Can't pay, won't pay for Icann

The internet's governing body, Icann, is today facing a battle over domain names and a potential strike by the organisation that controls European web addresses.

The registrars of country codes like .de and .uk are angry at receiving a large bill last week for Icann's upkeep. Now Centr, an association of European country code registars, has threatened to cut off Icann's funding until detailed service level agreements are in place. The parties are set to meet at a summit meeting in Yokohama, Japan, today.

According to Richard Francis, lawyer for UK registrar Nominet, Centr has contributed half a million dollars to Icann over the last year, and they refuse to hand over any more money until the negotiations are complete.

Icann will also come under pressure to approve a number of new top-level domains (TLDs) - including .eu and .shop - that could be added to the stable of seven (.com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, and .org) now administered by Network Solutions in the US. But arguments over trademark dilution and technical obsolescence will dog the proceedings.

Companies who already own .com domains for their trademarks are concerned adding new TLDs will force them to scramble to protect their trademarks.

Joe Sims, lawyer for Icann, said: "I'm sure there are organisations that do not want the bother of new TLDs, but there is a public demand for new domain space. Tensions between domains and trademarks has always been a problem. I'm sure if you're a big company with your domain name sorted out, this is a big hassle for you, but that's not the only consideration."

Analysts expect Icann to move forward on a small number of TLDs, adopting a framework for their approval in Yokohama and looking to make them available by the end of the year.

Sims said: "The board will probably accept a variety of applications just to test different kinds of TLD and registry structures."

However, the real names movement may supercede the argument, freeing users from the need to remember a specific domain name. "I don't know how important the domain name issue will be in three years' time," said Johan Montelius, analyst with Jupiter. "You will type in a company name and your browser will be able to deduce what site you are looking for, and it will give you intelligent access to your bookmark list."

More information on the Yokohama meeting is available at www.icann.org.