.onl

Status:	Proposed
Registry Provider:	Afilias
Type:	Generic
Category:	Commerce
More information:

.onl is a proposed TLD in ICANN's New gTLD Program. The applicant is I-REGISTRY Ltd.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"In 2011 the new brand ONL has been established as a unique, memorable and worldwide brand, especially for communication, media, contacts and information. Its mission is to become a leading communications brand globally like comparable brands in this space (to name some: Skype, Orange, Twitter). The goal is to become a well-known communication brand with customers worldwide. The mission of the ONL brand is to establish a sustainable operation of the brand ONL. Integral part of a sustainable operation is to donate proceeds to the needy. To promote the brand globally I-REGISTRY files an application for the respective “.ONL” TLD.

The TLD has the mission to promote and benefit the brand ONL in terms of (a) differentiating, protecting and expanding the brand on the Internet, (b) promoting the namespace to the public and stakeholders, and (c) creating added value through enhanced consumer trust and reliability in the digital namespace. The .ONL TLD shall provide a unique digital identity and facilitate the promotion of the brand ONL to Internet users in general. The .ONL namespace is intended to provide Internet users around the globe with a new, innovative namespace in which they can create and display web content. The registration of .ONL domains is open to all registrants worldwide, thus enabling Internet users worldwide to use, promote and support the brand ONL and this way become a part of the DNS with an own domain name. Registrants are expected to register generic keywords as well as domain names associated with them personally. The .ONL top-level domain has the mission to support the goals of the I-REGISTRY in establishing a worldwide branded namespace with easy recognizable domain names.

Donating to the needy is nowadays integral part in many cultures around the world. The purpose of .ONL is to incorporate this spirit and extend it to the Internet. With each domain registration the registrant supports the concept of I-REGISTRY, the Registry operator of .ONL, to donate parts of the proceeds to charitable causes with a focus on Internet topics such as digital divide, education of young⁄old Internet users and others. Registrants of .ONL have the opportunity and are expected to participate in the allocation of donations. In doing so, .ONL will support bringing more attention to the Needy and activating further donations. .. With .ONL Registrants can use an open, yet branded namespace, which has a unique and memorable meaning and will become a brand for online communication. The TLD .ONL and its domain names are intended for and thereby specialized to create content and facilitate communication in connection with the brand ONL, especially by generic, keyword and individual domain names. Internet users will benefit from a new global online brand which has no barriers and is open to everybody. Registrants will have unlimited options when registering a domain because .ONL opens up a completely vacant namespace where all domain names are still available. .. The .ONL space will operate following an unrestricted registration model, meaning that no eligibility criteria or registration restrictions will be imposed upon prospective registrants in the space."

Developments

After passing the Initial Evaluation and receiving a signed ICANN RA contract, I-REGISTRY announced the projected Sunrise Period for .onl to start on November 30, 2013. It is believed to be one of the first announcements of its kind to come for a New gTLD.

Top-Level Domain