment of new generic top level domain names (new gTLDs). This is good news for brand and trademark owners who can now register their brands and trademarks as the gTLDs.While this is good news yet this decision of ICANN is not free from troubles and unforeseen challenges. Even the filing of a gTLD application would not be an easy task and would require techno legal expertise.
ICANN has already laid down stringent conditions for the acceptance of an application for registration of new gTLD as per its Applicant Guidebook. Even the US $ 1, 85,000 costs for filling an application for new gTLD would keep out non serious and middle sized companies from applying for a gTLD.
However, this high cost is not a “guarantee” that the application would be accepted by mere filing. ICANN has clearly said that only “bonfide applicants” would be allotted the applied gTLD. The gTLD application would be minutely scrutinised before allowing the same.
Here lies the importance of a “gTLD due diligence service” that analysis the possibilities of allotment of the proposed gTLD. At Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) we specialise in techno legal issues including domain name registration and domain name dispute resolution services.
Further, with an increase in new gTLDs registrations, issues like domain names protection, brands protection, trademarks protection, cybersquatting disputes resolution, cyber law compliances, cyber security requirements, cyber due diligence, etc would also arise. Brand owners and trademark owners must prepare their “strategy” in this regard well in advance.
The new gTLDs application process would start from 12 January 2012 to 12 April 2012. Brand owners and trademark owners need to ensure “due diligence” in this regard as soon as possible as that would give them additional time to ensure that their applications are accepted.
