[stld-rfp-mobi] Mobi JV application!
The .Mobi sTLD, if successful, will be pivotal in determining the future direction and control of the mobile Internet. Everyone in the Internet community should carefully think over the implications inherent in the Mobi JV application. The Internet community should be concerned for the 4 following reasons: 1. Conflict of interests. The last remaining component required for Microsoft and Nokia to gain an effective global stranglehold on the mobile-Internet would be the naming structure through a dedicated sTLD. Can Microsoft and Nokia be trusted to fairly and equitably oversee this dedicated sTLD? Can any policy advisory body have any meaningful control and counter-balance to these huge commercial interests and quasi-monopolies? Individually, the applicants are formidable organizations to any commercial rival, new enterprise, or any Regulator worldwide. What sort of goliath would ICANN be creating if the applicants were given a worldwide license over the proposed sTLD? 2. A sTLD based on network access technology. If Mobi JV secures a MOBILE sTLD, then will the Internet eventually see a: .BROADBAND, .DSL, .WLAN or inevitably any ?DOT? new technology? Issuing a .MOBI as proposed would set a precedent, which could lead to a fracturing of naming and addressing along the lines of technologies. Additionally, where do the fixed-line providers fit in this equation? Will users be expected to know and use a .MOBI for wireless, and eventually a .FIX for fixed-line? 3. Controlling the value-chain. Will Mobi JV seek to control the registration process and value-chain? Will they seek to supplant ICANN Accredited Registrars with network operators? The .MOBI application is suspiciously devoid of detail on these important matters. Clearly, ?ring-fencing? of subscribers through the .MOBI registration process, personalized interfaces, content, and other elements in the value-chain are too juicy for Microsoft/Nokia/Vodafone not to control. 4. Restrictions. Mobi JV states that .MOBI is a restricted TLD. What exactly do they mean and what restrictions will apply? There is nothing of substance in their application to explain the restriction plans. Do they intend to, for example: * Restrict who and how the .MOBI can be used on the applicant?s networks, software, or devices? * Will they restrict Internet-telephony applications? * Establish proprietary .MOBI software that will control and restrict how the .MOBI can be used by any registrant/user? * Restrict content, perhaps on the basis of making sure that their existing operations like Vodafone Live have an advantage? Finally, there is one area where restrictions should have been mentioned, and is totally overlooked by the applicant, and this concerns numeric strings, which when issued by Mobi JV could potentially result in impact on ITU telephone numbering schemes. Microsoft/Nokia/Vodafone, with their enormous interests to protect, should be considered very closely before giving them effective control over this namespace. _________________________________________________________________ Watch LIVE baseball games on your computer with MLB.TV, included with MSN Premium! http://join.msn.com/?page=features/mlb&pgmarket=en-us/go/onm00200439ave/direct/01/ |