Neustar to Acquire .CO Internet S.A.S.; Terms Undisclosed

Neustar has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire .CO Internet S.A.S. and certain associated assets. .CO Internet is the exclusive operator of the worldwide registry for the .co ccTLD, which has been rebranded as a gTLD.

Since its global relaunch in 2010, registrations have grown to more than 1.6 million in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Neustar has an existing partnership with .CO Internet to provide registry services and infrastructure support for .co extensions, the ccTLD assigned to Colombia.

“The acquisition of .CO Internet is a natural fit for us given our successful partnership over the past four years and our domain name expertise,” said Lisa Hook, president and CEO of Neustar. “By combining .CO Internet’s innovative domain marketing capabilities with Neustar’s distribution network and technical resources, we will be able to broaden our registry services and the .co brand worldwide, while creating shareholder value.”

The acquisition of .CO Internet expands Neustar’s registry services, which maintains the .biz and .us TLDs and has been selected to provide services for up to 350 new gTLDs.

To provide perspective, .CO Internet exited 2013 with an annual revenue run-rate of $21 million. However, business combination accounting principles require Neustar to adjust the acquired deferred revenue to fair value. This adjustment to fair value often results in a write-down of deferred revenue that will reduce future revenue recognised as the services are performed, typically over a one year period. During 2013, Neustar recorded $4 million in revenue for its role as the back-end provider for .CO Internet, which will be eliminated upon consolidation. In addition, results for the first quarter of 2014 will include pursuit costs associated with this transaction.

The acquisition is subject to standard closing conditions and is expected to close within one month. Following the acquisition, .CO Internet, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neustar, will continue to manage the .co domain extensions from its headquarters in Bogota, Colombia.

Four New gTLDs Delegated : .AXA, .Cologne, .Trade and .Webcam

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced that four other new gTLDs were delegated, bringing the total number to 177.

The four new gTLDs are :

.axa TLD Delegation               Category: Brand TLD
.cologne TLD Delegation        Category: Geo TLD
.trade TLD Delegation             Category: Commerce
.webcam TLD Delegation       Category: Technology

Here are all the 177 new gTLDs delegated so far :

.世界 (xn--rhqv96g) – Chinese for “world/shijie”
.机构 (xn--nqv7f) – Chinese for “agencies/institutions”
.”संगठन – Hindi for “organization/sangathana”
.组织机构 – Chinese for “organization”.
12 March 2014     .世界 (xn--rhqv96g) – Chinese for “world/shijie”     Stable Tone Limited
9 March 2014     .机构 (xn--nqv7f) – Chinese for “agencies/institutions”     Public Interest Registry
9 March 2014     .”संगठन (xn--i1b6b1a6a2e) – Hindi for “organization/sangathana”     Public Interest Registry
9 March 2014     .组织机构 (xn--nqv7fs00ema) – Chinese for “organization”     Public Interest Registry
5 March 2014     .орг (xn--c1avg) – Russian for “organization/org”     Public Interest Registry
5 March 2014     .KOELN     NetCologne Gesellschaft für Telekommunikation mbH
2 March 2014     .OKINAWA     BusinessRalliart Inc.
2 March 2014     .VOTE     Monolith Registry LLC
2 March 2014     .VOTO     Monolith Registry LLC
2 March 2014     .BID     dot Bid Limited
5 March 2014     .OPR     Public Interest Registry
5 March 2014     .KOELN     NetCologne Gesellschaft für Telekommunikation mbH
27 February 2014     .BAR     Punto 2012 Sociedad Anonima Promotora de Inversion de Capital Variable
27 February 2014     .KRED     KredTLD Pty Ltd
27 February 2014     .BEST     BestTLD Pty Ltd
26 February 2014     .CHRISTMAS     Uniregistry, Corp.
26 February 2014     .PUB     United TLD Holdco, Ltd.
26 February 2014     .дети     The Foundation for Network Initiatives “The Smart Internet”
26 February 2014     .ACTOR     United TLD Holdco, Ltd.
25 February 2014     .SUPPLIES     Atomic Fields, LLC
21 February 2014     .FISH     Fox Woods, LLC
21 February 2014     .삼성      Samsung SDS Co., LTD
21 February 2014     .VACATIONS     Atomic Tigers, LLC
21 February 2014     .INDUSTRIES     Outer House, LLC
21 February 2014     .SUPPLY     Half Falls, LLC
19 February 2014     .XYZ
19 February 2014     .WIKI     Top Level Design, LLC
19 February 2014     .NEUSTAR     NeuStar, Inc,
18 February 2014     .بازار (xn--mgbab2bd) – Arabic for “bazaar/bazar”     CORE Association
16 February 2014     .MANGO     Punto FA S.L.
12 February 2014     .QPON     dotCOOL, Inc.
11 February 2014     .CARDS     Foggy Hollow, LLC
11 February 2014     .FOUNDATION     John Dale, LLC
11 February 2014     .REVIEWS     United TLD Holdco, Ltd.
11 February 2014     .FUTBOL     United TLD Holdco, Ltd.
11 February 2014     .VISION     Koko Station, LLC
11 February 2014     .CONDOS     Pine House, LLC
11 February 2014     .VILLAS     Koko Station, LLC
11 February 2014     .PARTS     Sea Goodbye, LLC
11 February 2014     .PRODUCTIONS     Magic Birch, LLC
11 February 2014     .MAISON     Victor Frostbite, LLC
5 February 2014     . 移动 (xn--6frz82g) – Chinese for “mobile”     Afilias Limited
5 February 2014     .BLUE     Afilias Limited
4 February 2014     .FLIGHTS     Fox Station, LLC
4 February 2014     .CLEANING     Fox Shadow, LLC
4 February 2014     .REPORT     Binky Glen, LLC
4 February 2014     .EVENTS     Pioneer Maple, LLC
4 February 2014     .CRUISES     Spring Way, LLC
4 February 2014     .RENTALS     Big Hollow, LLC
4 February 2014     .PARTNERS     Magic Glen, LLC
4 February 2014     .PROPERTIES     Big Pass, LLC
4 February 2014     .CATERING     New Falls, LLC
4 February 2014     .EXPOSED     Victor Beach, LLC
29 January 2014     .VOTING     Valuetainment, Corp.
29 January 2014     .TOKYO     GMO Registry, Inc.
29 January 2014     .NAGOYA     GMO Registry, Inc.
27 January 2014     .DATING     Pine Fest, LLC
27 January 2014     .COMMUNITY     Fox Orchard, LLC
23 January 2014     .BOUTIQUE     Over Galley, LLC
23 January 2014     .BARGAINS     Half Hallow, LLC
23 January 2014     .TIENDA     Victor Manor, LLC
23 January 2014     .WORKS     Little Dynamite, LLC
23 January 2014     .WED     Atgron, Inc.
23 January 2014     .EXPERT     Magic Pass, LLC
23 January 2014     .WATCH     Sand Shadow, LLC
23 January 2014     .KIM     Afilias Limited
23 January 2014     .COOL     Koko Lake, LLC
23 January 2014     .TOOLS     Pioneer North, LLC
18 January 2014     .CLUB     .Club Domains, LLC
18 January 2014     .BUILD     Plan Bee, LLC
18 January 2014     .PICS     Uniregistry, Corp.
18 January 2014     .PINK     Afilias Limited
18 January 2014     .LUXURY     Luxury Partners, LLC
18 January 2014     .PHOTO     Uniregistry, Corp.
18 January 2014     .GIFT     Uniregistry, Corp.
18 January 2014     .网络 (xn--io0a7i) – Chinese for “network”     Computer Network Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences (China Internet Information Center)
18 January 2014     .公司 (xn--55qx5d) – Chinese for “company”     Computer Network Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences (China Internet Information Center)
18 January 2014     .MONASH     Monash University
18 January 2014     .RICH     I-REGISTRY Ltd. Niederlassung Deutschland
18 January 2014     .RED     Afilias Limited
18 January 2014     .SHIKSHA     Afilias Limited
18 January 2014     .中信 (xn--fiq64b) – Chinese for “CITIC”     CITIC Group Corporation
18 January 2014     .LINK     Uniregistry, Corp.
18 January 2014     .GUITARS     Uniregistry, Corp.
14 January 2014     .ZONE     Outer Falls, LLC
14 January 2014     .CHEAP     Sand Cover, LLC
14 January 2014     .MARKETING     Fern pass, LLC
14 January 2014     .DEMOCRAT     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
14 January 2014     .SOCIAL     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
14 January 2014     .AGENCY     Steel Falls, LLC
14 January 2014     .MODA     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
14 January 2014     .DANCE     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
8 January 2014     .BERLIN     dotBERLIN GmbH & Co. KG
3 January 2014     集团 (xn--3bst00m) – Chinese for “group”     Eagle Horizon Limited
3 January 2014     我爱你 (xn--6qq986b3xl) – Chinese for “I love you”     Tycoon Treasure Limited
3 January 2014     中文网 (xn--fiq228c5hs) – Chinese for “Chinese network”     TLD Registry Limited
3 January 2014     .WANG     Zodiac Leo Limited
3 January 2014     .KIWI     Dot Kiwi Limited
3 January 2014     .WIEN     punkt.wien GmbH
2 January 2014     .EMAIL     Spring Madison, LLC
2 January 2014     .IMMOBILIEN     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
2 January 2014     .在线 (xn--3ds443g) – Chinese for “online”     TLD Registry Limited
28 December 2013     .INSTITUTE     Outer Maple, LLC
28 December 2013     .CEO     CEOTLD Pty Ltd
28 December 2013     .SOLAR     Ruby Town, LLC
28 December 2013     .FARM     Just Maple, LLC
28 December 2013     .EDUCATION     Brice Way, LLC
28 December 2013     .GLASS     Black Cover, LLC
28 December 2013     .ONL     I-REGISTRY Ltd. Niederlassung Deutschland
28 December 2013     .INTERNATIONAL     Wild Way, LLC
28 December 2013     .CODES     Puff Willow, LLC
28 December 2013     .TRAINING     Wild Willow, LLC
28 December 2013     .HOUSE     Sugar Park, LLC
28 December 2013     .KAUFEN     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
28 December 2013     .NINJA     United TLD Holdco Ltd.
28 December 2013     .REPAIR     Lone Sunset, LLC
28 December 2013     .BUILDERS     Atomic Madison, LLC
28 December 2013     .COFFEE     Trixy Cover, LLC
28 December 2013     .FLORIST     Half Cypress, LLC
28 December 2013     .HOLIDAY     Goose Woods, LLC
28 December 2013     .SOLUTIONS     Silver Cover, LLC
18 December 2013     .BUZZ     dotStrategy Co.
18 December 2013     .SUPPORT     Grand Orchard, LLC
17 December 2013     .RECIPES     Grand Island, LLC
17 December 2013     .COMPUTER     Pine Mill, LLC
17 December 2013     .ACADEMY     Half Oaks, LLC
17 December 2013     .CAREERS     Wild Corner, LLC
17 December 2013     .CAB     Half Sunset, LLC
17 December 2013     公益 (xn--55qw42g)      China Organizational Name Administration Center
17 December 2013     政务 (xn--zfr164b)     China Organizational Name Administration Center
17 December 2013     .SYSTEMS     Dash Cypress, LLC
17 December 2013     .DOMAINS     Sugar Cross, LLC
17 December 2013     .VIAJES     Black Madison, LLC
17 December 2013     .COMPANY     Silver Avenue, LLC
17 December 2013     .CAMP     Delta Dynamite, LLC
17 December 2013     .LIMO     Hidden Frostbite, LLC
17 December 2013     .MANAGEMENT     John Goodbye, LLC
17 December 2013     .PHOTOS     Sea Corner, LLC
17 December 2013     .SHOES     Binky Galley, LLC
17 December 2013     .CENTER     Tin Mill, LLC
10 December 2013     .RUHR     Regiodot GmbH & Co. KG
30 November 2013     .MENU     Wedding TLD2, LLC
30 November 2013     .UNO     Dot Latin, LLC
23 November 2013     みんな (xn--q9jyb4c) – Japanese for “everyone”     Charleston Road Registry, Inc.
19 November 2013     .diamonds     John Edge, LLC
19 November 2013     .tips     Corn Willow, LLC
19 November 2013     .photography     Sugar Glen, LLC
19 November 2013     .directory     Extra Madison, LLC
19 November 2013     .enterprises     Snow Oaks, LLC
19 November 2013     .kitchen     Just Goodbye, LLC
19 November 2013     .today     Pearl Woods, LLC
14 November 2013     .plumbing     Spring Tigers, LLC
14 November 2013     .graphics     Over Madison, LLC
14 November 2013     .contractors     Magic Woods, LLC
14 November 2013     .gallery     Sugar House, LLC
14 November 2013     .sexy     Uniregistry, Corp.
14 November 2013     .construction     Fox Dynamite, LLC
14 November 2013     .tattoo     Uniregistry, Corp.
14 November 2013     .technology     Auburn Falls
14 November 2013     .estate     Trixy Park, LLC
14 November 2013     .land     Pine Moon, LLC
14 November 2013     .bike     Grand Hollow, LLC
06 November 2013     .VENTURES     Binky Lake, LLC
06 November 2013     .CAMERA     Atomic Maple, LLC.
06 November 2013     .CLOTHING     Steel Lake, LLC
06 November 2013     .LIGHTING     John McCook, LLC
06 November 2013     .SINGLES     Fern Madison, LLC
06 November 2013     .VOYAGE     Ruby House, LLC
06 November 2013     .GURU     Pioneer Cypress, LLC
06 November 2013     .HOLDINGS     John Madison, LLC
06 November 2013     .EQUIPMENT     Corn Station, LLC
23 October 2013     شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd)     International Domain Registry Pty. Ltd.
23 October 2013     онлайн (xn--80asehdb)      CORE Association
23 October 2013     сайт (xn--80aswg)      CORE Association
23 October 2013     游戏(xn--unup4y) –     Spring Fields, LLC

US Government Changes To IANA Won’t Happen Until Internet Security, Stability And Resiliency Protected

The US Government’s proposal to convene global stakeholders to develop a proposal to transition the US government’s stewardship of the Domain Name System through its contract with ICANN to run IANA will not happen unless “any transition plan [meets] the conditions of supporting the multistakeholder process and protecting the security, stability and resiliency of the internet.”

The clarification by Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling followed some criticisms that the move, which was first outlined by the US Government in 1997, could lead to unscrupulous countries getting hold of the keys to the internet.

Criticisms of the move came largely from US Republicans and the right. Sarah Palin said the US was “surrendering our control of the internet” and that it “is a colossal foreign policy error with long term negative repercussions for freedom.”

And writing in the Wall Street Journal, Gordon Crovitz quoted ICANN Founding Chair Esther Dyson saying “”In the end, I’d rather pay a spurious tax to people who want my money than see [Icann] controlled by entities who want my silence.”

Dyson goes on to say she fears UN oversight is a “fate worse than death” for the internet. Although the US is unlikely to allow the UN to take over the IANA function.

Crovitz then concludes “the alternative to control over the Internet by the U.S. is not the elimination of any government involvement. It is, rather, the involvement of many other governments, some authoritarian, at the expense of the U.S. Unless the White House plan is reversed, Washington will hand the future of the Web to the majority of countries in the world already on record hoping to close the open Internet.”

But it is likely these fears are unfounded in any semblance of truth. Strickling’s last three paragraphs note:
Our announcement has led to some misunderstanding about our plan with some individuals raising concern that the U.S. government is abandoning the Internet. Nothing could be further from the truth. This announcement in no way diminishes our commitment to preserving the Internet as an engine for economic growth and innovation. We will continue to advocate for U.S. interests and an open Internet through our role on ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) and in other international venues including the Internet Governance Forum.

We have been clear throughout this process that any transition plan must meet the conditions of supporting the multistakeholder process and protecting the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet. I have emphasized that we will not accept a proposal that replaces NTIA’s role with a government-led or an inter-governmental solution. Until the community comes together on a proposal that meets these conditions, we will continue to perform our current stewardship role.

We look forward to a spirited discussion from the global multistakeholders as they begin discussions on the transition plan at the ICANN meeting in Singapore next week. I am confident that the global community will ultimately develop a thoughtful and appropriate transition plan that the U.S. Government will fully embrace.

General Availability for .Support, .Training, .Solutions, .Email, .Builders and .Uno Starts Today

Donuts entered EAP general availability today for other five other new gTLDs : .Support, .Training, .Solutions, .Email, .Builders. General availability for .UNO also starts today.

Donuts will continue its expansion of Internet namespace by opening 5 new gTLD for general availability on March 26,2014.The five new gTLDs are :

Repair
.Camp
.Education
.Institute
.Glass

EAP (Early Acces Registrations) are available in the first seven days of a gTLD’s general availability.

Organizations, individuals and businesses that are interested in registering a new gTLD can register a domain name on a first-come ,first served non-restricted basis.

Accommodation.com Wins Weekly Sales List at $286,000

Accommodation.com,sold for $286,000,topped Domain Name Journal sales list of reported domain names for the last week,ending March 16,2014.

Sedo had a great week in the sales chart,taking 21 of the top 26 positions .Correspondingly,GoDaddy/Afternic took 4 of the top 20 positions .

.COM dominated once again the list,with 18 of the top 26 positions.

Here are the top 20 positions for the two weeks ending March 16,2014 :

1. Accommodation.com     $286,000
2. QY.com     $100,000
3. Jamrock.com     $68,750
4. 1905.com     $57,000
5. Trace.com     $50,000
6. iMeeting.com     $47,750
7. Homify.fr     $27,800
8. AmericanGreen.com     $25,000
9. Consulting.de $21,545
10. BestOnlineCasino.co.uk     $21,497
11. CarParts24.com     $20,850
12. E-B.de   $19,460
13. Shout.co     $19,000
14. Dolor.com     $16,500
15.tie     360Power.com     $15,000
15.tie     Payability.com     $15,000
17.tie     RouteRadar.nl     $13,900
17.tie     ZZPhone.com     $13,900
19.     BrokerExpress.com     $11,500
20.tie     DestinFloridaCondoRentals.com     $10,000
20.tie     EveryTown.com     $10,000
20.tie     HFF.org     $10,000
20.tie     HomeTechnology.com     $10,000
20.tie     Mobile.asia     $10,000
20.tie     Pujiang.com     $10,000
20.tie     Seedr.com     $10,000