Changes

.free is offered at no cost to all interested companies, individuals and organizations around the world. The pre-registration for the .Free domain started in October, 2010; and it is one of the few companies accepting pre-registrations while awaiting the approval of its application from [[ICANN]] to be included in the [[DNS]] root system.

.free is offered at no cost to all interested companies, individuals and organizations around the world. The pre-registration for the .Free domain started in October, 2010; and it is one of the few companies accepting pre-registrations while awaiting the approval of its application from [[ICANN]] to be included in the [[DNS]] root system.

At present, .Free has more than 15,000 registrants who have already reserved their desired domain names.

At present, .free has more than 15,000 registrants who have already reserved their desired domain names.

 

==Objective==

==Objective==

The main objective of the .free gTLD is to improve the information exchange and interaction among individuals and to promote development and innovation in the Internet community worldwide.

The main objective of the .free gTLD is to improve the information exchange and interaction among individuals and to promote development and innovation in the Internet community worldwide. Furthermore, the .free domain also aims to give individuals and companies the opportunity to create their own trademark without spending a cent.  

Furthermore, the .Free domain also aims to give individuals and companies the opportunity to create their own trademark without spending a cent.  

 

==Launch Procedure==

==Launch Procedure==

.free implements a 4-step procedure to ensure that users will have equal opportunity to claim their desired domain names and to protect their trademarks and [[Intellectual Property|intellectual property]] rights.

.free implements a 4-step procedure to ensure that users will have equal opportunity to claim their desired domain names and to protect their trademarks and [[Intellectual Property|intellectual property]] rights.

2.'''Sunrise Period'''- This is a priority registration period when brand owners are able to register their trademarks to avoid [[CyberSquatting|cybersquatting]], which is considered a form of internet piracy.<ref>[http://www.citmedialaw.org/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/ACPA%20leg%20history.pdf The Anti Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act]</ref>  

2.'''Sunrise Period'''- This is a priority registration period when brand owners are able to register their trademarks to avoid [[CyberSquatting|cybersquatting]], which is considered a form of internet piracy.<ref>[http://www.citmedialaw.org/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/ACPA%20leg%20history.pdf The Anti Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act]</ref>  

During the Sunrise Period, users are certain that their trademark and intellectual property rights are fully protected and .Free will include a dispute resolution mechanism on this period.

During the Sunrise Period, users are certain that their trademark and intellectual property rights are fully protected and .free will include a dispute resolution mechanism on this period.

3.'''Landrush Period'''- This follows the Sunrise and it will be open for everybody who preregistered their desired domain. All domains that had been preregistered multiple times by different users will be open for bidding.

3.'''Landrush Period'''- This follows the Sunrise and it will be open for everybody who preregistered their desired domain. All domains that had been preregistered multiple times by different users will be open for bidding.

4.'''General Availability'''- .Free domains will be open to the public worldwide and it will be granted on a first come per serve basis through the dotFree registration, an [[ICANN]] accredited websites, and .Free domain authorized resellers after the Sunrise and Landrush periods, with an exception for the premium domains.

4.'''General Availability'''- .free domains will be open to the public worldwide and it will be granted on a first come per serve basis through the dotFree registration, an [[ICANN]] accredited websites, and .free domain authorized resellers after the Sunrise and Landrush periods, with an exception for the premium domains.

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Companies]]

[[Category:Companies]]