Organisations and individuals around the world interested in buying new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) will not be able to get their desired domain any more as applications for it closes today.
After the April 12 deadline passes, the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is set to allow the introduction of a TLD that is a brand name or trademark belonging to the company.
Last year, the regulator has revealed the plan to promote competition and innovation in the domain name marketplace while ensuring internet security and stability.
Instead of the traditional .com or .co.uk., ICANN will allow companies to register second-level and, in some cases, third-level domain names.
In a URL such as maps.google.com, "google" is a second-level name and "maps" is a third-level domain.
The evaluation fee for each application is $185,000 and gTLDs are expected to be delegated within one year of signing a registry agreement with ICANN.
Those who will get the new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) will have to pay $25,000 in costs per year to maintain the addresses.
ICANN plans to post the public portions of all applications received after 2 weeks following which the formal objection period will begin and will last for approximately 7 months.
