Comments: Impact of new gTLDs on Consumer Welfare

[Naveed ul Haq <naveed@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Putting forward my comments as an end-user of Internet, I would say that 
as highlighted Dennis Carlton report the new gTLDs program potentially has 
a deep impact on consumer welfare whether in form of a registrant or an 
end-user. Competition has always foster introduction of new an innovative 
services generating revenue for its provider. Considering the example of 
.Tel and its services as an alternative to e-Num, which was learnt during 
my first ICANN meeting at Cairo, opening the whole gTLDs domain would 
surely bring bundle of attractive and informative service. In fact the new 
regime would be helpful to categorize the Internet communication in a 
better way which eventually would be easier to access by the end-user. 
Likewise the example of .cars in the report, .health, .agriculture and so 
forth would benefit the consumer. I mean a user in developing world 
querying google for reaching a website or writing a name followed by .com 
predicting that he would end up with something could precisely look for 
something under a specific TLD (depending upon his interest). 

Attraction for Location-based services serving a specific geographical 
area would also be enhanced through introduction of new TLDs.  Although 
business concerns of various stakeholders stand out. However, the better 
way would be to purify the selection criteria and associated issues like 
trademark, cyber squatting, Intellectual Property etc. rather than 
stopping further process of introducing this new regime having tons of 
end-user benefits. 
 

Regards,

Naveed-ul-Haq
Assistant Director (ICT)
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
Headquarters , F-5/1 
Islamabad.
Ph: +92 (51) 9203911
Fax: +92 (51) 9225368