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Two-letter domains to be released in new gTLDs
New gTLD registries will be able to release all two-character strings in their zones, following an ICANN decision last week.
The ICANN board of directors voted on Thursday to instruct ICANN’s executive to
develop and implement an efficient procedure for the release of two-character domains currently required to be reserved in the New gTLD Registry Agreement
The procedure will have to take into account the advice of the Governmental Advisory Committee issued at the end of last week’s ICANN 51 meeting in Los Angeles.
But that advice merely asks that governments are informed when a registry requests the release of two-character names.
All two-character strings were initially reserved due to the potential for confusion with two-letter ccTLDs.
But the GAC decided in LA that it doesn’t really have a problem with such strings being released, with some governments noting that ccTLD second-levels such as us.com and uk.com haven’t caused a problem to date.
The board’s decision is particularly good news for dot-brand applicants that may want to run domains such as uk.google or de.bmw to service specific regions where they operate.
Registries representing over 200 new gTLDs have already filed Registry Service Evaluation Process requests for the release of some two-character strings (some including ccTLD matches, some not).
It’s not yet clear how ICANN will go about removing the two-character restriction.
It may be more efficient to offer all registries a blanket amendment to the RA rather than process each RSEP request individually as it is today.
However, because the GAC has asked for notification on a case-by-case basis, ICANN may be forced to stick to the something along the lines of the existing procedure.
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