For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for Top-Level Domains - Trademark -

MARINA DEL REY, CA - For the first time in the history of the Internet, non-Latin characters are being used for Top-Level Domains. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) stated in a press release that the first IDN country-code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) were inserted in the DNS root zone on May 5, 2010.

The associated countries and their respective IDN ccTLDs are:

Egypt: مصر (Egypt)
Saudi Arabia: السعودية (AlSaudiah)
United Arab Emirates: امارات (Emarat)

These are the first IDN ccTLDs to appear online as a result of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process which was approved by the ICANN Board at its annual meeting in Seoul, South Korea on October 30, 2009.

The first requests were received starting 16 November 2009. The process enables countries and territories to submit requests to ICANN for IDN ccTLDs, representing their respective country or territory names in scripts other than Latin.

So far, ICANN has received a total of 21 requests for IDN ccTLD(s) representing 11 languages. A total of 13 requests have successfully passed through the “String Evaluation” (the second stage of the process) and are hence ready for the requesting country or territory to initiate the request for TLD Delegation (the final stage of the application process). As of today, the first three of these have been delegated into the DNS root zone, which means they are available for use.

Arabic has now become the first non-Latin script to be used as an IDN ccTLD. Arabic is among the most highly used languages on the Internet today. The Middle-East has an average Internet penetration of just over 20%, and shows a big potential for growth. Users in the region will now have easier access to the Internet, with the ability to use their primary language for the entire domain name.

The IDN ccTLD Fast Track Program requires participants to demonstrate that they fulfill a number of requirements:

• the script used to represent the IDN ccTLDs must be non-Latin;
• the languages used to express the IDN ccTLDs must be official in the corresponding country or territory; and
• a specific set of technical requirements must be met (as evaluated by an external DNS Stability Panel comprised of DNS and IDN experts).

The request and evaluation processes entail three steps:

1. Preparation (by the requester in the country / territory). Community consensus is built for which IDN ccTLD to apply for, how it is run, and which organization will be running it, along with preparing and gathering all the required supporting documentation.

2. String Evaluation: incoming requests to ICANN in accordance with the criteria described above: the technical and linguistic requirements for the IDN ccTLD string(s). Applications are received through an online system available together with additional material supporting the process at: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/

3. String Delegation: requests successfully meeting string evaluation criteria are eligible to apply for delegation following the same ICANN IANA process as is used for ASCII based ccTLDs. String delegation requests are submitted to IANA root zone management.

Saudi Communications and information Technology Commission announced that registration of Arabic domain names under the Saudi New IDN ccTLD (السعودية

Starting from 31 May 2010, it will possible to register Arabic domain names in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Communications and information Technology Commission announced that registration of Arabic domain names under the Saudi New IDN ccTLD (السعودية) will be available on 31 May 2010 in two phases.

Phase I

From 31 May 2010 - 13July 2010 owners of registered trademarks and trade names have the right to register these marks and trade names as domain names. Priority will be given to governmental and semi-governmental entities to register Arabic domain names correspond to their Arabic official names without any alteration , abbreviation or translation.

Phase II

Starting from 27 September 2010, the registration of Arabic domain names applications of the public will be accepted. Saudi authorities issued three Regulations to organize the openings dates of registration of Arabic domain names, registration procedures of the same; and opposition procedures against the applications.

Egypt’s Arabic Top-Level Domain Implemented in the Internet Root Zone

CAIRO - Dr. Tarek Kamel, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, has announced that the Arabic ccTLD of Egypt "مصر." is now implemented in the Internet root zone.

A press release by the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology stated that Minister Kamel has also witnessed the signing of registrar licenses with three Egyptian companies, TE Data, Vodafone Data and Link Registrar. The three companies have been accredited by the National Telecom Regulatory Authority to be the new registrars for the Egyptian IDN ccTLD "مصر."

“Introducing Arabic Domain Names is a milestone in Internet history”, said Dr. Kamel, “It is the harvest of many years of hard work among global and regional Internet experts. This great step will open up new horizons for e-services in Egypt. It will boost the number of online users in the country and will enable Internet services to penetrate new market segments by eliminating language barriers.”

Dr. Kamel added, that he is proud that Egypt’s IDN ccTLD is one of the very first IDN domains added to the Internet root zone and that registrations under the Egyptian domain "مصر." are the first Arabic domain names on the Internet. He acknowledged ICANN’s efforts in that respect and recognized their collaboration with the global Internet community to address needs non-Latin language communities.

He added, “this work is a result of the overall efforts of a team of Internet experts Mostafa Abdel Wahed, Manal Ismail and Christine Arida”.

The implementation of "مصر." in the Internet root zone comes as a result of Egypt’s application for its Arabic ccTLD within the framework of ICANN’s IDN fast track process.

ICANN had announced in November 2009, during the Sharm El Sheikh IGF’09 Meeting, that it has opened the door for countries using non-Latin based languages to request their country top-level domains in their official languages. Egypt was the first country to apply for its Arabic ccTLD within the fast track process, which currently, as per the ICANN, has a total of 21 requests representing 11 languages.

Dr. Amr Badawi, Executive President of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, said that domain registration services under "مصر." will start officially during the month of May, with the presence of Rod Beckstrom, ICANN CEO.

The service will be provided to the public through the three accredited registrars, TE Data, Vodafone Data and Link Registrar. Dr. Badawi added that the Egyptian Universities Network, current registry of the .EG ccTLD, will be providing domain registration services to the academic and governmental sectors.

The National Telecom Regulatory Authority, the "مصر." registry, had earlier this year, during the month of February, announced an RFP for entities interested in providing domain name registration services under the Arabic ccTLD of Egypt. Offers submitted by the different entities were evaluated and three companies were selected to be licensed as registrars.

ICANN is an internationally organized, public benefit non-profit company responsible for the global coordination of the Internet's system of unique identifiers like domain names and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers reach each other over the Internet.

IDN ccTLD Request from Jordan Successfully Passes String Evaluation

MARINA DEL REY, CA - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced in a press release the successful completion of String Evaluation on proposed IDN ccTLD string for Jordan.

Details of the successful evaluation are provided here: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/string-evaluation-completion-en.htm

The IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) ccTLD Fast Track Process was approved by the ICANN Board at its annual meeting in Seoul, South Korea on October 30, 2009. First requests were received starting November 16, 2009. The process enables countries and territories to submit requests to ICANN for IDN ccTLDs, representing their respective country or territory names in scripts other than Latin. IDN ccTLD requesters must fulfil a number of requirements:

* The script used to represent the IDN ccTLDs must be non-Latin;
* The languages used to express the IDN ccTLDs must be official in the corresponding country or territory; and
* A specific set of technical requirements must be met (as evaluated by an external DNS Stability Panel comprised of DNS and IDN experts).

The request and evaluation processes entail three steps:

At this time ICANN has received a total of 21 requests for IDN ccTLD(s) through the String Evaluation process, representing 11 languages. A total of 13 requests have successfully passed through the String Evaluation and are hence ready for the requesting country or territory to initiate the application for String Delegation.

ICANN is looking forward to enabling the availability of all these strings in the DNS root zone, by completion of the String Delegation function, as well as finalizing the remaining received requests in String Evaluation, and receiving additional new requests in the Fast Track Process. A staff support function is available to help all countries and territories interested in participating in the Fast Track Process. Please email idncctldrequests@icann.org for any inquiries for participation.

Updates about received numbers of applications and the number of completions will continue to be provided on the Fast Track Process web page at: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/

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