While ICANN is hoping to finalize the guidebook soon, public comment is important before putting everything together officially. Currently, ICANN hopes to launch the application by early 2011 and launch a second phase of application on the same year. The ICANN Board Meeting on Friday will have more specific announcements about this projection.

Also on Tuesday, ccNSO had a whole day session on the ccTLD developments, while the Registries Stakeholder Group focused on registry concerns and topics for improvements together with the registrars in a joint session. The 4th draft of the new gTLD guidebook is an important topic in both meetings. From these separate meetings, comments are expected to arise which are essential to the finalization of the new gTLD guidebook.

Meantime, ICANN is encouraging interested parties to learn more about the new gTLD. Tomorrow, there is a session called “Brand Management in the Age of New gTLDs” for everyone who is considering applying for a new gTLD. This session will discuss trademark issues, opportunities for brand positioning and marketing, as well as registrant rights and possible actions against abuse. There will be a separate session on helping “developing regions” take advantage of the new gTLD program to level the field with developed regions from where proponents could easily generate the required evaluation fee of US$185,000. This session is a product of the ICANN meeting in Nairobi, where it was concluded that ICANN has to provide assistance to prospective applicants from developing countries. However, ICANN’s supporting organizations first have to discuss factors to consider before deciding on “which applicants to support, with what kind of support.”