.eco Pre-Register Domain - .eco Domain Information

a. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.

"ECO" is instantly and globally recognizable as being synonymous with the ecology, which relates to interactions between organisms and their environment. The .eco gTLD will promote responsible human interaction with our environment.

The .ECO domain will provide a niche Internet platform focused on environmental stewardship and sustainability. The availability of .ECO domains will create a sense of exclusivity, community, and specificity for online participants in the green/sustainability sector which is not presently available through existing/available domain names.
The mission of Planet.ECO, LLC is to provide a green-centric Internet space which is immediately recognized as the premier domain for commerce, information-sharing, and other activities within the green/sustainability sector. Planet.ECO, LLC's registry service will provide secure, stable, and superior customer service to purchasers of .ECO domains, while enhancing their Internet presence. For the green-conscious Internet user, .ECO will serve as a nexus of information, products, and services specifically committed to sustainability.
The .ECO domain will facilitate the distribution and exchange of information among relevant stakeholders by means of, but not limited to, websites, social networks, email and other technologies that will reside within the .ECO domain name space. In addition, and as technology needs advance and change, ancillary services may be provided in relation to registration of domains within the gTLD, including but not limited to website hosting, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), marketing and consulting services.
Because you care, as our slogan reads, Planet.ECO, LLC will contribute 5% of our pre-tax operating costs to causes that promote the sustainability of local communities and our planet.

b. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

The .ECO gTLD will benefit green-centric registrants by providing new space on the Internet which is specifically relevant to their endeavors. .ECO registrants who previously found their online presence was lost in the plethora of more generalized TLD's will have the opportunity to have a more prominent and more immediately recognizable Internet presence. The .ECO gTLD will create new branding and marketing opportunities for companies. This will be achieved by allowing those companies' client base to be immediately aware that they are eco-friendly and/or have a sustainability focus. .ECO will provide a more specific and relevant domain space for those who want to reach those seeking green products and services.

The user will be provided with a central resource for green products and services, as the specificity of the .ECO domain will cut down the user's encounter with irrelevant/unrelated information.

The availability of new gTLDs such as .ECO will benefit providers of ancillary services, including registry and hosting services, as the arrival of a new gTLD will create additional need for these services.

As the .ECO gTLD will promote sustainability, and as Planet.ECO will donate a portion of revenue from .ECO sales to environmental causes, the .ECO gTLD will provide the benefit even those who do not purchase our services. .ECO will be promoting global environmental stewardship, and the Earth is shared by all of us.


i. What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?

ii. What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?

iii. What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?

.ECO is intended to function with leading-edge technologies and business practices, ensuring a trustworthy and positive user experience. Online consumers demand reliable, scalable service offerings. Internet based commerce is no longer an afterthought and we recognize that registrants that choose a .ECO domain expect it to be available and secure. Planet .ECO, LLC has engaged AusRegistry International ("ARI") to provide registry services and support for .ECO domains. ARI has vast experience in managing TLDs, and otherwise in the domain name industry. We are confident in ARI's abilities to deliver excellent technical service to us, our registrars, and all .ECO registrants.

Planet.ECO intends to not only work with ARI for quality back-end service, we will also be offering the .ECO domain through select long-standing, customer-service driven domain registries to help support the owner of a .ECO domain name on the front-end once the purchase has been made.

We want to provide a valuable service at a fair price to those who are interested in environmental causes. We understand the importance of providing a stable, reliable, and secure technology platform that our customers can rely upon to provide their audience with ease of business and communications.

.ECO will provide an alternative to the current TLDs.
.ECO will serve as a differentiation force, as a distinctive Internet space that simplifies users' seeking out people and entities that identify with environmental causes, sustainable products and services, and all other activities within the green sector.

The availability of and potential registration of new domains with .ECO ultimately should foster competition by diverting the number of domain registrations with existing registration providers. This effect, multiplied by the advent of many new TLDs, would result in increased competition among the existing registration providers. This will create a need to compete more fiercely for the remaining business interest in their existing TLDs, and with many new organizations offering use and/or registration of new TLD domain names. The logical effect should be lower pricing and better service for all internet users.

Today it is often difficult to find a relevant and easily available domain name from existing registration providers. Even if one is found, often pricing is prohibitive because the domain name is only available on the secondary market. All new domains must be purchased from third parties and then managed as intellectual property assets.

Domain names are saturated and, in several instances, the ideal names for many companies have already been secured. In some cases, those ideal domain names may be unavailable due to cybersquatting. As an example, "John Doe" has a green business, but JohnDoe.com is likely already in use. Mr. Doe may have to lengthen his name to JohnDoeGreenProducts.com to properly brand himself on the internet. Long domain names are not ideal as they are harder for the consumer to recall and subject to typos making it cumbersome. Moreover, as undesirable as a longer domain name may be, even that name convention is probably already owned by another party. Mr. Doe may then decide he needs to buy ad space on an easy to find and recall green web site such as Planet Green. These are not the most ideal solutions as he has lost direct connection to his target audience and if he has to purchase ad space on another site, he has just increased his advertising budget and further, is not in control of the content or popularity of that site he places his ad on. With .ECO, John Doe can purchase JohnDoe.ECO, and in an instant, what he represents is evident and prominent.

These expenses and complications can be dramatically reduced over time through the expansion of gTLDs.

An ample supply of immediately available, relatively inexpensive domain names relevant to environmental actors and causes will thus foster competition and lessen the financial burden on new registrants seeking domain names to perpetuate their brands, businesses, organizations, or other objectives.


Planet .ECO LLC intends for users to perceive .ECO as a trustworthy indicator of the source of online information and services relevant environmental causes. We intend to provide a safe and legitimate Internet space, enhancing user experience by addressing ICANN mandated policies related to abuse prevention and mitigation, rights protection mechanisms, and security, as further described in our response to Questions 26, 28, 29, and 30.

Initially, Planet .ECO LLC has decided not to pursue IDNs for .ECO. It is our intent to incorporate IDN support in the future when the technology is more developed.


Provide a complete description of the applicant's intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.

The .ECO TLD will be open and unrestricted -- allowing anyone to select an appropriate .ECO domain name for their own legitimate purposes. Bad faith and other illegal uses of .ECO domain names will not be tolerated. The Company will implement an Acceptable Use Policy as further described in response to Question 28, and also will implement the UDRP, URS and all other ICANN-required rights protection mechanisms. Further, we will implement additional rights protection mechanisms as described in response to Questions 28 and 29.

v.Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.

Planet.ECO, LLC intends for users to perceive .ECO as a trustworthy provider of online information and services. User trust is enhanced when users are confident that their private or confidential information is securely protected. Planet.ECO, LLC intends to provide a safe and legitimate Internet space that enhances user experience by mitigating security-associated risks. With respect to WHOIS data, we intend to comply with ICANN policies and otherwise to ensure that complete and accurate WHOIS information is readily accessible for every .ECO domain name.

We intend to deploy DNSSEC and to comply with all of the other policies and practices required by ICANN in the Registry Agreement and/or via any Consensus Policy. Furthermore, Planet.ECO, LLC complies with all applicable laws and regulations relating to internet security and the privacy of users' confidential information.

As outlined in response to Question 30a, through ARI we are able to commit to the following:
- Safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of registrant's data.
- Compliance with the relevant regulation and legislation with respect to privacy.
- Working with law enforcement where appropriate in response to illegal activity or at the request of law enforcement agencies.
- Maintaining a best practice information security management system that continues to be ISO27001-compliant.
- Validating requests from external parties requesting data or changes to the registry to ensure the identity of these parties and that their request is appropriate. This includes requests from ICANN.
- That access to DNS and contact administrative facilities requires multi-factor authentication by the Registrar on behalf of the registrant. - That Registry data cannot be manipulated in any fashion other than those permitted to authenticated Registrars using the EPP or the SRS web interface. Authenticated Registrars can only access Registry data of domain names sponsored by them.
- A Domain transfer can only be done by utilizing the AUTH CODE provided to the Domain Registrant.
- Those emergency procedures are in place and tested to respond to extraordinary events affecting the integrity, confidentiality or availability of data within the registry.

This TLD is a generic TLD and as such requires security considerations that are commensurate with its purpose. Our goal with this TLD is to provide registrants with adequate protections against unauthorized changes to their names, without making the registration process too onerous and thus increasing costs.

ARI follows the highest security standards with respect to its Registry Operations. ARI is ISO 27001 certified and has been in the business of providing a Registry backend for 10 years. ARI have confirmed their adherence to all of the security standards as described in this application. As per recommendation 24 this ensures that the technical implementations do not compromise elevated security standards.

Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.

Registrants of the .ECO gTLD will be doing so in anticipation that this new domain space will provide them with meaningful and quickly recognizable name conventions which allow for domain names that match their focus and interests. As with the introduction of any new product or service, awareness needs to be raised to promote it. Outreach and communications will help Planet.ECO, LLC promote the .ECO gTLD, which in turn will provide registrants of .ECO with a robust, active Internet space.
Along with traditional forms of outreach, Internet-based technology has created various channels of communication, outlined below, which will give Planet.ECO, LLC the broad choices for communicating the availability of the new .ECO gTLD. Planet.ECO, LLC has the capability and expertise which will allow us to maximize outreach and communication through the following methods:

*Brand messaging through social networks. The explosion of technologies linking large populations of users has made reaching a wide audience significantly easier. Planet.ECO, LLC will continue to host social media pages and launch an active awareness campaign that will allow rapid awareness of .ECO.
*Co-marketing with Registrars. Early adopter and multiyear discounts will be offered.
*YouTube: Viral videos featuring the .ECO brand
*Philanthropy: Our contributions back to environmental causes will not only achieve our main goal of protecting the environment, they will help generate awareness of the .ECO gTLD.
*Print media (newspaper/magazine), television, radio, and direct marketing to businesses and brand holders.
*We will also seek endorsements from those well-known to promote sustainability (e.g., thought-leaders, academics, sustainability-minded organizations/groups, political and community leaders, etc).

c. What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?

Planet.ECO, LLC will vigilantly pursue policies, procedures and technologies that facilitate and maintain a safe and positive user experience. We will strive to reduce/eliminate fraud, cyber-squatting and other activities that degrade the user's trust are of paramount concern. Additionally, our procedures need to be simple for users to follow and the TLD needs to be easy to find and register.

Our technical answers will address the specifics in more detail. As previously noted, Planet.ECO, LLC has partnered with ARI because of their established architecture, security measures and proven platform.

By utilizing ARI, registrations will be handled through a proven network of registrars and will ensure proper care is taken to protect consumer data and facilitate timely and accurate registrations. Customer data will be protected as a result of the established processes at ARI.

How will multiple applications for a particular domain name be resolved, for example, by auction or on a first-come/first-serve basis?

Planet .ECO, LLC will offer a phased launch, consistent with many prior gTLD domain name launches. The goal will be to protect brand holders as well as other concerned parties from malicious practices and to ensure accuracy.
*First, a Sunrise Period will be offered (per ICANN's requirements), for trademark holders to register domain names that correspond to their marks. If there is more than one qualified Sunrise applicant, then they will be invited to participate in an auction to select the registrant of the contested name.
*A Landrush Phase period will follow to allow this opportunity to entities that may not have a brand to protect, but desire a specific domain. These will follow an application process and will not be on a first come first served basis. Applications for identical domains will follow a similar auction process.
*After the Landrush, we will make names generally available for open registration by any interested person or entity. This General Availability Period will open after the Landrush Period has closed and will allow unrestricted registrations of all unreserved, remaining and available names.

Our start-up plan provides for the orderly introduction of the .ECO TLD in a transparent manner, for the purpose of ensuring competition, fairness and reliability for ICANN-Accredited Registrars, registrants and the .ECO potential registrants. It is intended to create a stable and effective registration process for the benefit of the Internet community and affected stakeholders while minimizing the number of conflicts.

The goal of the Sunrise period is to allow prospective registrants with trademarks or other prior rights to register them as domains in the .ECO TLD and to resolve potential disputes arising from overlapping or inconsistent claims. Thus, the Sunrise period will ensure stable registry operations and prepare for full operations, allowing for the adjustment of policies and processes if required.

*Allows documented Trademark holders an opportunity to apply for 2nd-level domains.
*Competing applicants will be determined by closed auction at end of Sunrise period.
*Non-competing applicants will be awarded domain at end of Sunrise period and will pay registration fees for the domain.
*Minimum 2-year registration, maximum 10 years.

Landrush: The Landrush Period will allow for multiple applications for the same domain to be accepted through a fair and equitable procedure. It is open to General Public and will last between 3-6 Months
*Applications open for the general public.
*Not first come first served, applications are collected for the duration of Landrush.
*At end of the landrush phase, domains with single applications are awarded immediately with a 2-year term.
*Domains with multiple applications for same name will go to closed auction administered by Pool.com following close of Landrush period.
*Minimum 2-year registration, maximum 10 years

General Availability:
Full operations will provide continuous and stable registry operation. ARI will accept domain name registration requests from all ICANN-Accredited Registrars who have executed a contract with Planet.ECO, LLC. Registry Operator may from time to time update registration operations and procedures, as well as offer new products and services consistent with the Sponsored TLD Registry Agreement. Starts after completion of Landrush.
*Applications on a first-come, first-served basis
*Standard pricing for all registrations
*Standard policies
*The UDRP will be used to resolve trademark or name resolution disputes. All registrants agree to bound by the UDRP: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/gtld/udrp/
*Minimum 1-year registration, maximum 10 years

Planet.ECO, LLC also intends to reserve certain second and third level premium and special purpose names. Such names will be permanently reserved, operated or offered on the most appropriate basis including auctions. The Company will offer a good portion of these reserved names during the landrush period in order to drive traffic to the .ECO gTLD, thus enabling achievement of our goals and objectives at this stage. Planet.ECO, LLC e Company may also withhold some reserved premium names for subsequent offering during the General Availability period.

Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement (e.g., advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, bulk registration discounts)

Planet.ECO, LLC intends to promote early adoption of the .ECO TLD by initially offering discounts for multi-year registrations and for purchase of multiple domain registrations. A registrant who chooses a multi-year registration will pay less for the second and successive years which are paid in advance. A registrant who chooses to register multiple domain names at one time will receive a discount on the second and successive registrations made at the same time. Registrants may combine both discounts, for even greater savings.

From time to time promotional campaigns and special offers will be provided equally to the registrars. Market conditions will drive many of the promotions and marketing messages.

Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation?

Planet.ECO, LLC intends to make clear contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation upon renewal. Planet.ECO, LLC will not raise the base price (exclusive of any discounts, taxes, etc.) of .ECO domain name renewals by more than 10 percent in any calendar year.

22. We have engaged ARI Registry Services (ARI) to deliver services for this TLD. This response describes protection of geographic names as implemented by ARI.

1 PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES

In accordance with Specification 5 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement, the registry operator must initially reserve all geographic names at the second level, and at all other levels within the TLD at which the registry operator provides for registrations.
ARI supports this requirement by using the following internationally recognised lists to develop a comprehensive master list of all geographic names that are initially reserved:
- The 2-letter alpha-2 code of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including all reserved and unassigned codes [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm].
- The short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 List, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#EU].
- The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardisation of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World. This lists the names of 193 independent States generally recognised by the international community in the language or languages used in an official capacity within each country and is current as of August 2006 [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn%20tech%20ref%20manual_M87_combined.pdf].
- The list of UN member states in six official UN languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the standardisation of Geographical Names [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/UNGEGN/docs/9th-uncsgn-docs/econf/9th_UNCSGN_e-conf-98-89-add1.pdf].
Names on this reserved list in ARI's registry system are prevented from registration.
A corresponding list of geographic names will also be available to the public via the registry operator's website, to inform Registrars and potential registrants of reserved names. The lists noted above, are regularly monitored for revisions, therefore the reserved list (both within the registry and publicly facing) will be continually updated to reflect any changes.
In addition to these requirements, ARI are able to support the wishes of the Governmental Advisory Council (GAC) or any individual Government in regard to the blocking of individual terms on a case by case basis. ARI's registry system allows such additions to be made by appropriately authorised staff, with no further system development changes required.
The following applies to all Domain Names contained within the registry's reserved list:
- Attempts to register listed Domain Names will be rejected.
- WhoIs queries for listed Domain Names will receive responses indicating their reserved status.
- Reserved geographic names will not appear in the TLD zone file.
- DNS queries for reserved domain names will result in an NXDOMAIN response.

2 PROCEDURES FOR RELEASE

We understand that if we wish to release the reserved names at a later date, this will require approval from ICANN and/or a change in current policy.