Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

The IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process was successfully launched, as planned on 16 November 2009. It was done at exactly 00:00UTC with a very joyful count-down by the Fast Track Staff Team – followed by a wooohooo

The launch went smoothly. We have since monitored the system and everything is working.

As of 10pm Pacific time (15 November 2009) we have received:

- 6 requests from countries/territories
- representing 3 different languages

Following the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Final Implementation Plan, no additional details will be reported by ICANN – that is, until requests has been successfully processed.

That said, we will be providing additional stats (as the above) updates in regular time intervals.

No countries or territories has reported problems using the system, at this time.

All details for participants and access to the system is available directly from http://www.icann.org or directly at: http://icann.org/en/topics/idn/fast-track/

Inquiries for the system are to be submitted to idncctldrequest@icann.org

A quick note to participants:

When uploading supporting material, please note that each file must be limited to 10MB. If you have larger files, please indicate that in the text box provided, and send the files to idncctldrequest@icann.org We will try to find a better solution to this soon.

We are very much looking forward to receiving additional requests and processing everything, to make IDN ccTLDs a reality for Internet users around the world!

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ICANN ran an open forum at the IGF in Sharm El Sheikh yesterday. You can view a video of the event below.

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As we (at ICANN staff) have been preparing for the Fast Track launch, for tomorrow, it was suggested to me that I write a blog post about it. I could have written about all the hard work, the long hours, the aggressive testing of the online system, keeping it simple and yet flexible for all expected participants to find it useful for exactly their purpose. Not to mention the work ahead of us and the already tireless hours put in by so many around the world that if I start listing you I’d run out of space – and how amazing it has been to be a part of this new development

Instead I have decided to post the letter below. Samira is a real person She is a little girl from a village in a developing country. She has one thing in common with many others – she has no access to the Internet (they do have radio). But while her Internet problems start at a different place than IDNs, I am confident that IDNs at some point soon will make it easier for her to learn about the Internet and also make it easier for her to use it. Samira will have to wait for the postal delivery of this letter – but then there is nothing like getting that kind of mail too

Other than that I just like to say that I hope the Fast Track launch goes smoothly, and that it will work favorable for all participants. But most of all I hope that we with this launch will treat IDNs carefully and with the respect it deserves, and that we will continue to work together across time-zones and cultures, because afterall, what is the Internet if it does not work well for many years and users to come.

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Dear Samira,
Tomorrow is BIG BIG day for many people around the world and I decided to share it with you.

I know you have not seen the Internet yet, but as you grow up and you do, maybe you will recall this letter and an exciting time. What is the Internet? Well, it’s like this big box of information, pictures, games – you can read and also write about anything you like. it could be about peasants, your favorite food, toy, and you know what? You can even listen to the radio on the Internet. Only your imagination sets a limit for the Internet. Have you ever looked under water? It’s like an entire new world down there, so different than on land. The Internet is kind of like that – a different world – only bigger and it has information about under-water and land in it….anything you can imagine

And every page on this Internet has an address. You know, just like you know how to explain where you live. It is made that way so that I can tell you an address and you can then go to that address and read my letter to you, or look at a picture I placed there for you to see. All these addresses have only been able to be written in the Roman alphabet….yes sounds a little weird, but that is just all those letters you see me write here.

Guess what happens tomorrow? Countries around the world – your country too – will be able to get a new address on the Internet. The most exciting thing is that this new address can be in almost any letters you like. So you can use your own language for an address for you. Then your friends and family can use that address and see what you are putting on the Internet. So it will be easier for you and everyone you know to remember that address. I think you will be excited when you see how it works.

I know that even though you already know more than one language, you are soon going to begin learning English. English is the language I used to write this letter to you. Languages are so exciting and they change all the time. Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with, but I will tell you more about it in my next letter. Learning another language is amazing and it will help you communicate with people around the world. I have made so many friends around the world who all have helped make the Internet change the way I tried to describe to you. They have all taught me something important about life that I will never forget. But it would not have worked if we did not speak a little bit of the same language. So I really hope that you will be enjoying learning a new language.

You know how you can write your language both by using the Roman alphabet, and also the Arabic one? Well, this Internet change is almost the same thing – now these addresses can be in either alphabet too! And the coolest thing about it is that there is only one to decide which alphabet to use, and that it YOU! It is your choice for you and you alone!

But please keep that in mind when you start using the Internet. Let me know when that is and I will help you get your own address to a place on the Internet, in your language. But remember that I am not able to read or write your language (although I wish) so it may be a little bit difficult for me in the beginning and I will need your help.

With the very best wishes to you and many many others in the next generation of Internet users. I know I am together with many people around the world when I say that I can’t wait to see what you will use it for and how you will change it over time too….

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Just after the Seoul meeting ended, we set up an online survey asking attendees what they thought about various aspects of it.

Of 1,120 total attendees (excluding staff and Board), we emailed 540 of them using the information they had provided on registration and received 110 responses – a healthy response rate of 20.4 percent.

All responses were from you the community (i.e. no staff or Board responses) and the results are below (these results are also published on the Seoul meeting site at http://sel.icann.org/survey.):

Quick analysis: The results are surprisingly good. There isn’t a single question where a significant majority of people weren’t positive in their response. Obviously there is always room for improvement – two meetings after we introduced the document deadline, it seems there are still large sections of the community that are not entirely happy – we will have to look into why and what we can do about it.

In terms of what happens at meetings, the least important event according to you was the Board meeting – but even then a majority of people felt it was very important or important.

And there was a very positive response to the lively opening ceremony – in which not only traditional Korean drummers but also a young guitarist made famous by a YouTube video played. And ICANN’s new CEO is off to a positive start at his first ICANN meeting.

Combined with an extremely favourable review of the overall meeting and the facilities it offered, it seems as though we are clearly doing something right at meetings. Something that we intend to not only maintain but to improve.

[read the rest…]

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The CEO and the Chairman, along with a number of Board members, community members and staff will be present at the Internet Governance Forum in Sharm El Sheikh next week.

Here is a quick rundown of ICANN-related events and information for participating both in person and remotely.

Open Forum

There are two main sessions from the ICANN perspective. On Sunday 15 November, at 9.30 to 11.00am local time in Room 1 (Sinai), ICANN will be running an open forum that will cover the organization’s latest developments, including the new Affirmation of Commitments, the recently approved “fast track” for IDN Internet extensions, the new generic top-level domain process, and other topics.

If you not attending the conference in person, the session will be audiocast and you will be able to send in interventions via email and through a chat function on the IGF site.

Critical Internet Resources

Then, on Monday 16 November, there will be a main session on Managing Critical Internet Resources in the main room from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

This event will be webcast and, again, you will be able to send in questions via email and through chatrooms.

[read the rest…]

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Briefing Note – Overall Summary of the Seoul Meeting

What was it?

ICANN’s 36th international public meeting was the last of three held annually to conduct policy development and outreach. It was hosted by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) and KISA(Korea Internet & Security Agency), a public agency that plays a major role in developing and researching the Internet in Korea.

The meeting was opened by three local dignatories: Mr. See Joong Choi, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission; Mr. Heung Kil Ko, Senator and Chairman of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Broadcasting and Communications Committee of the National Assembly; and Ms. Hee Jung Kim, president of KISA. 

Mr. See Joong Choi spoke about how the Internet was 40 years old, and the impact it has had in that time. He talked about how important IP addresses were as assets for the future and that they become a common resource for all. And he welcomed the introduction of IDNs as paving a “new way toward the future”.

Mr. Heung Kil Ko spoke about how Korea was a leader in the knowledge and information society, with 77.6 percent of its citizens online. He spoke of the importance of an efficiently and stably managed IP address system, as well as dealing with security threats such as hacking and phishing. The conference would hopefully lead to close ties between ICANN and Korea, he added.

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Earlier today, Chuck Gomes was selected by the new GNSO Council as its chair.

The voting procedure needed 60 percent of both of the new houses – contracted and non-contracted – to vote in favour. A first round vote with Chuck Gomes and Olga Cavalli saw Chuck Gomes win 100 percent of the contracted house vote and 50 percent of the non-contracted house; a second round with just Chuck on the ballot saw him win all but one Council votes.

Chuck will be helped by not one but two new vice-chairs under the new system: Olga Cavalli (interim) and Stephane van Gelder. Chuck mentioned in his acceptance speech that he intends to follow the same pattern that he himself had as vice-chair, where they are included in all decisions.

So congratulations new GNSO chair Chuck Gomes and congratulations to the new Council, which has been formed after years of hard work balancing the various stakeholders’ interests.

Outgoing chair Avri Doria was given a standing ovation on standing down and we captured the moment:

[read the rest…]

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