.spot Pre-Register Domain - .spot Domain Information

The Mission and Purpose of the .spot TLD will primarily be to create a viable and sustainable domain name sales business that will be operated as a going concern by DotSpot LLC. The mission for this business specifically is to operate as many second level domains under .spot as possible and the business will be geared towards providing pricing and policies that underpin this objective to make it easy and affordable for .spot registrants to participate within the space.

The .spot TLD aims to add value to the global online community through the provision of an alternative namespace that is generic in nature and offers a new and innovative approach not currently available in today's TLDs.

In essence, the .spot TLD will aim to provide a new and innovative alternative to the .com TLD, which suffers from problems due to limited availability of key or memorable high value 2nd level domains and significantly overpriced resale values in the secondary market.

With the .com TLD having approximately 100 million domains in operation, the .spot TLD will offer consumers that are unable to find domains that match their needs in .com with a viable alternative that is short memorable, and indicates a reflection towards an innovative and fresh approach to today's current TLDs.

.spot will be differentiated from other current gTLDs such as .net, .info or .org whose purpose is seen as less appealing for those seeking alternatives due to their reference to technology, information and organisations respectively. Rather, .spot will provide a completely generic approach and a method for registrants to acquire domains in a fresh and reliable TLD.

GOALS OF THE .SPOT TLD:

The following have been identified as goals of the .spot TLD:

1 CREATE AN EASILY RECOGNISABLE TLD

One of the goals of the .spot TLD is to become an easily recognisable TLD with a perception of reliability and innovation. Thus, this will ensure registrants and internet users understand the potential for .spot TLD to forever be a viable option to today's current TLDs.

The TLD will be open for general registration in the same manner as current TLDs, and will additionally offer for sale premium 2nd level domains within .spot that are currently not commonly available in the current environment due to being already registered in these long standing TLDs.

This is forecasted to bring strong volumes of domain names to the .spot TLD.

Registrants will benefit if DotSpot can achieve this goal by creating awareness of the TLD in that it is foreseen that this will drive traffic and search results toward .spot domain names. This will benefit registrants by getting internet users onto their sites and driving their web metrics or ecommerce initiatives.

By creating new availability in the industry for shorter more easily recognisable domain names, DotSpot LLC envisage that internet users will be able to navigate to the required site quicker and are likely to more easily remember the domain name, creating a more direct internet surfing experience.

The TLD can also benefit the Internet, e-commerce and the online community by generating competition to current TLD's and creating the more easily remembered domain names.

2 BUILD BRAND

The strategy for .spot is to have a goal to build the brand of the .spot TLD to rival other current alternatives and as per the above become a well-known easily identifiable namespace that is a competitor to .com.
This will be done through marketing that focuses on the ‘spot' to be for all registrants looking for a new online identity.
Long term, the intention is to provide significant competition and achieve large volume registrations in order to deliver a TLD that has such brand strength and recognition that it obtains significant chunks of market share from .com.

3 PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES AND OVERCOMING LIMITED AVAIABILITY

The application has identified that making domain names within the .spot TLD available to new registrants as one of the key benefits to the global community should the .spot TLD be granted. DotSpot LLC's experience has highlighted the lack of ‘meaningful' domains available in .com and that many potential registrants in .com do not switch easily to alternatives such as .net and .org. As such, this lack of availability has made it extremely difficult for new registrants to acquire domains they are seeking as well as the continued usage of low recall domains in these alternative TLDs.

This problem has become compounded over time and resulted in highly unaffordable domains due to competition for premium names within the secondary market which further limits the ability of the industry to prosper online.

The .spot TLD attempts to overcome these challenges and provide a fresh and innovative approach to the marketplace.

4 INNOVATION

DotSpot LLC, as a new player in the market is keen to differentiate themselves through a dedication to innovation and focus on the .spot value to the online community. DotSpot LLC understand that with the introduction of numerous new TLD's the landscape of the internet is likely to change significantly and quickly. As such, DotSpot LLC are prepared to lead and drive this global innovation with a goal to be leader in the industry.

Internet users will benefit from innovation as this will lead to improvements in service levels or competition, both of which are considered highly valued by internet users and ICANN.

5 COMPETITION AND DIFFERENTIATION

This is the major driver behind the application for the .spot TLD. As stated DotSpot LLC is dedicated to innovation, both in terms of business and for the internet as a whole. By creating the .spot TLD DotSpot LLC have a goal to increase competition on the internet. By offering a choice for registrants and names that are currently not available, DotSpot LLC believe this competition will create higher levels of service and better products for registrants and internet users.

6 ANTICIPATED CONTRIBUTION TO THE CURRENT SPACE

DotSpot LLC anticipates that the greatest contribution the .spot TLD will add to the namespace will be the choice and competition it creates.

DotSpot LLC are in total agreement with ICANN on this point and believe it is past time for greater competition in relation to choice for registrants. DotSpot LLC also recognises this has the potential to directly benefit the company and as such have a vested interest in the this particular TLD. However more importantly DotSpot LLC agrees with the principle behind the decision to open generic names and create much needed competition.

This competition is the very driver for this application and is the biggest contribution the .spot TLD will offer to the current space.

REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE .SPOT TLD

In having a goal of competition as a driver for the TLD, DotSpot LLC have decided to have no specific eligibility criteria to register a .spot Domain name. This is consistent with the mission and purpose of the TLD to create a sustainable online business, but also supports the goals identified above to create easier, more recognisable names, and build a solid, long lasting brand platform and community perception of the TLD.

No restrictions will be placed on content or use of a Domain within the .spot TLD, save that registrants will be required to warrant that their use of .spot domain names is consistent with legislation in force in their jurisdiction. A anti abuse policy will be in place as described in the answer for Q28. Trademark Protection will take place at launch via the TMCH and Trademark claims service and post-launch via the URS and UDRP, as described in response to Question 29.

PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

The .spot TLD will not be requesting any additional information above current standard WhoIs.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
The Outreach and Communications activities for .spot will involve both above and below the line activities and include such things as;
- TV, Media and Print advertising
- Billboards and outdoor advertising
- Sponsorship of events or activities
- Digital marketing, adwords, banners, etc
- Direct email marketing
- Direct contact with specified Industry members
- Online and Social Media marketing
- Speaking engagements and PR based activities
- Registrar co-branded marketing initiatives

The outreach and communications options listed will assist the TLD in achieving the goals and benefits described above, by creating an awareness of the TLD in the relevant market segments and by targeting the beneficiaries in such a way as to promote the TLD and clearly explain the difference between the .spot TLD and its competitors.

Other options will be to make the general public aware of the TLD and drive queries to the relevant .spot related domains, thus creating benefits for registrants.

INTRODUCTION

The introduction of the spot TLD is anticipated to result in the minimization and in some cases the elimination of social costs and other negative consequences imposed upon consumers by the adoption of the following operating rules:

1. Method of resolving multiple applications for a domain name.
2. Cost benefits for registrants.
3. Contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalations.

These operating rules will be described along with the manner in which they serve to eliminate or minimize social costs and negative consequences imposed upon consumers.

METHOD OF RESOLVING MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

The method of resolving multiple applications for a domain name varies depending on the particular stage of the launch process - i.e., whether or not the domain name is being registered during the Sunrise, Landrush or General Availability period. The resolution method for each stage is provided below, along with a discussion of the manner in which the selected method serves to eliminate or minimize social costs.

Sunrise Period

A ʹsunrise period' is a period of time for a defined category or categories of prospective domain name registrants to register domain names before registration opens to the general public. In accordance with the Registry Agreement, a sunrise period must be implemented in all new gTLDs for a minimum of 30 days during the pre-launch phase to protect the legal rights of trademark holders. Multiple applications for a domain name will be resolved by auction during the Sunrise period for the spot TLD.

Auctioning sunrise applications is more consistent with the goals of the spot TLD than making names available on a first-come/first-serve basis because it offers registrants (who in the spot TLD are likely to include trademark holders) the opportunity to demonstrate the value they place on their domain names, hence decreasing the likelihood of malicious behavior in the TLD and ultimately serving to promote consumer trust. The consequential decrease in the number of domain names registered and used in bad faith functions to minimize the amount of time and money wasted by consumers on such sites.

In addition, the first-come/first-serve method of allocation during the sunrise period has not been adopted, because this would enable holders of recently procured trademarks with no real recognition in the market to ‘game the system' by using various tactics to register before qualified rights holders. The assumption here is that those intending to ‘game the system' will be discouraged by the higher investment associated with auctions, while qualified rights holders will be incentivized to participate. From the registrant's point of view, adoption of the first-come/first-serve method during the sunrise period is inefficient, resulting in a chaotic ‘free-for-all' in which the burden of access is shifted onto qualified registrants, who must be first in time or expend further resources in dispute resolution. In contrast, auctions provide an efficient, transparent and objective method for resolving multiple applications for a domain name.

Utilization of the auction method to resolve multiple applications in the spot TLD during the sunrise period, is anticipated to minimize and possibly eliminate social costs and other negative consequences imposed upon consumers.

Landrush Period

A ‘landrush' period is a period of time for all prospective registrants to register domain names before registration becomes available on a first-come/first-serve basis. In accordance with the Registry Agreement, a trademark claims service must be implemented during the first 60 days that registration is open for general registration. This will coincide with the landrush period for the spot TLD.
The auction method will be used to resolve multiple applications for a domain name during landrush, because the benefits of utilizing auctions and burdens of using the first-come/first-serve method in sunrise, as described in the immediately preceding section of this answer, apply with equal force to the landrush period. Just as in the sunrise period, auction allocation during the landrush period provides an efficient, transparent and objective method for resolving multiple applications for a domain name.

General Availability

General availability commences when domain names are made available for general registration. Upon commencement of general availability, domain names will be registrable at the standard registration fee and allocated on a first-come/first-serve basis. The lower cost and certainty associated with the first-come/first-serve method renders it a viable and sustainable method of resolving multiple applications on an ongoing basis.

COST BENEFITS TO REGISTRANTS

Registrations in the spot TLD will not offer cost benefits when compared to existing TLD offerings.

CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS TO REGISTRANTS

Domain names in the spot TLD will be provided to and renewed by registrants at competitive markets rates. Although registrants will be provided with advance written notice of price increases as required under the Registry Agreement, no further contractual commitments will be made to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation as commitments of that kind may serve to restrict the registry operator's ability to adapt to drastic changes in the market despite such changes not being anticipated.

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.