Domain Name Drama
September 2001
New domain names introduced - but not from ICANN
Despite the recent introduction of a series of new top
level domain names (TLDs) including .pro and .coop by ICANN, the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, it seems that a growing number
of users do not believe that this will be enough to solve the growing
shortage of easily usable domains.
For the first time since ICANN was implemented to take
control of domain names, a commercial competitor has taken it upon itself
to extend the number of top level domains available in a controversial
move. New.net, an American company, has joined up with Energis to supply
UK customers with 30 TLDs including .club, .shop and .xxx. Many of these
were turned down by ICANN.
What is equally controversial is that these domains are
activated without reference to ICANN, actually existing under the New.net
address so that www.sports.club is seen by ICANN as www.sports.club.new.net.
For the addresses to be viewable as widely as possible, ISPs will need
to download a redirection utility from New.net: it is estimated that about
50 million users can currently view these new domain names, a number that
New.net hopes to double by the end of the year.
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How successful New.net is at convincing other ISPs
to redirect users to it rather than through the traditional system
of TLDs will determine how much of a threat it is to ICANN. However,
with the increasing commercialisation of the Internet, this is one
more example that the 'gentlemen's agreements' between academic
and government organisations that once dictated the shape of the
web will come under inc-reasing pressure.
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