.sydney Pre-Register Domain - .sydney Domain Information

The mission and purpose of the new .sydney gTLD is to promote the city of Sydney, including its residents, culture, events, commerce, institutions and landmarks by creating a dedicated, authoritative online space that extends and strengthens in the online environment the City of Sydney pride and brand.

The .sydney gTLD will create a new generation gTLD serving the interests of residents of Sydney and the State of New South Wales (NSW) and internet users in general looking for products, services and information relating to Sydney, NSW, Australia. The .sydney gTLD will be a domain space specifically dedicated to information with a direct relevance and connection to the city of Sydney. It will provide a unique internet space that supports businesses, residents, community groups, local and state government bodies and the visitor economy in NSW. The .sydney gTLD will offer these potential registrants innovative marketing opportunities and a new channel of communication focused on their local area. Internet users will also benefit from the .sydney gTLD through increased quantity of reliable and customer-focused, locality-specific content.

As the applicant for the .sydney gTLD, the State Government of NSW, through its Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), aims to invest in the future of Sydney by promoting Sydney as a great place to live, work, invest, visit and learn, leveraging pride of place and the strength of the Sydney brand. This application for the .sydney gTLD by the DPC has the full support of the Government of NSW and City of Sydney government.

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the capital of Australia's most populous state, New South Wales. The greater metropolitan area of Sydney's 38 Local Government Areas (LGAs), including the City of Sydney, has over 4.5 million inhabitants. In 2010, Sydney was ranked 7th in Asia and 28th globally for economic innovation in the ‘Innovation Cities Top 100 Index' by Innovation Agency 2thinknow (www.innovation-cities.com/innovation-cities-top-100-index-top-cities/). Sydney was also ranked 11th in Mercer Human Resource Consulting's 2011 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey (www.mercer.com/press-releases/quality-of-living-report-2011#Asia-Pac).

The registration of second level domain names within the .sydney domain space will only be available to businesses registered in NSW, visitor economy service providers registered with the NSW Government, local government, community groups and residents with a NSW, Australia address. These criteria for registration are imposed to ensure that the .sydney gTLD presents reliable and trustworthy information relevant to activities, businesses, community groups, organisations and government bodies with a connection to Sydney. The .sydney gTLD will be an online space where eligible registrants are required to use domain names in a manner that is not illegitimate or inconsistent with the mission and purpose of the .sydney gTLD. The .sydney gTLD is intended to encourage business viability and growth by providing a dedicated and targeted online geo-distinctive presence and innovative marketing opportunities. This will benefit internet users and promote competition in the marketplace.

The internet has created a means for global communication and interaction, allowing for greater levels of information exchange, as well as facilitating efficient business transactions. Information about Sydney is widely available on the internet, allowing internet users worldwide to easily access online information regarding work, life, entertainment or tourism in Sydney. A dedicated .sydney gTLD will, however, provide a clearly labelled and relevant resource for internet users, including visitors to Sydney and NSW, bringing together and giving easier access to information about events, businesses, communities, government bodies, landmarks, and organisations in or related to Sydney. The .sydney gTLD will meet the need for a specific online space to target NSW residents and businesses and will enhance the strength, pride and value of the Sydney brand. The number of registrations in the .sydney TLD by the end of year three is projected to be 36,122 domain names.

The mission and purpose of the proposed new gTLD share ICANN's initiatives to promote public interest. DPC is committed to contribute towards achieving such initiatives in line with ICANN's Affirmation of Commitments, which includes:
- consumer trust: the .sydney gTLD registry will operate as a registry where only visitor economy service providers registered with the State Government of NSW, local government bodies and NSW resident individuals, businesses and community groups will be able to register domain names, as set out in the .sydney registration policy. All domain names will be registered at the second level. Consumers will be able to have greater confidence in the information provided under the .sydney gTLD knowing that the information is provided by businesses, government bodies or NSW residents or groups that meet the eligibility criteria. As domain names within .sydney will be subject to registration standards, policies and procedures, the incidence of abuse and cybersquatting (through adequate protection of trademark holders) will be significantly lower than in open TLD spaces;
- competition: the .sydney gTLD will contribute to the initiatives of competition and consumer choice through its operation focused on promoting consumer trust and convenience as well as providing an alternative domain name space to registrations in other TLDs. The .sydney gTLD will provide more choice for registrants to clearly distinguish themselves in the online environment by demonstrating their direct connection to Sydney, the capital of NSW, Australia. Increased trust in the .sydney gTLD will drive existing and new top level domain (TLD) registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs; and
- consumer choice: the proposed new gTLD will enable user-driven improvements promoting the Sydney brand, with second level domains to be registered only by eligible registrants. This will allow consumers more choice and options to register domain names. It will also enable more and easier interaction with local government bodies, community groups, businesses and organisations, as well as encourage competition between these potential registrant groups to best interact with such consumers. The .sydney gTLD will operate a registration policy to have effective and well-balanced oversight over registration and use of the domain names, which will also contribute towards general service innovations on the internet.

In its endeavour to promote and expand the .sydney gTLD, as well as maintain consumer trust and the stability of the internet, DPC will comply with all operational, technical and policy requirements. DPC will keep ICANN reasonably informed of any material developments relating to .sydney gTLD including compliance with the continued operations instrument obligations as set out in Specification 8 of the Registry Agreement.

DPC does not initially intend to utilise Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). However, as the use of the .sydney gTLD evolves, it is anticipated that DPC may decide to utilise IDNs within the .sydney domain space to allow internet users to engage with .sydney in their native language and via their local website, creating a more positive user experience and encouraging diversity. In accordance with Specification 5 of the Registry Agreement, and as specified in the response to Question 22, geographic names will not be available for registration without prior agreement from the relevant government or review and approval by the GAC.

GOAL OF THE .SYDNEY TLD IN TERMS OF AREAS OF SPECIALTY, SERVICE LEVELS OR REPUTATION

The .sydney gTLD will leverage pride of place and the strength of the Sydney brand to encourage business and visitation in and related to Sydney. The achievement of this goal is underpinned by trust in the State Government of New South Wales as the Registry Operator and its commitment to best practice and long-term sustainability of the registry. This domain space, dedicated to information with a direct relevance and connection to Sydney, NSW, Australia, will provide internet users with easier access to valuable geo-specific content, products, information and services related to and linked with Sydney. It will also allow registrants and government bodies a clearer, more cohesive branding message in the online environment and an innovative opportunity to market their message to consumers in an easily accessible, user-friendly online space. Further, it is hoped that the creation of a locality-specific internet space will increase the service levels, relevance and reliability of information that is available to the broader community of internet users, thus contributing towards a more trusted and positive user experience that is consistent with best practice.

ANTICIPATED CONTRIBUTION TO THE CURRENT SPACE

It is anticipated that the proposed .sydney gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community by providing:

Competition:
The differentiation of the .sydney gTLD as an online home for NSW residents, businesses, organisations, government bodies and registered visitor economy service providers will drive existing and new TLD registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust and relevance in their TLDs. The .sydney gTLD will encourage internet users to interact with domain names under the .sydney domain space to look for products, services and information from businesses, organisations, residents, groups, government bodies and service providers in the visitor economy with a direct connection to Sydney. There is currently no online space that is specifically dedicated to Sydney or devoted to the needs of NSW residents in relation to their capital city. The benefits of the proposed .sydney gTLD will be distributed not only to the consumers living, working and studying in or visiting Sydney, but to the internet community at large, leading to improved services and competitive pricing in the marketplace for domain name registrations.

Innovation:
With the expansion of the internet community, the existing gTLD structure presents limitations, in particular in terms of the ability for registrants to register relevant domain names. These limitations are reflected in the difficulties in registering appropriate domain names, as well as determining authentic and relevant information associated with government bodies, businesses, communities, organisations, visitation industry members and residents with a connection to Sydney, NSW, Australia. The .sydney gTLD intends to overcome these limitations by providing an online space dedicated to locality-specific information through the registration of second level domains by eligible registrants. Eligible registrants need to be physically present or registered in NSW and meet the eligibility criteria as set out in the registration policy. The .sydney gTLD will present an internet space in which eligible registrants can create domain names that are relevant to their customer base, services and products. It will provide a geo-specific online identity with eligibility criteria different from those applied in the current .au or other domain spaces, thus addressing the currently unmet needs in the domain name system in terms of consumer choice.

Differentiation (Increased trust):
The .sydney gTLD will simplify how internet users interact online with organisations and businesses located and operating in NSW by providing a distinctive domain space that specifically targets the State's capital and is devoted to the needs of residents. Internet users will be able to directly and easily navigate to .sydney gTLD sites, saving time and resources searching for reliable and relevant sites. The current domain name system has shown that it is vulnerable to abuse through registration of domain names that aim to exploit consumer confusion. The .sydney gTLD can address these vulnerabilities by maintaining a simple yet efficient degree of control in accordance with the registration policy and anti-abuse policy. The .sydney gTLD will provide greater user confidence, trust and transparency in the information provided on the dedicated Sydney online space. Internet users will be able to rely on the relevance of the domain names under the .sydney domain space, which will differentiate interaction between the registrants under the .sydney gTLD and the broader community of Internet users.

GOALS OF THE .SYDNEY TLD IN TERMS OF USER EXPERIENCE

The proposed .sydney gTLD will provide a positive user experience that is able to meet the changing and growing needs of Sydney and NSW residents and the broader internet community. DPC will maintain control of the registration and use of domain names in accordance with the registration policy, and will act promptly in response to abusive behaviour to ensure that the new gTLD is used in line with the mission and purpose of the gTLD. Therefore, the .sydney gTLD will:
- provide an accessible and intuitive reference point for internet users, enabling them to easily locate relevant information concerning government bodies, businesses, organisations, community groups and service providers in the visitor economy in or connected to Sydney, Australia;
- represent relevance and consistency, since registrants will need to identify themselves as physically present and/or registered in New South Wales, thus promoting user confidence;
- direct internet users to relevant information in a timely manner by providing a dedicated domain space specifically related to Sydney;
- enhance security and minimise security risks by implementing necessary technical and policy measures and offering rapid solution of complaints;
- strengthen brand reputation through best practice backed by trust in the State Government of New South Wales as Registry Operator and the commitment to long-term sustainability of the registry;
- create user confidence by eliminating user confusion through the imposition of clear and transparent eligibility restrictions enforced through a robust anti-abuse policy; and
- reduce potential abuses in the registration process, via the application of eligibility criteria, and thus overall costs to businesses and users.

The .sydney gTLD should address the concerns that the current domain name system is open to potential abuse and user confusion in the registration processes. Although the current system allows an eligible party to lodge a claim through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), the .sydney gTLDs eligibility requirements will reduce potential abuses in the registration processes and overall costs to internet users. User confidence in the domain name system will be strengthened, which will ultimately contribute towards promoting ICANN's core values in benefiting the public interest.

.SYDNEY REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE ABOVE-LISTED GOALS

Key provisions of the proposed registration policy are described below.

Only eligible registrants, namely businesses present in NSW, service providers in the visitor economy registered with the State Government of NSW, local government, community groups and residents with a NSW address will be able to register second level domain names in the .sydney gTLD in accordance with the eligibility criteria outlined in the registration policy. Registrants will be required to warrant their satisfaction of the eligibility criteria and provide a NSW address or business registration number in order to register domain names. Ineligible registrations are considered abusive and thus fall within the scope of the Anti-Abuse Policy, which is provided in the response to Question 28.

DPC will launch the .sydney gTLD in several phases, including two sunrise rounds, as set out in the registration policy and described in more detail in Question 18(c), below. This approach will provide an opportunity for trademark holders, government bodies and businesses meeting the general and sunrise eligibility criteria to register domain names. Thereafter .sydney will be open for registrations from all eligible registrants, first during a landrush period with competing applications resolved by auction, and then in general availability on a first-come/first-served basis. The domain name registration processes in the proposed new gTLD will address the requirements as mandated by ICANN, including but not limited to, minimum rights abuse prevention measures such as the use of the Trademark Clearinghouse. Launch and rights protection mechanism implementation is described in detail in the response to Question 29.

Domain names may be registered for a term between 1 and 10 years as per ICANN´s requirements. Upon expiry of a domain name, the Registry will auto-renew the domain name for a one year term unless the registrant submits its intention not to renew the domain name.

The registration policy will stipulate that domain names will need to meet certain standard technical criteria such as being less than 63 characters long. In accordance with Specification 5 of the Registry Agreement, geographic names will not be available for registration without prior agreement from the relevant government or review and approval by the GAC. DPC will not allow registration of domain names for:
- One character labels;
- the Australian ccTLD .au's 2nd level labels;
- cities, suburbs, councils, landmarks and regions in NSW;
- State Government department and agency names; and
- names restricted by State or Commonwealth legislation in Australia.

Registrants will be required to use .sydney domain names in a manner that does not contravene relevant State and Commonwealth legislation in Australia. Furthermore, the domain name must not be used in a way that is inconsistent with the mission and purpose of the .sydney gTLD.

If registrants are found in breach of the terms and conditions in the registration policy, the registry will be able to exercise the right to suspend or cancel the registration of the domain name.

MEASURES FOR PROTECTING PRIVACY OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANTS OR USERS

The DPC is committed to protecting privacy and confidential information of registrants and users in accordance with its mission and purpose, thereby fostering increased consumer trust through a user-friendly and valuable geo-located internet space for internet users. Privacy and confidential information will be protected in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to internet security, privacy and users' confidential information, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia) and the National Privacy Principles (Australia) and related NSW State privacy legislation and regulations. The .sydney gTLD will develop a privacy policy and practice intended to protect the personal data of its registrants and internet users. The .sydney gTLD and its privacy policy will comply with the Specification 9, subsection 1(e), of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct contained within the Registry Agreement.

DPC will provide a publicly available and searchable WHOIS look up facility, where information about the domain name status, registrant information including administrative and technical contact details can be found in accordance with Specification 4 of the Registry Agreement. In order to prevent misuse of the WHOIS look up facility, DPC will utilise measures including a requirement where any person submitting a WHOIS database query is required to read and agree to the terms and conditions in accordance with the registration policy. This will include the terms of use that the WHOIS database is provided for information purposes only and that the user agrees not to use the information for any other purposes such as allowing or enabling the transmission of unsolicited commercial advertising or other communication.

The .sydney registry will deploy Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which is intended to benefit both DPC and internet users interacting with the .sydney gTLD. DNSSEC provides additional security by validating information in transmission, therefore it is intended to benefit those who publish information in the domain name system and the users who retrieve information from the new .sydney gTLD. Further, DPC will comply with all security measures, policies and practices required by ICANN in the Registry Agreement and any relevant Consensus Policy for protecting the privacy and confidential information of registrants and users in the new .sydney domain space.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS

The proposed new .sydney gTLD will be publicised by a media plan to promote recognition of the new gTLD within the internet community as an online home dedicated to Sydney and the NSW businesses, residents, community groups, organisations, visitor economy service providers and NSW local government bodies linked to Sydney. Outreach and communication activities will focus on the achievement of the following primary objectives:
- overall awareness of the new .sydney domain space within key stakeholders and target audiences;
- end-user awareness and utilisation of the .sydney gTLD; and
- registrar engagement, uptake and sell-through.

The following marketing disciplines, targeted at both individuals and businesses within the greater Sydney area, will form the basis of the .sydney launch marketing activity:
- ‘above the line' advertising, including awareness and value-based messaging within print and outdoor mediums;
- public relations targeting major daily newspapers, online, broadcast and social media channels;
- event sponsorship supporting the mission and purpose of the .sydney gTLD as the domain name of choice for Sydney's consumer and business community; and
- registrar engagement, including co-operative marketing initiatives.

Launch marketing activities will also feature the allocation of a small number of premium .sydney domain names to high-traffic online properties owned and managed by the City of Sydney. Following launch, marketing activities will shift focus from awareness to the empowerment and support of the Registrar sales channel.

DESCRIPTION OF .SYDNEY REGISTRATION POLICIES

Registration policy:

Registration in the .sydney gTLD will only be open to registrants meeting the eligibility requirements set out in the registration policy:
- All registrants must possess and register using an address in New South Wales, Australia.
- In addition, all registrants must fall into one of the following categories of eligibility:
--Businesses physically present in NSW
--Visitor economy businesses registered by the State Government of New South Wales
--Local government bodies in New South Wales
--Community groups operating in New South Wales
--New South Wales residents
- Domain names must constitute a close and substantial match to an applicant's identity.
-Domain names must not be inconsistent with the mission and purpose of the .sydney TLD.

No other third parties will be able to register domain names in the .sydney domain space. Further, DPC will prohibit proxy registrations in order to maintain the integrity of the .sydney gTLD as a dedicated space in which only the above-listed eligible registrants may register domain names, in accordance with the .sydney gTLD's mission and purpose.

It is therefore not anticipated that third parties and/or trademark owners lacking the requisite connection to Sydney will incur costs in relation to the .sydney gTLD. Parties wishing to register domain names must ensure and warrant that all the policy requirements for registration are satisfied. During launch, DPC will utilise the services of the proposed Trademark Clearinghouse to provide protection to holders of intellectual property rights. In case there would be competing applications by registered trademark holders during the first 30 day sunrise period, these applications will be resolved by auction.

As a result of the imposition of eligibility restrictions, it is estimated that money spent by consumers who have been targeted by abuse in utilising services over the internet will reduce over time as a result of the new .sydney gTLD. By encouraging registrants to communicate and interact with internet users under the .sydney gTLD, social costs will be minimized since registrants can have high trust in the gTLD as a sustainable, long-term asset that has the full support of the NSW Government and the City of Sydney government.

Sunrise Policy:

The .sydney Sunrise Policy will provide that applications received by a Registrar within a 30-day sunrise round and satisfying the Sunrise Eligibility Requirements (SERs) will be accepted for participation in the relevant sunrise round. All sunrise registrants must meet the general eligibility requirements of the TLD. SERs are as follows:
- Sunrise 1 group A: Trademark holders satisfying (i), (iii) and (iv) of the SERs proposed in the Applicant Guidebook at TMCH s6.2.3, registering an identical match to their TMCH entries. Trademarks must fall within s7.2 of the Applicant Guidebook (TMCH) and be supported by proof of entry in the TMCH.
- Sunrise 1 group B: Local government bodies in NSW, registering an exact match of city, suburb, council, and public landmark names.
- Sunrise 2: Businesses physically present in NSW, registering an exact match of their registered business name.

The Sunrise Policy will specify that by making a sunrise application (or, where relevant, by agreeing to participate in an auction), an applicant agrees to purchase the domain if it is allocated to the applicant.
A Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy (SDRP) will be adopted to allow any party to raise a challenge on the four grounds identified in the Applicant Guidebook at TMCH s6.2.4, in addition to the following:
- a domain name registered by a local government body was not at the time of registration an exact match of a city, suburb, council, or public landmark name.
- a domain name registered by a business in NSW was not at the time of registration an exact match to that business's registered name.
- at the time the challenged domain name was registered, the registrant was not a business physically present in NSW.
The remedy will be cancellation or deletion of a successfully challenged domain. All registrants will be required to submit to proceedings under the SDRP, which will specify that SDRP claims may be raised after registration of a sunrise domain and will require that complaints clearly identify the challenger, the challenged domain, and the ground/s on which the complaint is based.
The Sunrise Policy and SDRP are described in detail in the response to Question 29.

ALLOCATION OF DOMAIN NAMES

Competing applications for a domain name in the .sydney gTLD will be addressed in the following manner:

1. Sunrise period:

DPC will implement two thirty-day sunrise rounds and will resolve multiple applications for a particular domain name in each round as follows:
- Round 1, group A for trademark holders with an exact match to their Trademark Clearinghouse entries. Competing applications will be resolved by auction.
- Round 1, group B for government bodies registering an exact match to city, suburb, council and public landmark names. Competing applications will be resolved through a mediation process managed by the State Government of NSW. In the event of any conflict between trademark holders (Round 1, group A) and city, suburb, council and landmark names (Round 1, group B) applications, trademark holders will have priority.
- Round 2 for businesses physically present in NSW registering an exact match of their registered business name. Competing applications will be resolved by auction. However, due to the exact match requirement, the likelihood of multiple applications for a particular domain name is anticipated to be low.

2. Landrush period:

DPC will implement a 60-day landrush period during which all registrants meeting the general eligibility criteria may apply to register domain names. Competing applications received during this period will be resolved by auction.

3. General Availability:

Any registrants meeting the eligibility criteria as set out in the registration policy will be able to apply and domain names will be registered on a first-come/first-served basis.

COST BENEFITS FOR REGISTRANTS

The .sydney gTLD will provide a locality-specific internet space that will increase the service levels, relevance and accuracy of information that is available to the broader community of internet users, thus contributing towards a more trusted and positive user experience. The .sydney gTLD specifically targets Sydney, NSW and is devoted to the needs of the businesses, organisations, government bodies and individuals who live, work, study and visit in Sydney. As such, .sydney domain names are a unique product and offer unique, high value services of distinction and geo-identification. The price of .sydney domain names will be set in line with this high value proposition and will be consistent with the goal of attracting serious investors seeking to develop the namespace while also deterring and limiting speculation.

CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS TO REGISTRANTS

DPC intends to provide registrants advance with advance written notice of price increases, as required under the Registry Agreement, but does not intend to make any further contractual commitments regarding the magnitude of price escalations. In this regard, DPC will offer flexibility to adapt to any unanticipated changes in the market.

We have engaged ARI Registry Services (ARI) to deliver services for this TLD. This response describes protection of geographic names as implemented by ARI.

1 PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES

In accordance with Specification 5 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement, the registry operator must initially reserve all geographic names at the second level, and at all other levels within the TLD at which the registry operator provides for registrations.
ARI supports this requirement by using the following internationally recognised lists to develop a comprehensive master list of all geographic names that are initially reserved:
- The 2-letter alpha-2 code of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including all reserved and unassigned codes [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm].
- The short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 List, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#EU].
- The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardisation of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World. This lists the names of 193 independent States generally recognised by the international community in the language or languages used in an official capacity within each country and is current as of August 2006 [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn%20tech%20ref%20manual_M87_combined.pdf].
- The list of UN member states in six official UN languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the standardisation of Geographical Names [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/UNGEGN/docs/9th-uncsgn-docs/econf/9th_UNCSGN_e-conf-98-89-add1.pdf].
Names on this reserved list in ARI's registry system are prevented from registration.
A corresponding list of geographic names will also be available to the public via the registry operators website, to inform Registrars and potential registrants of reserved names. The lists noted above, are regularly monitored for revisions, therefore the reserved list (both within the registry and publicly facing) will be continually updated to reflect any changes.
In addition to these requirements, ARI are able to support the wishes of the Governmental Advisory Council (GAC) or any individual Government in regard to the blocking of individual terms on a case by case basis. ARI's registry system allows such additions to be made by appropriately authorised staff, with no further system development changes required.
The following applies to all Domain Names contained within the registry's reserved list:
- Attempts to register listed Domain Names will be rejected.
- WhoIs queries for listed Domain Names will receive responses indicating their reserved status.
- Reserved geographic names will not appear in the TLD zone file.
- DNS queries for reserved domain names will result in an NXDOMAIN response.

2 PROCEDURES FOR RELEASE

We understand that if we wish to release the reserved names at a later date, this will require agreement from the relevant government/s or review by the GAC, and subsequent approval from ICANN.