APTLD - Taipei Peter de Blanc

Peter de Blanc APTLD-Taipei 26 Aug 2001 ► Thank you for the invitation to participate! ► Disclaimer:  The comments, suggestions, and ideas expressed in this presentation are my own.  These proposals have not been published or posted, and there is no consensus yet.  In the interests of a more clear communication, I may us language that is not “diplomatic”.  Any statistics referenced may be approximate.

AP-ccTLD-ICANN Relationships The Money The Power The Power The Credibility and The Balance The Credibility and The Balance

Peter de Blanc Where is the Money? ► 30 Million names in.com,.org,.net  New registrations thru July, 2001: 3,123,612 ► VeriSign has about 50% share as registrar ► England registers 150,000 per month ► Over 100,000 “testbed” IDNS ► Increasing Trade name protection in ccTLD ► However: 180 ccTLDs under 50,000 names

Peter de Blanc Where is the Power ► Facilitating Trade: All countries  Access Internet users as a market for domain names.  Access to consumers for advertising and e-commerce. ► ccTLD diversity, lends Legitimacy, 244 ccs ► G8 countries, 7 looking for balance with US ► EU: already in WTO disputes with US on several matters. ► Regional Internet Associations (cc only)  North America  Asia Pacific  European Union  Latin America  Africa and Middle East

Peter de Blanc The Credibility and Balance ► ICANN needs ccTLD to provide credibility. ► Without ccTLD ICANN is clearly US-centric ► ICANN will attempt to make individual deals with strong countries one by one. ► In some cases ICANN may succeed with this. ► This could increase “Internet colonialism” ► A strong ccTLD is the key to balance of money, power, credibility.

Peter de Blanc ccTLD Issues ► International Domain Names ► New gTLDs and their impact ► Procedure for update of IANA database ► Contract with ICANN ► Pressure to include “universal” UDRP ► Representation Level in ICANN ► Financial contributions to ICANN

Peter de Blanc International Domain Names ► Where is control of namespace? ► Issues of National Pride and Solidarity ► The money. ► Possible solutions by negotiation Devise a method, political and technical, that allows financial participation or compensation for sale/rental of “Intellectual Property” of language.

Peter de Blanc IDNS Possible Solutions  Translations performed by region or association of ccTLDs sharing that language  Translate the names by specific country claiming the language. (example, Korea)  Registrars pay a fee for to translation organization, goes to benefit cc’s involved.  Licensing similar to music and Intellectual Property agreements.  All of this by negotiation.

Peter de Blanc New ICANN Structures? ► ALSC report possibilities  Directors Tech, Providers, Users  ASO-PSO-6, DNSO 6, At-Large + Ncom 6 ► Mike Roberts Proposal  ccTLD 2 directors, gTLD 2 directors ► Elisabeth Porteneuve Proposal  with ccTLD at 6 directors

Peter de Blanc The cart and the horse ► Top down: ICANN decides ccTLD relation:  ICANN sends down documents to ccTLD  ICANN creates contract for ccTLD ► Bottom Up: ccTLD creates organizations  ccTLD agrees on documents- sends to ICANN  ccTLD agrees on general form of contract  Individual ccTLD may modify as needed ► Relationship becomes peer-to-peer ► Agreements negotiated by “equals”

Peter de Blanc Two Structures: wwTLD.org ► wwTLD Organization, a legal corporation ► Membership by ccTLD ► Minimum US $ 1.00 “dues”  For purpose of bi-lateral membership agreement.  Electorate composed of all members. ► Three directors from each region + Chairman  ICANN may add “Middle East” region ► Regional Associations are “Advisory Board” ► wwTLD.org enters into MoU for SO w/ICANN

Peter de Blanc Two Structures: wwTLD Foundation ► wwTLD Foundation (UN-like model)  15 Directors plus Chairman (or 18 directors)  Electorate composed of sustaining members  NGO status, partnership for grants with UN.  Builds endowment from founders and donors  Operations out of income on endowment and dues  Projects: Outreach, funding by region, Legal, software development, travel grants,  ccWhoIs Revenue producing project.  Other sustainable development projects

Peter de Blanc wwTLD Foundation Projects ► Funding ccTLD secretariat and services ► Legal Advisory committee  Dealings with ICANN, contracts, licensing ► Revenue producing development projects  ccWHOIS  Registry software and services development ► Grants  Outreach, including travel grants  Training and Equipment

Peter de Blanc Registry Software Project ► Hire persons to integrate software and/or ► Master License from commercial companies modules as required, use for all ccTLD ► Build robust system, offer as a service regionally to ccTLDs, license at $ 1.00 per name. ► Funds sustain hardware, software, maintenance ► Cc retains control of its own database. ► Cc controls name servers in country or outsourced to wwTLD organization

Peter de Blanc Cc-WHOIS ► Intellectual property protection companies wish to monitor ccTLD databases. ► Participating ccTLD input whois data to central service operated by wwTLD.org ► wwTLD.org charges fee for access to database. ► Funds are used to sustain operations, and return surplus to participating ccTLDs.

Peter de Blanc Endowing the Foundation ► Five US $ 1 million. ► Five US $ 500,000.  Funds could be outright endowment, OR- Funds could be placed on deposit with interest to the foundation and principal returned to the donor after 5 years. ► Endowments of US $ 10K, 25K, 50K, 100k ► Commercial US $ 10K-50K

Peter de Blanc Foundation Operations ► Dues from sustaining members (donors)  Bands of US $ 1,000 to $ 100,000 ► Income from Endowment Funds ► Revenue from sustainable development projects ► Overhead fees for administrating grants

Peter de Blanc wwTLD and The UN ► UNESCO interested in chartering us as NGO ► Provides true international credibility ► Enables funding partnerships on projects ► wwTLD determines projects, provides delivery and reports on outcomes. ► The ccTLD manager is logical contact for Internet development in-country.  Technical and political (LDRP, whois, etc)

Peter de Blanc Leverage using in-kind sponsors ► Airlines for tickets and travel expense ► Telecoms for long distancee expense ► Equipment manufacturers for training labs  Packaging “road show” labs:  Asia Institute of Technology  Other regional centers ► Multinational corporations for use of aircraft ► Hotel chains for blocks of room-nights.

Peter de Blanc Conclusions Part 1 ► Many are unsatisfied with unbalance of power and money. ► IDNS will be a major source of revenue  Probably US $ 100 million/year by 2003  There must be some way to distribute income ► Massive education is required to get business to register in-country, or at least use registrar in country, to retain foreign exchange. ► Developing ccs will not benefit financially or technically without guidance and a central organization.

Peter de Blanc Conclusions Part 2 ► In the absence of law, negotiation rules. ► A strong, financial viable organization for ccTLDs is necessary for negotiation with ICANN and domain name business interests. ► ccTLD must take the initiative, and not wait to see what ICANN and domain name business interests offer. ► ccTLDs must get their fair share of political respect, retain local sovereignty, and share in revenue from Internet gold rush domain name business. ► We can do it, if we wish to. ► This is a good time to start. (ALSC – ICANN reorganization)

Peter de Blanc Discussion ► Action Items? ► Montivideo? ► ALSC report draft is out tomorrow! ► ICANN re-organization by November?