At-Large Community Mobilization for the Next Round and Applicant Support Program
- Heidi Ullrich
About the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program
The New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program is a community-driven initiative that's enabling the continued expansion of the Domain Name System. Through the introduction of new gTLDs, including domain names in a variety of scripts and languages, the program aims to encourage innovation, competition, and consumer choice.
Opportunities in the Next Round
The New gTLD Program: Next Round gives businesses, communities, governments and other organizations the chance to apply for new top-level domains tailored to fit their organization, community, culture, language, and customer interests. (For some examples of how these groups have used gTLDs, please review our case studies from the 2012 round.)
The next round of new gTLDs will offer even more domain names in longer lengths and different scripts. These are an important part of the expansion of the DNS because they allow speakers of non-Latin-based languages to access the Internet using their own language or writing system.
In this way, new gTLDs provide global consumers with broader access – in their own languages – and more online identity choices, helping to promote competition and innovation.
The New gTLD Program: Next Round is being implemented by ICANN in line with community-developed policy recommendations contained in the Generic Names Supporting Organization's New gTLD Subsequent Procedures (Subpro) Policy Development Process Final Report.
More information can be found here: https://newgtldprogram.icann.org/en
At-Large Activities in the Next Round
Identifying potential Applicant Support Program applicants
ICANN is working with the community to identify potential Applicant Support Program (ASP) applicants – especially in regions that are currently under-represented in ICANN. If you're interested in helping to raise awareness of the ASP among your own contacts or communities, please use the "new gTLD champions" toolkit materials available below.