.INFO Addresses To Be Live By September 19

NEWTOWN, PA -- (INTERNET WIRE) -- 06/20/2001 -- Afilias, the registry selected by ICANN to operate the new .INFO top-level domain (TLD), today announced its formal registration schedule, which will commence on July 25, 2001. Registration for .INFO domain names will begin for trademark and service mark holders during the 'Sunrise Period' on July 25, 2001, and will begin for the general public on September 12, 2001. .INFO domain names are expected to become live and accessible through all web browsers on or about September 19, 2001.

"We are pleased that .INFO will be the first of the new TLDs to go live, providing internet users with a direct and intuitive way to quickly and simply create and share information around the world," said Hal Lubsen, interim CEO of Afilias. "Since .INFO will be the first unrestricted TLD to be introduced since .COM, we have worked closely with ICANN to ensure a fair and equitable introduction. These dates enable us to give both the trademark holder and registrar communities ample time to plan and prepare."

Rollout Schedule

.INFO names will become available for registration on July 25, 2001 with the Sunrise Period during which trademark holders and service mark holders will be able register their exact marks. On August 28, 2001 the Sunrise Period will close and will be followed by a 15-day Quiet Period for testing and evaluation. Any challenges to names registered during the Sunrise Period may be raised during the Sunrise Challenge process, which will commence on August 28 and continue for a duration of 120 days. On September 12, 2001 registration in the .INFO domain will be opened to the general public and will be governed without restrictions on who may register.

Afilias is currently in the Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) process of qualifying registrars to register domain names in the .INFO TLD. There are currently about 148 registrars accredited by ICANN, of which only 79 actively register the popular .COM domain names. To date, 88 accredited registrars have contacted ICANN expressing interest in registering .INFO names and over 60 are already in the process. A list of registrars who have completed the OT&E process and are accredited by Afilias to register .INFO names will soon be available at www.afilias.com

"With our world wide infrastructure already in place to support the launch of the first truly global domain name, we are confident that the rollout of .INFO will enable the introduction of domain names that will allow different communities the opportunity to more intuitively communicate through the Internet," said Roland LaPlante, Chief Marketing Officer for Afilias. "With more registrars interested in .INFO than even .COM, we are excited by the development of a global distribution network that can maximize the impact of this significant enhancement to the Internet."

Those interested in registering a .INFO name should contact their preferred ICANN-accredited registrar. Additional information on qualifications for the Sunrise Period as well as specifications on the Sunrise Challenge process is available at www.afilias.com/download/fact-sheets/sunrise-fact-sheet.html.