Icann looks for help with gTLD process

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has given firms the chance to "play an important role in the next significant evolution of the internet's domain name space".

A statement from the organisation calls for businesses to offer expressions of interest (EOI) for a number of independent evaluation roles, as part of a domain name consultancy.

Part of the new generic top level domain (gTLD) name process, the offer will give companies the opportunity to evaluate applications for gTLDs.

Respondents to the EOIs can propose to perform one or more of the evaluation roles, which so far include a geographic names panel and an applicant evaluation panel (financial or technical), among other positions.

Contracts will not be rewarded directly from the EOIs and applicants should be aware that the new gTLD process has not been launched yet - there are no certain timelines regarding this.

Any launch of new gTLD application rounds will only begin after "a detailed and lengthy consultation process with all constituencies of the global internet community", according to Icann, which released the second draft of the gTLD Applicant Guidebook this week.

Written by Dipika Patel