The New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program is a community-driven initiative that's enabling the continued expansion of the Domain Name System. Through the introduction of new gTLDs, including domain names in a variety of scripts and languages, the program aims to encourage innovation, competition, and consumer choice.
Navigating the Internet
Every computer on the Internet has a unique numerical address called an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The Domain Name System (DNS) makes the Internet more 'user-friendly' by allowing users to enter names, rather than having to remember a long string of numbers for the website they wish to visit.
Top-level domains form the last part of a domain name, appearing after the dot. For example, in the domain name icann.org, the characters 'org' identify the TLD.
Through the 2012 New gTLD Program, more than 1,200 new unique names like .futbol and .pizza, and names in other alphabets and languages, called Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), were added to the Internet. The addition of new gTLDs has helped to encourage innovation, competition, and consumer choice in the domain name industry.
Opportunities in Next Round
The New gTLD Program: Next Round gives businesses, communities, governments and other organizations the chance to apply for new top-level domains tailored to fit their organization, community, culture, language, and customer interests. (For some examples of how these groups have used gTLDs, please review our case studies from the 2012 round.)
The next round of new gTLDs will offer even more domain names in longer lengths and different scripts. These are an important part of the expansion of the DNS because they allow speakers of non-Latin-based languages to access the Internet using their own language or writing system.
In this way, new gTLDs provide global consumers with broader access – in their own languages – and more online identity choices, helping to promote competition and innovation.
The New gTLD Program: Next Round is being implemented by ICANN in line with community-developed policy recommendations contained in the Generic Names Supporting Organization's New gTLD Subsequent Procedures (Subpro) Policy Development Process Final Report.