I wonder what the process for getting a new one approved would look like. For example, would Google be able to say, hey, we've got a large online presence, can we have the "google" gTLD?
If not, we have problems like it being possible to continuously create new TLDs and domain-squat on google.whatever or such.
If so, well, that's interesting, I actually can't wait for Google's url to be http://google. Maybe one day even //google.
The evaluation fee is estimated at US$185,000.
Applicants will be required to pay a US$5,000 deposit
fee per requested application slot when registering. The
US$5,000 will be credited against the evaluation fee
> Are there any additional costs I should be aware of in
applying for a new gTLD?
Yes. Applicants may be required to pay additional fees
in certain cases where specialized process steps are
applicable, and should expect to account for their own
business startup costs. See Section 1.5.2 of the Applicant
Guidebook.
If you withdraw after the 1st phase of the application (application submitted and all applicants are visibile for that TLD) then you are entitled to 70% refund, the second phase (once all eligible applicants have withstood the examination process and survived contention) 30%, when the bidding starts - nada.
Just wait. They'll sell the first few for hundreds of thousands (millions?) of dollars to Google, Pepsi, and Sony, and in 10 years they'll be on GoDaddy fo $20.
If not, we have problems like it being possible to continuously create new TLDs and domain-squat on google.whatever or such.
If so, well, that's interesting, I actually can't wait for Google's url to be http://google. Maybe one day even //google.
Good times, good times.