Retiring ccTLD's - observations/notes on .TP
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS: Q1. Should IANA adhere to the ISO-3166 standard and remove top-level domains from the DNS root that become transitionally reserved (i.e. retired)? Opinion: A ccTLD should represent a country or it's territories - and be managed in accord with applicable local legislation. Codes which cease to represent a country or territory should be phased out - provided the IANA has included a "replacement" ccTLD in the root for the effected registrants / communities. 2. If so, by what process should this be conducted? Opinion: - Where applicable the IANA ( in consultation with the applicable governments and local stake holders) should swiftly designate a competent entity to manage new replacements "ccTLDs". - The ccTLD manager of the TLD being retired should cease to allow new registrations in the ccTLD being retired. - The new "Sponsoring Organization" should be encouraged to work with with the administrator of the ccTLD being retired existing to ensure existing registrants are granted an opportunity to have their existing domain "mapped" to the new ccTLD if applicable. (sunrise for existing registrants) - Domains in the ccTLD being retired should be allowed to lapse naturally (provided the registration period is not excessive - 7+ years) 3. What implementation timeframes for removal should be specified? Opinion: - A maximum of 5-7 years. - Existing names which are registered should be allowed to renewed - if desirable for 5-7 years. 4. If removal is test-based, what specific milestones should signify removal from the root zone? Opinion: - removal should be based first and foremost on the availability of a suitable replacement ccTLD for existing registrants to migrate to. 5. What pre-emptive right, if any, should existing operators have toward a new code that covers an area previously serviced (in whole, or in part) by another code? Opinion: - Where the new ccTLD is run as a shared registry, consideration should be given to allowing legacy operators as a minimum registrar status in the new registry and where possible/desirable input in the administration of the new ccTLD. 6. In the event there is more than one code for a particular country available for its use (e.g. GB and UK), what policy should govern their status? - No Opinion. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Minimum performance for polices (AUP / DRS / PRIVACY&Whois) which apply to a ccTLD being retired should be established and agreed between the IANA and the admin of the ccTLD for the duration of the "phase-out" period. The IANA should consider developing a generic set of polices for a ccTLD which is no longer covered by any local legal or public policy framework, it should at a minimum be subject to a gTLD style DRS set of policies. .TP SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS / CASE STUDY: The launch .TL and the phase out of .TP has followed the the recomendations above. - On launch of the .TL ccTLD Connect Ireland (the operator of .TP) complied with a request from the Government of East Timor to cease new .TP registrations and provided a copy of the existing .TP database to the .TL administrator. - The .TL administrator mapped all existing .TP domains to to the .TL "version" - this was done free of charge. - Existing registrants and registrars were given a common interface to update contact details / name sever details. - Connect Ireland has adopted the .TL polices and made them applicable to .TP domains. - The number of active . TP domains is considerably less than that which has been reported in the press. Current .TP Register statistics. (according to the CoCCA Registry - it should be noted that the .TP zone is maintained by Connect Ireland and the CoCCA Registry is used to generate the .TL zones and the .TP/.TL Whois) Domains 844 - Active Expiring.... 592 expire in 2007 229 expire in 2008 15 expire in 2009 The .TL Ministry of communications has requested Connect Ireland not allow renewals and phase out the .TP domain as swiftly as possible. Connect Ireland has advised that by the end of 2009 all .TP registrations will have lapsed and the .TP ccTLD could be retired and removed from the zone. The .TP ccTLD could be retired as early as the end of 2008 though consultation with the few registrants remaining at that time. It should be noted that most .TP registrations are defensive registrations and not in "use" - a handful of .TP domains are in active use in Timor Leste (including the monopoly local ISP / phone company and a few NGO's and government departments ) migrating away from these domains requires some time as the cut over impacts many local Timor Leste users. NOTES ON IANA DATABASE: The current Sponsoring Organization (Laleia) and Admin Contact details are incorrect. The listed Admin (Xanana Gusmao ) are incorrect. The Sponsoring Organization is non-sensical (its a place name) and the listed admin ( the President of Timor-Leste) has never had anything to to with the administration of the .TP ccTLD and has expressed in the past expressed his strong desire to have his name removed from the IANA database. The IANA database should be corrected, if delegation to the .TL admin is not possible, then it should be delegated back to the IANA "in escrow" while the .TP ccTLD is phased out. Leaving it in it's current state is false/misleading erroneous , not in the public interest and against the wishes of the current listed Admin Contact. MISC... - The fact that the IANA database is wrong is problematic in that no entity is able to provide "authoritative " advice to existing registrants and registrars on phasing out .TP. The .TL NIC / CoCCA have been providing advice but do not have enforcement powers - do not control the .TP zone generation ( do not desire too either) or so set .TP policy. Existing registrants should be provided formal advice on the phase out by the listed Admin / Sponsor (not possible in this case at this time). The IANA should consult with Connect Ireland, correct the IANA database to some sort of escrow state and then formally notify existing registrants of the plan... my 2 cents, thanks for the opportunity to comment on this issue.
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