.XXX gTLD News Bulletin

On March 18, 2011, ICANN approved ICM Registry’s .XXX top-level domain (TLD).  To hedge against an obvious public relations nightmare (think http://www.[yourbrand].xxx) and future infringement, you can take preventative action through ICM Registry’s Sunrise Period.

Sunrise B (applicable to those with registered trademarks) gives intellectual property owners a window to submit their trademarked terms and, if approved, create an indefinite reservation or blocking of the term. A one-time fee is planned to cover the submission, processing and validation of the relevant right.

When does the Sunrise Period start? ICM anticipates the Sunrise Period will begin 60-90 days from the date the contract is signed between ICM and ICANN, and is scheduled to last no longer than 30 days. This means that the Sunrise Period could begin as early as the second quarter of 2011. To view more information about the Sunrise Period, visit icmregistry.com/about/sunrise.php and icmregistry.com/Sunrise/ICM.html.

What can be done NOW? ICM Registry is currently accepting defensive registration “wish lists” from intellectual property owners. Submitting your wish list of domain names is fairly simple, and can be done by registering at domains.icmregistry.com/reserve.html. However, actual Sunrise applications will need to be submitted through an ICANN accredited registrar when Sunrise B opens.

Sequel encourages you to take advantage of “wish lists” and Sunrise Period B. If you require assistance in either process, please do not hesitate to contact us.