The number of top-level domains is set to grow significantly in the near future: from 12 January, ICANN will begin accepting applications to operate new generic top-level domains. The application window will open on 12 January and close on 12 April 2012. The number of applications submitted within this window is envisaged to amount to several thousand.
In the framework of the program, which took ICANN several years to develop, any organization may apply for operation of top-level domain (for example, .sport, .planet, or any other). The application processing fee is USD185,000. At the same time, submission of application will not guarantee the approval of the domain. The program envisages registration of a domain both in the Latin script and internationalized domain names (IDN).
For the applicants who require sponsorship, ICANN will operate Applicant Support Fund. ICANN's Board has set aside USD2,000,000 to assist needy applicants. However, any applicant will have to prove that the domain is essential for a certain category of Internet users.
When application window closes on 12 April, the applicants will have to pass a great many of tests. In the event ICANN has no objections, the domain may be launched already in 9 months , i.e. in early 2013. In the event ICANN or a third party has objections, the processing of an application may be delayed for 20 or more months.
Applicants for the new domains are divided into several categories. Quite a fraction of prospective applicants are corporations keen to stake out their brand domain name (eg,.pepsi, .toyota). As well, many applications are expected to be submitted by communities (.music, .eco, and many others), geographical territories and cities (.africa, .moscow, .berlin). In Russia, top-level domains are also popular: for example, the Russian domain industry will apply for gTLDs .дети, .москва, .moscow, and .skolkovo.
