Changes

{{TLD|

{{TLD|

|logo  = BankTLD.JPG‎

|logo  =  

|status = Proposed

|status = Proposed

|manager  = ABA & BITS (Partnership)<br>

|manager  =  

|country  =

|country  = International

|registryprovider  =

|registryprovider  =

|date  =

|date  =

|type  =  Niche

|type  =  [[gTLD|Generic]]

|community  =

|community  =

|keypeople  =  

|keypeople  =  

}}

}}

'''.bank''' is one of the proposed new generic top level domain names ([[gTLD]]s) intended for the use of companies engaged in providing financial services worldwide. The [[Domain Security Company]] formerly Asif LLC, a start-up company based in Wisconsin;<ref>[http://www.domainsecurity.co/home.aspx Domain Seurity Website]</ref> and the joint project between [[American Bankers Association]] (ABA) & [[BITS]], technology policy arm of the Financial Services Roundtable, are among the organizations competing to get the approval of the [[ICANN|Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers]] to operate the proposed [[TLD]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/tiny-start-up-secures-bank-gtld-trademark/ Tiny start-up secures .bank gTLD trademark]</ref>

'''.bank''' is a proposed [[TLD]] in [[ICANN]]'s [[New gTLD Program]].  

 

# [[Domain Security Company]], formerly Asif LLC, a start-up company based in Wisconsin.<ref>[http://www.domainsecurity.co/home.aspx Domain Seurity Website]</ref>

# Joint project between [[American Bankers Association]] (ABA) & [[BITS]], the technology policy arm of the Financial Services Roundtable.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/tiny-start-up-secures-bank-gtld-trademark/ Tiny start-up secures .bank gTLD trademark]</ref>

==Domain Security Company Initiative==

===Domain Security Company===

On August 31, 2010, Mary Iqbal, CEO of Domain Security Company filed an application (85, 120, 345) with the United States Patent Office (USPT) as the rightful owner of the .bank intended for domain name registration services.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2010/09/08/trademark-application-filed-for-bank-top-level-domain-name/ Trademark Application Filed for .Bank Top Level Domain Name]</ref> A similar patent application for .bank was also filed by the company in Pakistan. According to Iqbal, she had been working on the idea for several years and she is serious about her application with ICANN to become the registry operator of .bank TLD.  On January 10 2012, the USPTO issued the patent no. 4, 085,335 for .bank to Asif LLC, the previous name of Domain Security Company.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/tiny-start-up-secures-bank-gtld-trademark/ Tiny start-up secures .bank gTLD trademark]</ref> However on January 19, the USPTO cancelled the patent because of error. In a letter sent to the company’s lawyer, the USPTO explained that a protest letter filed against the trademark was not processed before entering it in the Supplemental Registration. Under Trademark Act 1, 2, 3 and 45...”TLD would not be perceived as trademark.” The trademark office cited it has “broad authority to correct mistakes.” <ref>[http://domainincite.com/bank-trademark-canceled-after-mistake/ .Bank Trademark Canceled After “Mistake”]</ref> <ref>

On August 31, 2010, Mary Iqbal, CEO of Domain Security Company filed an application (85, 120, 345) with the United States Patent Office (USPT) as the rightful owner of the .bank intended for domain name registration services.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2010/09/08/trademark-application-filed-for-bank-top-level-domain-name/ Trademark Application Filed for .Bank Top Level Domain Name]</ref> A similar patent application for .bank was also filed by the company in Pakistan. According to Iqbal, she had been working on the idea for several years and she is serious about her application with ICANN to become the registry operator of .bank TLD.  On January 10 2012, the USPTO issued the patent no. 4, 085,335 for .bank to Asif LLC, the previous name of Domain Security Company.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/tiny-start-up-secures-bank-gtld-trademark/ Tiny start-up secures .bank gTLD trademark]</ref> However on January 19, the USPTO cancelled the patent because of error. In a letter sent to the company’s lawyer, the USPTO explained that a protest letter filed against the trademark was not processed before entering it in the Supplemental Registration. Under Trademark Act 1, 2, 3 and 45...”TLD would not be perceived as trademark.” The trademark office cited it has “broad authority to correct mistakes.” <ref>[http://domainincite.com/bank-trademark-canceled-after-mistake/ .Bank Trademark Canceled After “Mistake”]</ref> <ref>

[http://domainincite.com/docs/USPTO-bank-withdrawn.pdf USPTO Letter Regarding Patent 4,085,035 .bank mark]</ref>

[http://domainincite.com/docs/USPTO-bank-withdrawn.pdf USPTO Letter Regarding Patent 4,085,035 .bank mark]</ref>

==ABA and BITS .Bank Project==

===ABA and BITS===

The .bank project of [[American Bankers Association]] (ABA) and [[BITS]] is headed by [[Craig Schwartz]], former chief gTLD registry liaison of ICANN. He serves as general manager for registry programs of the project.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/senior-icann-staffer-hired-by-bank-project/ Senior ICANN Staff Hired by .bank Project]</ref> According to Schwartz, ABA and BITS will establish a new company that will be responsible in filing the application for .bank gTLD. Their plan is to file a community-designated bid to avoid the ICANN auction in anticipation for any possible gTLD string contention from other applications. Schwartz explained, “We’ve looked at the scoring and while it may not come into play at all, we do believe we can meet the requisite score. But we’re certainly mindful of what’s happening in the space, there’s always the possibility of contention.” He added that their plan is to begin the operations of .bank as a business to business and it will be primarily used for secure inter-bank transactions and will partner with a several ICANN accredited registrars that would be able to meet the company’s security requirements.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/bits-may-apply-for-six-financial-gtlds/ BITS may apply for six financial gTLDs]</ref>

The .bank project of [[American Bankers Association]] (ABA) and [[BITS]] is headed by [[Craig Schwartz]], former chief gTLD registry liaison of ICANN. He serves as general manager for registry programs of the project.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/senior-icann-staffer-hired-by-bank-project/ Senior ICANN Staff Hired by .bank Project]</ref> According to Schwartz, ABA and BITS will establish a new company that will be responsible in filing the application for .bank gTLD. Their plan is to file a community-designated bid to avoid the ICANN auction in anticipation for any possible gTLD string contention from other applications. Schwartz explained, “We’ve looked at the scoring and while it may not come into play at all, we do believe we can meet the requisite score. But we’re certainly mindful of what’s happening in the space, there’s always the possibility of contention.” He added that their plan is to begin the operations of .bank as a business to business and it will be primarily used for secure inter-bank transactions and will partner with a several ICANN accredited registrars that would be able to meet the company’s security requirements.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/bits-may-apply-for-six-financial-gtlds/ BITS may apply for six financial gTLDs]</ref>

[http://domainincite.com/europe-to-warn-consumers-about-bank-risks/ Europe to warn consumers about .bank “risks”]</ref> <ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/03/08/eba-dot-bank-warning EBA asks ICANN to scrap dot-bank]</ref>

[http://domainincite.com/europe-to-warn-consumers-about-bank-risks/ Europe to warn consumers about .bank “risks”]</ref> <ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/03/08/eba-dot-bank-warning EBA asks ICANN to scrap dot-bank]</ref>

ICANN COO [[Akram Atallah]] sent a response letter to Enria and explained that the new gTLD program does not prohibit the application for the two possible gTLDs in question. Atallah also informed Enria about the available objections which can be utilized by EBA such as the string confusion objection, legal rights objection, limited public interest objection and community objection. In addition, he also cited the two the Governmental Advisory Committee may also provide an early warning or advice regarding the proposed new gTLDs. Furthermore, Atallah encouraged EBA to monitor the ICANN website until the closing period of the application process to determine the actual applicants for the .bank and .fin gTLDs and to work with them regarding their concerns on the use of the strings.<ref>

ICANN COO [[Akram Atallah]] sent a response letter to Enria and explained that the new gTLD program does not prohibit the application for the two possible gTLDs in question. Atallah also informed Enria about the available objections which can be utilized by EBA such as the string confusion objection, legal rights objection, limited public interest objection and community objection. In addition, he also cited the two the Governmental Advisory Committee may also provide an early warning or advice regarding the proposed new gTLDs. Furthermore, Atallah encouraged EBA to monitor the ICANN website until the closing period of the application process to determine the actual applicants for the .bank and .fin gTLDs and to work with them regarding their concerns on the use of the strings.<ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/sites/news.dot-nxt.com/files/atallah-to-enria-01mar12-en.pdf ICANN's Response to EBA]</ref>

[http://news.dot-nxt.com/sites/news.dot-nxt.com/files/atallah-to-enria-01mar12-en.pdf ICANN's Response to EBA]</ref>

==References==

==References==