Tue. October 3, 2000
Research Triangle Park, NC -
'Dot-one' enables each user or device to have its own domain name, expanding the Internet universe and creating new ease of communication.
Soon ".one" may be the number on the individual's doorway to the Internet universe.
That's the vision of Group One Registry, which applied on Monday, October 2, 2000, to establish ".one" as a new top-level domain (TLD). The application is being filed with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the international governing body for Internet domain names.
"Through `.one,' we are opening the way for every Internet user and device to have an easily accessible, individual domain name," said Paul Kane, Group One Registry co-founder and chairman of London-based Internet Computer Bureau, which operates three country-code registry systems. "By emphasizing numerical domain names, we can enable the Internet to expand much more easily, far beyond the bounds of current language-based domains."
"The `.one' top-level domain is a big step forward in developing common standards for the Internet," said Rick White, former U.S. congressman and founder of the Congressional Internet Caucus.
"Numerical domains for devices will serve the need for instant, direct connections throughout the Internet's open, non-proprietary network," said White, now a partner in the Seattle-based law firm of Perkins Coie and a legal adviser to Group One Registry.
"Initial demand for numerical domain names is expected to be especially strongfrom telecommunications companies and their end-user customers," said Paul Stahura, Group One Registry co-founder with Kane and president of the domain-name registrar subsidiary of Los-Angeles-based WebVision. Both WebVision and Internet Computer Bureau are shareholders in Group One Registry.
Telecommunications companies could offer ".one" Internet identities to their customers as a value-added service, Stahura said. Wireless users are expected to grow to 1.4 billion in 2005, from 170 million worldwide this year, according to a recent study by Cahners In-Stat Group. Global industry leaders - representing the Far East, Middle East, Europe and North America - already have sent letters in support of Group One Registry's application.
"Numerical domain names under `.one' also are well-suited for use by manufacturers of `smart' devices, ranging from personal digital assistants (PDAs) to game consoles, and even to automobiles and household appliances," Stahura said. Each device could be delivered to customers with its own ".one" domain name built in, he said.
Net TV, also expected to grow rapidly over the next few years, offers an additional area of potential demand, he said. Demand for ".one" could increase even more as traditional PC users discover its benefits and move beyond the desktop to new devices that communicate over the Internet.
Monday's deadline to file proposals for new top-level domain names is ICANN's latest move to expand the scope and reach of Internet infrastructure, create a more vibrant market for domain names, and ensure the Internet's global nature. ICANN, a global non-profit organization, coordinates the Internet's domain name and root server systems and the allocation of Internet Protocol address space.
Group One Registry's proposal fulfills a number of ICANN's stated objectives:
· Expand competition among Internet registries. By opening up ".one" as a new top-level domain emphasizing individuals and devices, Group One Registry expands the Internet universe. The company plans to sell its domain through registrars worldwide, providing them with a new vehicle to increase competition as well.
· Reduce "cybersquatting." Group One Registry's use of numerical domain names reduces incentives to cybersquat and respects intellectual property rights.
· Extend the Internet's capabilities. The ".one" TLD opens up a new range of Internet services, based on both individual users and devices, and on numerical domain names. "Internet entrepreneurs' creativity thus far has been unlimited," Stahura said. "We're providing them with a vast new opportunity. Imagine people using a familiar number, like your telephone number, to connect online to your cell phone, PDA, or game console."
· Create stronger common standards for Internet use. By creating a top-level domain for individual users and devices, Group One Registry extends common, non-proprietary standards and protocols for peer-to-peer communications among those groups. Expanding the use of non-proprietary standards supports ICANN's goal of an open, accessible Internet for all.
· Meet ICANN's criteria for stability and performance. Group One Registry's backers have a strong track record in Internet domains. Kane and Internet Computer Bureau have direct experience running registries. WebVision provides complete infrastructure support for application service providers and other Internet companies from multiple data centers across the United States.
"We have the expertise, financial capability and industry support to make `.one' the top-level domain for individuals and devices worldwide," Stahura said. "The potential benefits are immense."
The Group One proposal to ICANN is available at www.grouponeregistry.com.
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