July 07, 2000
ICANN Board of Directors
ICANN Names Council
4676 Admiralty Way,
Suite 330 Marina Del Rey,
CA 90292
Re: Call for Statement
of Interest in Proposing a New TLD
Dear ICANN Board of Directors
& Names Council:
Please accept this letter
on behalf of Dotster Inc. (Dotster) as a formal expression of interest
in operating a new TLD registry. Dotster is an ICANN accredited registrar,
operational since January 15, 2000.
INTRODUCTION
By means of this letter,
Dotster formally submits an expression of interest in operating a
new TLD registry. We understand that the letters of interest gathered
will be used to assist with the formulation of the appropriate policies
concerning the consideration of formal new TLD registry applications.
We submit this letter of interest in good faith and understand that
by submitting this letter of interest, Dotster will neither be advantaged
nor disadvantaged in the formal application process expected later
this year.
Information on Dotster
and our proposed TLD registry description and structure is provided
in the following paragraphs.
DOTSTER INC.
Company Background:
Dotster Inc., headquartered
in Longview, Wash., is an ICANN accredited domain name registrar.
Since launching on January 15, 2000, Dotster has quickly established
itself among the top ten domain name registrars worldwide, registering
over 300,000 domain names. Focusing on superior customer service,
quick and secure domain name registrations and value-added Web site
tools for ISPs, Web hosts and other e-commerce businesses, Dotster
is committed to providing the highest level of service to its clients
by continually expanding its technology and range of features. Dotster's
Web site can be reached at www.dotster.com.
Dotster is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., (CAS) an analytical
laboratory network with locations throughout the United States. CAS
is an employee-owned company providing a variety of analytical services
to industrial, consulting and government clientele on a nationwide
basis. Founded in 1986, CAS currently employees more than 400 employees
and generates annual sales of more than $35 million.
Service Features:
One of the newest features
to be launched on the Dotster Web site, and the feature which best
prepares Dotster for operating a registry, is the dotPartner Plus
program. Through a sophisticated Dotster-developed Application Programming
Interface (API), the dotPartner Plus program allows qualified partners
to offer domain name registration services to their clients from their
own Web sites. The partner designs the front-end of the site and the
Dotster API provides the back-end application support.
Many other value-added
services are available on the Dotster Web site for use by all customers.
NameSpin helps customers find available domain names by combining
key words to generate lists of synonyms and word combinations available
for registration. Bulk Registration makes volume domain name registration
easy by allowing customers to check for and register up to 300 domain
names in a single session. Account Management functions on the Dotster
Web site allow customers to quickly and securely make changes to their
contact and name server information by logging in with an account
name and password. Dotster also just launched the dotAffiliate program.
By setting up a link to Dotster on their Web sites, customers who
become dotAffiliates earn commissions for every successful domain
name registration that originates from that link.
As the needs of our customers
change, new services will continually be reviewed and added to the
Dotster Web site.
Operating Infrastructure:
Dotster is able to offer
the above-mentioned features and services due to the considerable
investment in infrastructure the company has made. All aspects of
Dotster hardware, software, and networking systems have been built
with the goal of establishing the highest quality and most reliable
registrar systems possible. Dotster's operating infrastructure has
been designed to allow for considerable growth.
The Dotster technical infrastructure
is securely protected by the use of advanced firewall devices. The
infrastructure is fully fault tolerant and consists of multiple parallel
databases, clustered web servers, and redundant order processing equipment.
Dotster handles customer support using an industry recognized call
center management system. Should Dotster be given the opportunity
to host a new TLD registry, we will apply the same information technology
and management approach as has been applied to www.dotster.com.
PROPOSED TLD REGISTRY
Dotster proposes a total
of four new TLD's: .biz, .ecom, .firm, and .info. The first three
are described collectively as their purpose is similar. The rationale
for proposing all four TLDs and a propose structure can be found in
the following paragraphs.
TLD Description:
.biz, .ecom and .firm
These three TLDs are similar
in use. Based on customer polling, Dotster is proposing a new TLD
that will obtain the same success as the .com TLD. The .biz, .ecom
and .firm TLDs would act as generic names for any business, organization,
or individual looking to establish an Internet presence.
The primary rationale for
adding such TLDs would be to eliminate the reliance of companies on
the .com for their domain name. By reducing stress on the .com system,
Dotster believes that .biz, .ecom and .firm TLDs would best serve
this need. In addition to enhancing the number of available domain
names, these proposed TLDs will also enhance the utility of the DNS
and registration competition. Of these three proposed TLDs, .biz is
the most generic. Companies or entities that plan on an e-commerce
site would most benefit from an .ecom TLD. Consulting agencies and
firms would most benefit from a .firm TLD.
TLD Description:
.info
The .info TLD would be
used for any business organization or individual who has plans for
an information site and do not intend to develop an e-commerce application.
The primary rationale for
adding .info would be to enhance the utility of the DNS by providing
more specificity to the TLD naming options. In addition, Dotster believes
that the .info TLD will also enhance the number of available domains
and registration competition.
TLD Structure:
Dotster realizes that maintaining
the stability and integrity of the Internet should remain the first
and foremost priority of any DNS management system. Newly instated
TLD registries should not disrupt current DNS operations or create
competing root systems. In addition, Dotster is in the process of
conceptualizing comprehensive security plans for the new TLDs. The
structure of the .biz, .ecom, .firm, and .info TLDs would be identical
to the structure of the .com TLD. Dotster, acting as the registry,
will provide registry services to allow registrars to register second
level domain names under this new TLD. The TLD registry would have
an unrestricted structure and provide freely open top-level domain
names. Dotster would allow all interested ICANN accredited registrars
to become registrars of the new TLD and would require they successfully
complete a registrar test-bed process prior to operating as a registrar
of the new TLD.
Dotster looks forward to
working with ICANN and other Internet agencies to create a stable
and secure TLD registry.
SUBMISSION OF FORMAL
APPLICATION
Dotster is ready to support
a new TLD registry infrastructure even if the above-proposed TLDs
are not included in the final set of new TLDs to be determined by
ICANN. We intend to submit a formal application for operating a new
TLD registry once ICANN has requested such proposals. Dotster believes
that based on our strong information management capabilities and the
significant infrastructure investments we have made, that we are ready
to take on such an opportunity.
Respectfully submitted,
DOTSTER INC.
Clinton Page
President
