ICANN to Expand Number of Top Level Domain Name Suffixes

The international governing body of the internet, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), announced that it will expand the domain name suffixes available for Internet addresses. Currently, Internet users are limited to 21 top level domain name suffixes, such as ".com", ".org", or ".info". A draft implementation plan proposes to make the approval process for domain name suffixes easier for applicants to successfully obtain approval. The wider availability of top level domain names will permit suffixes on various targeted topics or city based suffixes such as ".nyc", indicating New York City. Approval of a final implementation plan is not expected until 2009. Additionally, ICANN voted to invite public input on a proposal to permit Internet addresses in non-English languages such as the Russian Cyrillic alphabet and Asian and Arabic characters. For a News Release and presentation from ICANN, visit: http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-4-26jun08-en.htm; and http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-26jun08-en.htm For further information, see: http://tinyurl.com/5ucunu Summary by: Lauren Lodenquai