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

Prototypical answer:

“.nowtv”, will be used to host information about now TV branded services, both in Hong Kong and international markets. It is also intended to be a domain through which now TV branded service customers in Hong Kong would be able to retrieve their account profile information, set recording instructions or confirm subscription request for content available on now TV branded services.

Therefore, to now TV, the domains of “.nowTV” will become an indispensible medium of communication with both its customers and its target market.

To internet users, the domains of “.nowTV” will be a more direct way of reaching the company and its services with a better user experience as they don’t need to memorize otherwise longer or indirect URL. They just have to remember the brand name in order to access the content and manage their accounts.

1. Goals of the TLD

An important goal of the TLD is the safeguard of the intellectual property right of the “now TV” brand.

The Group places great importance on brand protection. We have been investing heavily in protecting the Group’s intellectual properties, including trademarks and domains. A comprehensive set of brand protection measurements and policy has been established within the group. Together with external trademark lawyers, an in-house Group Legal office, Brand Management division and Risk Management division jointly manage the Group’s brand and IP portfolio including trademarks, goodwill and domains, etc. Through the years, now TV, its parent company and its sub-brands have established strong brand recognition in the customers’ mind and in the industry. We have received awards from different local and overseas organizations including APICTA International, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific, etc.

For now TV, the establishment of the “.nowtv” TLD on the Internet safeguards our brand’s intellectual property right and enable opportunities from potential expansion of business. now TV has invested substantially in the online areas and will continue to do so.

2. Differentiation and Innovation

The utilization of the “.nowtv” TLD by nowTV is in itself a differentiation and innovation we set ourselves apart from our competitors.

now TV is Hong Kong’s leading pay-TV operator and one of the world’s largest commercial deployments of IPTV. It carries more than 190 HD and SD channels of local, Asian and international programming, with half of them being brought to Hong Kong viewers exclusively.

now TV also has a stable of self-produced channels. The Cantonese-speaking now NEWS channel and now Business News channel provide 24-hour coverage of what is happening around the world. now Hong Kong channel offers infotainment programs and talk shows by local celebrities in a style that is unique in Hong Kong. Sports fans will also find a variety of offerings on the seven now SPORTS channels.

Our international sports and entertainment programming includes the exclusive live broadcast in Hong Kong of the Liga de Futbol Profesional (ʺLa Ligaʺ) for soccer fans, as well as HBO and Star Movies for film lovers, to name but a few.

now TV is excited to explore new and innovative uses of subdomain names directly under the “.nowtv” TLD. At the same time, as a TLD Registry, now TV understands the importance to maintain a reliable, advanced and operationally sound TLD registry that safeguards the security and stability of the Internet.

The primary users of the gTLD will be within the Group with businesses serving several million business and consumer accounts.

3. Improving User Experience

To Internet users, “.nowtv” domains provide a more direct way of reaching the company with a better user experience as they will be able to access now TV information and services directly, e.g. www.sports.nowtv.

now TV is one of the key businesses under PCCW Limited, the initial plan is to consider deployment of the gTLD by the Group and its subsidiaries. It might cover the websites and the personalized email addresses. The latest number of employees of the Group is 20,100+ worldwide with the majority located in Hong Kong. Not all of the employees will use their own domain name, rather departments or business units within the group.

The potential expansion of the gTLD could apply to individual business units of the Group for their marketing promotion or customer acquisition purposes serving over several million customers. E.g. our business customers could be using the sub domain under the gTLD to run their business. We have had similar experiences in running our directory business (YP.com.hk and biz.com.hk) by offering sub domains to our customers at a minimal cost.

4. Registration Policies Supporting the Goals to Drive User Benefits

While we are not planning for the “.nowtv” TLD to be open for external registrations, in the case that future expansion happens, the Registry is dedicated to upholding its reputation as a socially responsible TLD. As such, beyond the basic ICANN requirements, the Registry intends to put in place a comprehensive Sunrise and Startup process as well as effective Abuse Prevention and Rights Protection Mechanisms to strengthen the orderly and stable introduction of the TLD.

5. Privacy and Confidentiality Protection

Measures to protect the privacy and any confidential information of registrants and users will be consistent with other existing broad generic gTLDs. This ensures a sense of coherence from users and registrants and reinforces the goals of making IDN not an alternative but a given.

With the support from competent registry front-end and back-end service providers, the Registry will be administered with compliance to a Privacy Policy which requires that identifying information received by the Registry Operator in connection with registrations will not be disclosed to third parties, except as required to combat any abusive registrations and comply with our contractual obligations to ICANN and investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies.

The “.nowtv” TLD will be based out of Hong Kong, it will be governed by the Privacy Ordinance while the registry systems will be supported by the competent registry back-end service provider. A Privacy Policy has been developed which is compliant with relevant legislation and ensures that a high level of privacy and information security surrounds all collected data.

Similar gTLD applications: (0)