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First New gTLD Registries Receive Tokens for Root Zone Management System

22 October 2013

ICANN distributed the first tokens for accessing the Root Zone Management System yesterday. The following Registries are eligible to initiate the Delegation process;

  • International Domain Registry Pty. Ltd.
    • شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd) – the Arabic word for "Web" or "Network"

  • CORE Association
    • онлайн (xn--80asehdb) – Russian for "Online"
    • сайт (xn--80aswg) – Russian for "Web site"

  • Spring Fields, LLC
    • 游戏 (xn--unup4y) – Chinese for "Game"

These Registries may move forward with Delegation because they successfully completed all phases of the New gTLD Program, including the final phase, Pre-Delegation Testing (PDT). Additionally, they have already completed what's known as Transition to Delegation, the actions that occur between passing PDT and gaining access to the Root Zone Management (RZM) System.

Transition to Delegation Process Overview

  1. Administrative Review
    After passing PDT, ICANN performs a final administrative check to ensure that every criterion of the New gTLD program, as outlined in the Applicant Guidebook, has been met.
  2. Appointment of the Delegation Point of Contact
    Upon prompting from ICANN the Registry Operator will appoint a Delegation Point of Contact. This will be the individual who is authorized to access the RZM System.
  3. Security Token & Link to RZM Distributed
    ICANN will generate a token that will permit the Registry Operator to access the RZM System. For Security reasons the token will be made available to the Application's Primary Contact through the Customer Portal. Along with the token, the user will find the link to access the RZM System.

Once a Registry receives its security token, it may initiate the Delegation process at any time. Delegation involves assigning operational responsibility for a TLD to the to the contracted party and adding records to the root zone to make the TLD functional on the Internet.

Delegation Process Overview

  1. Accessing the Root Zone Management System
    After following the link to the RZM System, a representative from the Registry will submit the security token and the TLD (for IDN's this is the A-label). This action will trigger a notification to the Delegation Point of Contact, which will include a unique link that will officially initiate the Delegation process.
  2. Information Exchange & Technical Testing
    ICANN's IANA Department manages the process of delegating new gTLDs into the root zone of the Domain Name System. Once the process has been initiated, the Delegation Point of Contact will be prompted to provide information pertaining to the domain and the IANA Department will confirm that everything is in order, including that no new technical issues have arisen.
  3. Approval, Notifications and Updates
    The delegation process is executed by the Root Zone Partners: ICANN, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the United States Department of Commerce, and Verisign. After ICANN confirms that all the requirements have been met, the details are transmitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the United States Department of Commerce for authorization. On NTIA's authorization, Verisign implements the change to the root zone .
  4. More Information: Delegating a Generic Top-Level Domain

Currently, ICANN anticipates that the Transition to Delegation process will transpire within five business days of completion of PDT. We anticipate that Delegation may take up to two weeks after a Registry initiates the process. Given those guidelines, it's possible that the first new gTLD(s) could be introduced into the Internet by the end of October 2013. Over the next few years, ICANN is prepared to support a measured, continual rollout of gTLDs and we look forward to working with new Registry Operators.

Further Reading: "First New gTLDs Get the Green Light for Delegation"