The Introduction of a Limited Number of IDN ccTLDs Under A Fast Track Mechanism: Draft Initial Report of the IDNC Working Group [PDF, 43K]
Public Comments requested by 26 February 2008

This is a first Discussion Draft of the Initial Report of the IDNC Working Group (IDNC WG). It is published for comment and input from the ICANN community. This document has not been signed-off on by the IDNC Working Group whose members will continue to provide their own comments and input during this consultation period.

In advance of the ICANN meeting in New Delhi, India, this announcement is to inform the community that ICANN is exploring a potential initiative for the certification of backend registry operators for new gTLDs. ICANN has identified registry operator certification as an area that may improve the application process for new gTLDs and improve security and stability by creating a pool of available and pre-qualified registry operators in the event of registry failure.

Suggested fee change would effectively eliminate tasting

MARINA DEL REY, Calif.: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is looking to effectively end domain tasting with a proposal to start charging the annual ICANN fee on registrar domain registrations.

Domain tasting is the use of the Add Grace Period to test the profitability of a domain name registration. The AGP is a five-day period following the initial registration of a domain name when the registration may be deleted and a credit can be issued to a registrar.