News

• Critics stage last-ditch effort to derail domain name expansion plan

  Debate around a controversial plan to add hundreds of new domain name extensions to the Internet infrastructure has reached a fever pitch in the nation's capital, as critics engage in a last-ditch effort to scrap or delay the plan, which is scheduled to launch Jan. 12.

• Melbourne IT warns of high AUD impact

  Melbourne IT (ASX: MLB) managing director, Theo Hnarakis, has warned that the rising Australian dollar and the 20 June ICANN decision on domain liberalisation may affect the hosting company’s full year results.

• US lawmakers question ICANN gTLD plan

  Several U.S. lawmakers urged the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to back off on a plan to offer an unlimited number of new generic top-level domains until concerns about trademark protections and other issues can be addressed.

• Hollywood chef to buy .food domain

  Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has arrived in Sydney from LA to push his US$180,000 application bid to own the .food top level domain name which will brand his restaurant empire.

• Critics to ICANN: Top-level domain sale dangerous, costly

  A controversial proposal to create hundreds of new generic top-level domains is generating harsh criticism as corporations and individuals question the need for additional competition in the domain name marketplace and expense for businesses.

• Registrations open for .tel domain

  The first round of registrations for the new TLD (top-level domain) .tel opened Wednesday.

• Australia to host ICANN 09

  Sydney will host a conference of more than 1700 telecommunications experts next year to discuss the future of the Web, following lobbying of the Internet regulator by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the NSW Premier.

• TLD change could see Aussie businesses splash US$500k on Net egos

  Proposed changes by ICANN to the domain name system could see Australian firms paying anywhere between US$185,000 to US$500,000 for the prestige of owning their own Top Level Domain (TLD).