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18(a) Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.信息Beijing Tele-info Network Technology Co., Ltd.tele-info.cnView
18a.1 Background

In view of the 1.37 billion people in China mainland and approximately 50 million people in other part of the world, which account for 1⁄5 of the total population, the current space of Chinese Top Level Domains (TLDs) are relatively few in number compared with traditional American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) TLDs. Furthermore, the Chinese domain names have not been introduced to Chinese consumers and information technology vendors well enough, which make the current Domain Name System (DNS) structure inconvenient for Chinese Internet users to transmit information. Specifically, on one hand, traditional ASCII TLDs are inconvenient for Chinese language users to identify, memorize and read, on the other hand, most of the existing high value ASCII domain names which are short and easy to memorize have already been registered. Many organizations that provide Chinese information content often find it very hard to find domain names that match their brands and products. In most cases, they have to turn to some misleading ASCII domain names such as combination of numbers, phonetic representations or abbreviations which often results in confusion of users. To sum up, the current DNS system fails to give a full play to the functions of the domain name system to meet the needs of information services providers for rapid and accurate transmission of information to Chinese language users.

With the rapid development of the information industry, various information service have been on the rise continuously around the world, and there is an increasingly high demand for Chinese language information among Chinese language end-users, especially in those regions where informatization is being carried forward rapidly and the network bytes flow increases speedily and evidently. Take China, the country with the largest number of consumers in the world and where the Chinese language is most commonly used for example, referring to the data in the China Internet Development Statistical Report (http:⁄⁄cnnic.cn⁄dtygg⁄dtgg⁄201201⁄W020120116337628870651.pdf) in January 2012, by the end of 2011, there were 513 million Internet users in China, with an annual increase of 55.8 million, and the Internet penetration rate reached 38.3%, representing an increase of 4 percent from the end of the previous year. The number of web-pages in China showed an increase of 44.3% from that in 2010, reaching at 86.6 billion, of which Chinese web-pages account for 98.8% (simplified Chinese web-pages: 97.2%; traditional Chinese web-pages: 1.6%). In addition, many Chinese versions websites begin to spring up, and the types of Chinese language information services increase rapidly.

Under the full support of China Academy of Telecommunication Research of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (“CATR”), Beijing Tele-info Network Technology Co., Ltd. (“Tele-info Ltd.”) applies for a registry of the Chinese gTLD “.信息” on the basis of CATR’s years of knowledge and understanding of the information industry and its mission of serving the information industry and Chinese Internet Community.

After a carefully selection process, Tele-info Ltd. has signed a binding term sheet with China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) pursuant to which CNNIC will provide back-end registry services for “.信息”. Tele-info Ltd. aims to leverage the technological expertise and proven channel management experience of CNNIC to provide “.信息” Chinese IDN domain name services and makes it the worldʹs most advanced Chinese domain name registry services.

CNNIC is a trusted third party provider of registry of domain name services which has operated “.CN” ccTLD for over 15 years. In addition, CNNIC is also a trusted partner for IDN services as it has successfully operated ʺ.中国” Chinese Internationalized country-code top-level domains (IDN ccTLD) since 2010 and developed standards of Chinese IDN like RFC 3743, RFC 4713, which has been recognized by the industry. Similarities in experience and principles were identified and discussed in depth between CNNIC and Tele-info Ltd.. Neutrality is a major focus of both Tele-info Ltd. and CNNIC, and they are committed to impartiality and fairness. Through the course of these discussions it became apparent to both Tele-info Ltd. and CNNIC that together they could combine their respective talents and resources transparently to serve the Chinese Internet communityʹs need for a stable, experienced registry. It was this mutual recognition of overlapping core competencies and complementary skills, combined with a desire to make a significant contribution to the Internet. Tele-info Ltd. will also assign specific personnel to supervise the conduct of CNNIC and guarantee the performance of the registry operation as well as the service levels.

In conclusion, the introduction of the Chinese gTLD “.信息” will make it more convenient for Chinese language users to access Chinese information via the internet, which accords with the ICANN’s original intention of satisfying the needs of the Chinese language users that have not yet been met by the introduction of new generic TLDs.


18a.2 The mission of “.信息”

The new gTLD “.信息” that meets the habit of Chinese language users in information exchange will be introduced by Tele-info Ltd. in strict compliance with ICANN’s original intention by making efforts to provide Chinese language users with more options and encourage competition and innovation of Chinese domain name market through the introduction of the new gTLD.

Tele-info Ltd. will be dedicated to the provision of Chinese gTLDs for global Chinese language users that meet their language habits in close cooperation with ICANN and the global Internet community on behalf of the Chinese information service industry, so as to make it convenient for global Chinese language users to access authentic, accurate, reliable and up-to-date information and enjoy online services, and concurrently make it convenient for domain name holders to set up various platforms for information release, aggregation and sharing, and facilitate the healthy development of Chinese information services and internet application innovation by virtue of the provision of secure and reliable services.

18a.3 The goal of “.信息”

The following specific goals are expected to be achieved through the operation of “.信息”:

(1) provide global Chinese language users with services in respect of “.信息” domain names that are more in line with their Chinese input, reading and memory habits, open up a new space in the field of domain names, and meet the needs of the Chinese language user community for diversity in language and culture;

(2) provide Chinese information industry with the first specialized domain name registration services without restriction of territory that meet the needs for release, aggregation and sharing of Chinese language information, therefore increase the difference between their services, and encourage market competition among registries of global Internet TLDs;

(3) make “.信息” top-level domain names become a generic brand of the platform for information release, aggregation and sharing among global Chinese language users, and conduct long-term introduction of “.信息” domain names to various entities that provide information services to support the business promotion of Chinese network information services among the Chinese language user community and boost innovation in the business model of Chinese network information services and global promotion of Chinese network information;

(4) maintain and enhance the security and availability of the global domain name system, further improve the quality of services through the implementation of overall policies on rights protection and reliable security management measures, and explore in depth spaces
gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.hotAuburn Hill, LLCdonuts.coView
Q18A CHAR: 7985

ABOUT DONUTS
Donuts Inc. is the parent applicant for this and multiple other TLDs. The company intends to increase competition and consumer choice at the top level. It will operate these carefully selected TLDs safely and securely in a shared resources business model. To achieve its objectives, Donuts has recruited seasoned executive management with proven track records of excellence in the industry. In addition to this business and operational experience, the Donuts team also has contributed broadly to industry policymaking and regulation, successfully launched TLDs, built industry-leading companies from the ground up, and brought innovation, value and choice to the domain name marketplace.

DONUTS’ PLACE WITHIN ICANN’S MISSION
ICANN and the new TLD program share the following purposes:
1. to make sure that the Internet remains as safe, stable and secure as possible, while
2. helping to ensure there is a vibrant competitive marketplace to efficiently bring the benefits of the namespace to registrants and users alike.

ICANN harnesses the power of private enterprise to bring forth these public benefits. While pursuing its interests, Donuts helps ICANN accomplish its objectives by:

1. Significantly widening competition and choice in Internet identities with hundreds of new top-level domain choices;
2. Providing innovative, robust, and easy-to-use new services, names and tools for users, registrants, registrars, and registries while at the same time safeguarding the rights of others;
3. Designing, launching, and securely operating carefully selected TLDs in multiple languages and character sets; and
4. Providing a financially robust corporate umbrella under which its new TLDs will be protected and can thrive.

ABOUT DONUTS’ RESOURCES
Donuts’ financial resources are extensive. The company has raised more than US$100 million from a number of capital sources including multiple multi-billion dollar venture capital and private equity funds, a top-tier bank, and other well-capitalized investors. Should circumstances warrant, Donuts is prepared to raise additional funding from current or new investors. Donuts also has in place pre-funded, Continued Operations Instruments to protect future registrants. These resource commitments mean Donuts has the capability and intent to launch, expand and operate its TLDs in a secure manner, and to properly protect Internet users and rights-holders from potential abuse.

Donuts firmly believes a capable and skilled organization will operate multiple TLDs and benefit Internet users by:

1. Providing the operational and financial stability necessary for TLDs of all sizes, but particularly for those with smaller volume (which are more likely to succeed within a shared resources and shared services model);
2. Competing more powerfully against incumbent gTLDs; and
3. More thoroughly and uniformly executing consumer and rights holder protections.

THIS TLD
This TLD is attractive and useful to end-users as it better facilitates search, self-expression, information sharing and the provision of legitimate goods and services. Along with the other TLDs in the Donuts family, this TLD will provide Internet users with opportunities for online identities and expression that do not currently exist. In doing so, the TLD will introduce significant consumer choice and competition to the Internet namespace – the very purpose of ICANN’s new TLD program.

This TLD is a generic term and its second level names will be attractive to a variety of Internet users. Making this TLD available to a broad audience of registrants is consistent with the competition goals of the New TLD expansion program, and consistent with ICANN’s objective of maximizing Internet participation. Donuts believes in an open Internet and, accordingly, we will encourage inclusiveness in the registration policies for this TLD. In order to avoid harm to legitimate registrants, Donuts will not artificially deny access, on the basis of identity alone (without legal cause), to a TLD that represents a generic form of activity and expression.

DONUTS’ APPROACH TO PROTECTIONS
No entity, or group of entities, has exclusive rights to own or register second level names in this TLD. There are superior ways to minimize the potential abuse of second level names, and in this application Donuts will describe and commit to an extensive array of protections against abuse, including protections against the abuse of trademark rights.

We recognize some applicants seek to address harms by constraining access to the registration of second level names. However, we believe attempts to limit abuse by limiting registrant eligibility is unnecessarily restrictive and harms users by denying access to many legitimate registrants. Restrictions on second level domain eligibility would prevent law-abiding individuals and organizations from participating in a space to which they are legitimately connected, and would inhibit the sort of positive innovation we intend to see in this TLD. As detailed throughout this application, we have struck the correct balance between consumer and business safety, and open access to second level names.

By applying our array of protection mechanisms, Donuts will make this TLD a place for Internet users that is far safer than existing TLDs. Donuts will strive to operate this TLD with fewer incidences of fraud and abuse than occur in incumbent TLDs. In addition, Donuts commits to work toward a downward trend in such incidents.

OUR PROTECTIONS
Donuts has consulted with and evaluated the ideas of international law enforcement, consumer privacy advocacy organizations, intellectual property interests and other Internet industry groups to create a set of protections that far exceed those in existing TLDs, and bring to the Internet namespace nearly two dozen new rights and protection mechanisms to raise user safety and protection to a new level.

These include eight, innovative and forceful mechanisms and resources that far exceed the already powerful protections in the applicant guidebook. These are:

1. Periodic audit of WhoIs data for accuracy;
2. Remediation of inaccurate Whois data, including takedown, if warranted;
3. A new Domain Protected Marks List (DPML) product for trademark protection;
4. A new Claims Plus product for trademark protection;
5. Terms of use that prohibit illegal or abusive activity;
6. Limitations on domain proxy and privacy service;
7. Published policies and procedures that define abusive activity; and
8. Proper resourcing for all of the functions above.

They also include fourteen new measures that were developed specifically by ICANN for the new TLD process. These are:

1. Controls to ensure proper access to domain management functions;
2. 24⁄7⁄365 abuse point of contact at registry;
3. Procedures for handling complaints of illegal or abusive activity, including remediation and takedown processes;
4. Thick WhoIs;
5. Use of the Trademark Clearinghouse;
6. A Sunrise process;
7. A Trademark Claims process;
8. Adherence to the Uniform Rapid Suspension system;
9. Adherence to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy;
10. Adherence to the Post Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy;
11. Detailed security policies and procedures;
12. Strong security controls for access, threat analysis and audit;
13. Implementation DNSSEC; and
14. Measures for the prevention of orphan glue records.

DONUTS’ INTENTION FOR THIS TLD
As a senior government authority has recently said, “a successful applicant is entrusted with operating a critical piece of global Internet infrastructure.” Donuts’ plan and intent is for this TLD to serve the international community by bringing new users online through opportunities for economic growth, increased productivity, the exchange of ideas and information and greater self-expression.