18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

We anticipate that domains in the .SHELL registry will only be registered to Shell group companies or their employees.
However, the TLD will benefit a range of groups:
• Users outside the Shell group may be allowed to use (but not register) second level domains within the .SHELL gTLD, but under strict control and regulation set out in their registration agreement and separate licence documents.
• All internet users – who will regard a .SHELL domain as a sign of authenticity that can be trusted.
• As the registration and use of .SHELL domains will be strictly controlled, it is intended that they be recognised as reliable signposts to authorised information and communication.
• The ICANN community. Shell will be members of the Registry Operators constituency and, along with other Dot Brand owners, is hoping to provide a fresh perspective that may enhance ICANN’s policy development in areas such as the protection of IP rights.
• Shell’s global workforce, for whom a new gTLD will be a statement of innovation and brand reinforcement, as well as providing the peace of mind derived from a more secure communication channel.


What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of speciality, service levels or reputation?
Shell prides itself on the integrity of its brand and this will extend to its new gTLD. The goal will be to protect and enhance the reputation of Shell on the internet. Its service levels will reflect this goal.
Over time, Shell may decide to offer IDNs in the scripts listed in its answer to Question 44, where this will increase the usability of its domain names to its worldwide market.

What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space in terms of competition, differentiation or innovation?
Shell wishes to lessen its dependency upon third party domain registries to support effective internet communication. The .SHELL registry will be managed to standards designed to enhance stability and reduce risks.

Shell anticipates taking advantage of and leveraging the freedom of choice of second level domains it will have available for its use by virtue of controlling its own top level domain.

Currently there are no gTLD registries dedicated to brand owners. Shell looks forward to being amongst the first to apply.


What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
We hope that all our stakeholders and anyone else seeing information on Shell via the .SHELL gTLD with will recognise the efforts that we are making to communicate clearly and authentically by operating a .SHELL TLD and in doing so the efforts we are making to ensure that they can communicate securely with us across the internet, using various device formats – including mobile, fixed line devices.

Enquiries from ICANN representatives or from third parties in regard to domains in our registry or our policies will be managed in a timely fashion according to ICANN rules.


Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals above
The .SHELL registry would be a “Dot Brand” single entity registry established by and for the use of Shell. Only companies within the Shell group would be allowed to register second level domains within the .SHELL TLD.

A specified project team made up of IP, IT and communications professionals is responsible for the development, maintenance and enforcement of policies on the use and development of the .SHELL gTLD and the registration and use of second level domains in it. The policies will, amongst other things, define the rules associated with eligibility, acceptable use, the allocation of domains and dispute resolution. This policies will be updated and revised from time to time, to reflect Shell’s commercial and strategic interests and evolution of ICANN policies. Registration of a .SHELL domain name will be undertaken in four steps: eligibility confirmation; naming convention check; acceptable use review; and registration.

Each registrant must be recognised as a member of the Shell group or one of its employees. It is unforeseeable that domains in the .SHELL registry will be assigned or registered to third parties. It is foreseeable, though, that third parties may be allowed use domain names in .SHELL, but under a strict IP licence regime.

At any time, SITI Inc may instigate an eligibility reconsideration process, which could result in the cancellation of a domain in the .SHELL registry – this will be contained in the registration agreement for second level domains in .SHELL.

All domains in the .SHELL registry will remain the property of Shell.

Checks will be undertaken to ensure that applied-for character strings conform to a set of .SHELL naming conventions that will be defined to reflect ICANN’s consensus policies.

Internationalized domain names may be supported in the .SHELL registry at the second level.

.SHELL domains may not be used in ways that knowingly infringe third party intellectual property rights.

.SHELL will not knowingly give rise to any moral or public order questions or in any way damage the strategic or commercial interests or reputation of Shell, .SHELL, ICANN or the Internet.

Registrants may not assign their registration agreements for domain names in the .SHELL gTLD to external organizations, institutions, or individuals.

All .SHELL domains will carry accurate and up to date registration records. And will comply with all ICANN WHOIS standards and requirements for the new gTLDs.

Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy of confidential information of registrants or users?
Shell will use its best endeavours to comply with all data protection and privacy laws and regulations relevant to operating a .SHELL gTLD.

Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits?
The .SHELL registry will be a Standard registry, closed to third party registrants, for use only by Shell companies and their employees and specified licensees. Nonetheless, outreach and communication will be undertaken to ensure that .SHELL domains are used in accordance with Shell’s objectives. For example, guidelines will be produced and published on the Shell intranet defining who can apply for a .SHELL domain and how it can be used.

To assist internet users beyond Shell to understand that .SHELL domains are genuine and can be trusted as signposts to authentic information or services, we intend to create a home page for the registry with clear messaging and an enquiry form.

Similar gTLD applications: (0)