dotKoeln comments on the Proposed Final Applicant Guidebook

["Thomas Lenz" <thomas@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

As CEO of dotKoeln Top-Level-Domain GmbH I have the pleasure to submit my
comments on the hopefully last draft of the Applicant Guidebook.

 

The initiative for a top-level domain for the city of Koeln (Cologne), in
Germany was started in 2008, after the much welcomed decision of ICANN to
open up the name space in the internet for new generic TLDs. We are now
registered as dotKoeln Top-Level-Domain GmbH and represent a growing
community of private individuals, businesses and public organizations that
are looking forward to a proper ending for a city and region counting almost
3 million people and a thriving local economy, united by a unique and strong
identification.

 

I would like to thank, also on behalf of my partners at dotKoeln, ICANN and
the board for the latest decisions which indicated the sincere wish to
finally get it done.

With regard to the Proposed Final Applicant Guidebook, I want to make the
following comments:

RE: 1.1.1 Application Submission Period

In Germany,  cityTLD initiatives started up as early as 2005 with their
projects to launch various city top-level domains. The issue of new gTLDs
for cities and regions has since been on the agenda of the Association of
German Cities and Regions. 

Opportunities and Risks of creating and operating a city or regional TLD
have become aware to all German regional authorities and the chambers of
commerce, both on a local and federal level. Resolutions of the German
Bundestag and the “Landtag “ (parliament) of North Rhine-Westphalia, based
on the cityTLD movement, have made the issue even more prominent and
official over the years. We are involved in a continuous exchange with city
officials and other community stakeholders about the needs of the city and
the community as well as the process at ICANN.

Meanwhile in many countries across the world, local GeoTLD initiatives and
GAC representatives have created increased awareness, discussions and even
working groups on the topic. 

>>> For the reason of long lasting and broad discussions on GeoTLDs we think
a 30-days application window should be more than sufficient, especially if
the next application opportunity arises a year later.

RE: 1.1.2.8 String Contention

During a Community Priority Evaluation ICANN will submit the comments
received during the public comment period to the evaluators with
instructions to take the relevant information into account in reaching their
conclusions. We are concerned that this provision may lead to thousands of
comments on behalf of a particular applicant in order to score higher in a
Community Priority Evaluation or in opposite to impair a particular
application.

>>> We ask ICANN to clarify which kind of comments and information submitted
is considered as being relevant by the evaluators and how it will be ensured
that the pure quantity of comments will not necessarily lead to a better
scoring.

Finally  - we need a reliable time frame, so we urge ICANN to publish a
reliable and binding date for the start of the next application round!

 

Thomas Lenz

CEDO

 

 

dotKöln Top-Level-Domain GmbH

c/o a&o buero

Richmodstrasse 31

50667 Köln

Fon: +49-160-979 24 207

email:  <mailto:thomas@xxxxxxxxxxx> thomas@xxxxxxxxxxx

 <http://www.dotkoeln.de/> www.dotkoeln.de < <http://www.dotkoeln.de/>
http://www.dotkoeln.de/>

dotKöln Top-Level-Domain GmbH | Richmodstrasse 31 | 50667 Köln | Amtsgericht
Köln: HRB 67288 | Geschäftsführer: Thomas Lenz