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

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.audioHolly Castle, 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.
gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.اتصالاتEmirates Telecommunications Corporation (trading as Etisalat)centralnic.comView
Etisalat (Emirates Telecommunications Corporation) has chosen to apply for the TLD to promote awareness of its services and products and facilitate the digital growth and expansion of the اتصالات brand (which is “Etisalat” in Arabic script) The TLD will be a tool to control and protect the brand and its Trademarks by providing an official digital hub for consumers worldwide as well as foster consumer trust by creating a secure and technically stable zone. Etisalatʹs mission is to extend peopleʹs reach by promoting its core consumer-centric values of reliability, openness, enabling, simplicity, caring, energy and optimism. Etisalat believes not only that the deployment of the TLD will facilitate this mission, but also that it will contribute to ICANNʹs commitment to innovation, consumer protection, security, and stability.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Etisalat has presence in Middle East, Asia and Africa and is the largest telecommunications operator in the Middle East and Africa. With a market value in excess of AED 80 billion (US$21 billion) and annual revenues of approximately AED 32 billion (US$9 billion), Etisalat is a successful and respected corporation both in the MENA region and worldwide. It has won dozens of awards, including being named ʺbest overall operatorʺ in the Middle East 10 times since 2006, and in 2012, receiving prestigious GSMA awards for Best Mobile Health Innovation, and Mobile Product for Women in Emerging Markets for Mobile Baby initiative and also named Best Mobile Money Innovation.

Etisalat has served the telecommunications need of individuals and businesses in the UAE and Gulf Region since 1976. Since then, it has built a modern telecom infrastructure, established itself as a technology leader, and continued to expand its reach not only through innovative services for its UAE customer base but through its ever growing international markets. Etisalat is a blue chip multinational organization that operates in 17 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa – a coverage area with a population of over two billion people. The group’s global subscriber base exceeds over 165 million subscribers through mobile, fixed line voice and data services, broadband and cable TV. Its satellite network provides services over two thirds of the planetʹs surface. Etisalat is one of the worldʹs fastest growing operators, and it has helped the UAE sustain its position as the regionʹs technological hub while simultaneously pioneering environmentally friendly information and communications systems.

Etisalat is not only in the telecommunications business ; the corporation offers a variety of hi-tech complimentary services to the telecommunications industry including managerial and technical training, SIM card manufacturing, payment solutions, clearing house services, peering, voice and data transit, and submarine and land cable services. The decision to apply for the TLD is part and parcel of its commitment to state-of-the-art technology throughout the company infrastructure and product offering, which has seen Etisalat pioneer next-generation networks for fixed lines and wireless and deploy enough fibre optic cable in the UAE to stretch to the moon and back two and a half times. Not only will this infrastructure meet the highest international standards, but it is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 80% and energy consumption by 70%. This focus on technological innovation and environmental responsibility has helped Etisalat capture significant market share as the company expands.

Etisalat shares ICANNʹs commitment to consumer empowerment, innovation, and competition. One noted example is the introduction of mobile broadband services (including video call and mobile TV) to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which has changed market dynamics and provided affordable internet access to millions of consumers. Etisalat was named ʺmost innovative companyʺ at the 2011 International Business Awards and has recently launched 4G mobile to the UAE while offering the Middle Eastʹs fastest fixed line broadband service.

In addition to its commitment to technology and its consumers, Etisalat takes its mission of corporate social responsibility very seriously, and it actively engages in projects promoting health care for women in sub-Saharan Africa, providing access to clean water in Egypt, and famine and malnourishment relief in Africa, among others. Etisalat supported, and contributed to multiple initiatives in 2011, through sponsorships and donations for sports, educational, health, community and charitable events - in an ongoing mission to help enhance all aspects of society.

Etisalat’s award-winning Mobile Baby initiative delivers affordable healthcare for all powered by mobile connectivity with significant results: Mobile Baby programme is a complete suite of services that enables birth attendants and midwives to ensure safer pregnancies and deliveries by enabling them to identify, communicate, and act on obstetric emergencies quickly and accurately.In Tanzania where Etisalat first launched the service, there has been a substantial drop in baseline maternal mortality rates and a 30 percent increase in the in-medical facility delivery rate. During 2012 the Etisalat Mobile Baby service will be rolled out across its operations in Africa and Asia.

The TLD will provide a digital home for information about all the previously-mentioned services in the Arabic language as well as facilitate the potential future expansion of Etisalat’s internet presence. Etisalat’s corporate mission requires it to actively extend people’s reach – meaning that it consistently develops active networks that enable people to develop, learn, and achieve their aspirations in life. The deployment of this Arabic language TLD will not only empower Arabic-speaking internet users but also contribute to ICANNʹs goals of increasing usage and utility of IDN TLDs. The launch of the TLD falls squarely within Etisalatʹs and ICANNʹs missions and will allow Etisalat to achieve its goals of innovation, outreach, growth, and learning while reinforcing its credibility and reputation for technical stability, security, and excellence.

The Etisalat brand has been recognized in the Brand Finance Global 500 list as ranking number 363 among the world’s leading brands with brand value up to US$ 3.12 billion, and the second most valuable brand in the Middle East. Etisalat has almost 1,000 Trademarks filed. The word ʺاتصالات.ʺ is a brand name that is widely recognized and has been used since the company’s founding in 1976 throughout Etisalatʹs coverage area of 2 billion inhabitants and elsewhere as synonymous with the aforementioned service offerings. It is Etisalatʹs intention for the deployment of the TLD to mirror Etisalat’s growth as a brand and as a company, and also for the TLD to become part of Etisalatʹs Intellectual Property portfolio (thereby protecting the brand and the legion of consumers who currently recognize the brand and the many more who will do so as the company expands its reach).

Although the initial number of domains is expected to be small, depending on the evolution of the new TLD program and uses of new TLDs, Etisalat domains may be made available for registration by higher numbers of affiliates of Etisalat. The proposed Initial Eligibility and Acceptable Use Policy is located in response to question 29.10.