.SFR New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Societe Francaise du Radiotelephone - SFR
Application Downloaded On: 28 Jul 2015
String: SFR
Application ID: 1-1686-61159
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
Societe Francaise du Radiotelephone - SFR
- Address of the principal place of business
12, rue Jean-Philippe Rameau - CS 80001 - 93634 La Plaine Saint-Denis CEDEX
- Phone number
+33 1 85 062207
- Fax number
+33 1 71 08 29 75
- If applicable, website or URL
http://www.sfr.com
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Claire Chamard
6(b). Title
Intellectual Property Manager
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
+33185062207
6(e). Fax Number
+33173505884
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Elisabeth Duval
7(b). Title
Directeur Juridique Contentieux
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
+33 1 71 07 75 65
7(e). Fax Number
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
SA - Societe Anonyme
8(b). State the specific national or other jurisdiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
A "society anonyme" is the equivalent of a limited liability company, as defined by French Law.
8(c). Attach evidence of the applicant's establishment.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
9(a). If applying company is publicly traded, provide the exchange and symbol.
9(b). If the applying entity is a subsidiary, provide the parent company.
9(c). If the applying entity is a joint venture, list all joint venture partners.
Applicant Background
11(a). Name(s) and position(s) of all directors
Name
Position
Capron Philippe Gaston Henri Director
Dubos Jean-Français Stephane Maurice Director
Esser Franck Eberhard Chairman of the Board
Levy Jean Bernard Director
Roussel Stephane Rene Pierre Director
Trotot Pierre Hubert CEO
Turrini Regis Director
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
Name
Position
Eric IOOS Directeur General SI
Franck CADORET Directeur General Grand public-Professionnels
Jean-Dominique PIT Directeur de la strategie
Jeremie MANIGNE Directeur General Innovation, Services et contenus
Marie-Christine THERON Directeur Generale Ressources Humaines
Pierre BARNABE Directeurs General Business Team
Pierre-Alain ALLEMAND Directeur General Reseaux
Trotot Pierre Hubert CEO
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
Name
Position
Numericable Not Applicable
11(d). For an applying entity that does not have directors, officers, partners, or shareholders: Name(s) and position(s) of all individuals having legal or executive responsibility
Applied-for gTLD string
- Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.
SFR
14A. If applying for an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14B. If an IDN, provide the meaning, or restatement of the string in English, that is, a description of the literal meaning of the string in the opinion of the applicant.
14C1. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14C2. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14D1. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14D2. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14E. If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15A. If an IDN, upload IDN tables for the proposed registry. An IDN table must include:
the applied-for gTLD string relevant to the tables,
the script or language designator (as defined in BCP 47),
table version number,
effective date (DD Month YYYY), and
contact name, email address, and phone number.
Submission of IDN tables in a standards-based format is encouraged.
15B. Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15C. List any variants to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.
- Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string. If such issues are known, describe steps that will be taken to mitigate these issues in software and other applications.
As is the case with any new TLD that is added to the DNS root zone, some general technical acceptance issues with the delegation of this TLD are expected. The back-end registry services provider selected by the Applicant has a significant experience in introducing new TLDs to the DNS root, including .EU in 2005 and .SX in 2010.
The applied-for gTLD string consists only of ASCII characters (no IDN), which significantly reduces the risk of introducing confusion for the general public of character similarity.
Together with its selected back-end registry operator, the Applicant has carried out a series of tests in order to review whether the .SFR TLD presented any operational or rendering issues. This included the deployment of a testing infrastructure that operated:
-a SRS (Shared Registration System) for the .SFR TLD of which the features have been limited to what was strictly necessary to carry out the tests described below
-a WHOIS system, displaying domain names registered in the test environment of the .SFR registry
-an EPP and web interface for registrars
-a DNS system, serving authoritative responses for the .SFR TLD
-a web server on which different basic websites were deployed
-an email server with mailboxes linked to various test domain names registered in the TLD and entered into a limited zone file which was made available through the DNS system referred to above.
The following tests have been carried out, by connecting various clients to the infrastructure described above:
-logging into the .SFR SRS with a registrar account – using both EPP and Web interfaces
-perform basic transactions (create, update, delete, transfer, allocate name servers, etc.) with this registrar test account
-generation of a test-zone file for this TLD
-navigation to and within websites using both direct navigation to the respective domain names and navigation through hyperlinks displayed on the web sites that were hosted in the testing environment
-sending FTP requests to and receiving correct responses from FTP environments matched to domain names registered in the .SFR testing environment
-sending email messages to and receiving email messages from domain names registered in the TLD’s testing environment.
Within each of the above steps, the Applicant and its selected back-end registry operator reviewed:
-whether registrar transactions with respect to these domain names were performed successfully
-whether the zone file was correctly generated and deployed in the DNS of the test environment
-whether domain names registered in the TLD displayed correctly in browser address bars and email clients
-whether email filters, spam detectors, etc. were correctly functioning.
Using the most common web browsers, email and FTP clients, etc., these tests have been carried out successfully. Therefore, to the Applicant’s best knowledge and belief, no specific issues are to be expected as regards the operation and rendering of the .SFR gTLD.
- OPTIONAL.
Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
18A. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
The Applicant, Societe Francaise du Radiotelephone – SFR (hereinafter: “SFR”), is one of the largest providers (and first alternative provider) of mobile telecommunications services and Internet access providers in France. SFR SA is a 100% subsidiary of the Numericable.
According to the Applicant, the mission and purpose of the .SFR gTLD are manifold, as will be further explained below:
- first and foremost: securing and protecting the Applicant’s key brand (“SFR”) as a gTLD;
- reflecting the SFR brand at the top level of the DNS’ hierarchy;
- providing stakeholders of the Applicant with a recognizable and trusted identifier on the Internet. Such stakeholders include, but are not limited to:
- its subsidiaries;
- about (include rounded number of) official dealers and retailers of SFR’s products and services;
- affiliate partners;
- sponsors;
- prospective and current customers (currently, SFR SA has more than 20 million customers); and
- directors and officers of SFR SA and its subsidiaries, including about 10,000 employees.
- providing such stakeholders with a secure and safe Internet environment, under the control of the Applicant, in which they are able to obtain genuine information from and communicate with the Applicant and its approved stakeholders;
- providing a central point of access that is useful and secure, where prospective and current customers might utilize services, such as recharge, bill pay, contracting, and phone purchase, etc., currently offered through http:⁄⁄www.SFR.fr and various other websites.
18B. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
SFR SA intends to organize the registry operation for .SFR in such a manner that it will minimize the likelihood of having multiple applications or registration requests for a particular domain name.
According to SFR SA, this can be achieved in any of the following ways, which likely needs to be further refined following ICANN’s award and delegation of the .SFR gTLD to SFR SA:
- SFR is the Applicant’s distinctive and most recognized household brand;
- From the Applicant’s perspective, .SFR may bring a high degree of recognition and specialization to the currently existing name space. Where in most cases the specific connotation that has been initially given to gTLDs (or even ccTLDs) has disappeared, the .SFR top-level domain is currently intended to be unambiguous as regards:
- the identity of SFR SA as the Registry Operator;
- the source of the content and services offered under the .SFR gTLD;
- the affiliation between the Registry Operator and the gTLD; and
- in term, and at the discretion of SFR SA, the affiliation between the Registry Operator and any third party that is authorized by SFR SA to register and⁄or use one or more domain name registrations in the .SFR gTLD.
- As mentioned in the vision and mission statement above, the key reasons why the Applicant is applying for .SFR include, but are not limited to:
- Securing and protecting the SFR brand as a generic top-level domain;
SFR SA holds various registered trademarks for SFR. The main reason for which SFR SA submits this application for the .SFR gTLD is that it wants to prevent third parties from securing the gTLD that is identical to SFR SA’s highly distinctive and reputable brand.
- Marketing and branding: reflecting the Applicant’s key brand SFR at the top-level of the DNS’ hierarchy;
- Safety and security; and
- Implementing measures – in the near or distant future – to mitigate counterfeiting and piracy.
- The Applicant intends to implement the following policies and procedures with respect to the registration of domain names in the .SFR top-level domain:
(i) reservation and registration of domain names in the name of SFR SA. It is likely that this will be the scenario that SFR SA will put in place during the first months or even years of operation of the .SFR gTLD.
These names may include, but are not limited to:
- descriptive names, referring to the actual day-to-day business activities of the Applicant or its Affiliates;
- descriptive names, referring to the internal departments of the Applicant;
- descriptive names, referring to the subsidiaries, affiliates and⁄or joint ventures of the Applicant; and
- various trademarks or variants thereof registered and⁄or used by SFR;
- potentially also names relating to other stakeholders of SFR SA, to be determined by SFR SA following ICANN’s award and delegation of the .SFR gTLD to SFR SA.
(ii) launch of the TLD: if and when implemented by the Registry Operator, this is likely going to be a gradual process, whereby selected third parties that meet certain criteria, which SFR SA will be entitled to set at its own discretion, may register domain names in the .SFR gTLD. These processes may include the following:
- Sunrise: allow physical persons, organizations and entities that meet the eligibility requirements determined by SFR SA at that point in time to choose and, where allowed by SFR SA, to register the domain names that are identical to their trademarks; and
- Land rush and general availability: other available domain names may be registered by physical persons, organizations and entities that meet the eligibility requirements in force at that point in time to choose the domain names in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions.
Depending on the terms and conditions in force at the time of launch of the gTLD, these domain names may or may not be registered in the name of the applicant for the domain name or in the name of the Registry Operator of the gTLD (i.e., SFR SA). In any case, SFR SA reserves the right to impose additional and other restrictions from time to time at its sole discretion.
- Given the fact that the Applicant is a company that is established in France, it is subject to national privacy and data protection rules and practices. In particular, given the fact that the French and European data protection authorities have issued strict guidelines, SFR SA will at all times be obliged to carefully consider and, where applicable, implement these policies, and this prior to and during the operation of the .SFR gTLD.
- The Applicant is a corporation that has been established in and has been trading under the SFR brand since 1988).
At this stage, SFR SA has not developed concrete and tangible plans in order to move its online activities from SFR.fr and many other active domain names used by SFR SA and its subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures. However, the Applicant has different ways to make existing and future customers, visitors and stakeholders aware of the (gradual) development of a new online environment under the .SFR TLD, including but not limited to:
- Direct and indirect marketing and branding initiatives;
- Brochures and advertisements in newspapers, magazines, etc.;
- Internet advertising campaigns, including paid search, pay-per-click advertising, etc.;
- Having Internet traffic to the SFR.fr or other domain names resolving into domain names registered in the .SFR gTLD, which builds awareness with Internet users that the .SFR gTLD exists; and
- Email marketing campaigns.
18C. 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?
In line with SFR SA’s mission and purpose for the .SFR gTLD, it is first and foremost important for SFR SA to safeguard and protect its SFR trademark at the top level of the DNS’ hierarchy. Such protection does not only extend to the actual registration, delegation and use of the gTLD, but also to the domain names that are registered therein, and how these domain names are used.
Considering the fact that the actual award and delegation of the .SFR gTLD to SFR SA is subject to the successful evaluation of our application, we have not yet defined in detail:
- the types of domain names that will be registered;
- who will be entitled to select which domain names will be registered;
- who will be entitled to register such domain names;
- who will be entitled to use such domain names; and
- which types of use will be allowed or recommended.
As we believe that the development and implementation of one or more business cases could likely take a couple of months or even years, we have only focused on a number of high-level characteristics of our plans in relation to the operation of the .SFR gTLD.
By all means, it is in SFR SA’s vested interest to, on the one hand, make the most of this initiative, promote its own business interests, and mitigate risks for its brand and brand reputation, whilst also reducing the (social) costs for others.
In this context, we will devise policies that encompass and comprise the following features:
At least during the initial months or even years following the delegation of the .SFR gTLD to SFR SA, this extension is likely going to be a so-called “single registrant TLD” as contemplated by ICANN in Article 4.5 of the template Registry Operator Agreement (“Transition of Registry upon Termination of Agreement”). For the avoidance of doubt, a “single registrant TLD” is a TLD where “(i) all domain name registrations in the TLD are registered to, and maintained by, Registry Operator for its own exclusive use, and (ii) Registry Operator does not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate of Registry Operator.”
Therefore, parties who are not SFR SA or – insofar and to the extent SFR SA deems appropriate – an Affiliate will not be entitled to register domain names in the .SFR gTLD.
SFR SA believes this to be in line with two of the main elements in its vision and mission statement, namely:
- Protecting and safeguarding the SFR brand and its reputation, by keeping full control over the entire operation of the .SFR registry and every domain name registered therein; and
- Guaranteeing to SFR SA’s key stakeholders who are interacting with SFR SA and, as the case may be, its Affiliates, by using domain name registrations in .SFR that they are in fact interacting with the brand owner or its authorized Affiliates.
Consequently, there will be no (social) costs for non-eligible (third) parties, given the fact that they will be unable to register domain names in the .SFR gTLD in the first place.
However, even if only SFR SA (and, as the case may be, SFR SA’s Affiliates) will be entitled to register domain names, this does not exclude the hypothesis that disputes may arise with one or more third parties as regards domain names that are registered in the .SFR gTLD.
In order to avoid these risks, SFR SA intends to implement the following policies and processes:
First, the domain names to be registered by SFR SA and, as the case may be, its Affiliates, will likely relate to the following:
- registered trademarks of SFR SA;
- names of the Affiliates of SFR SA or its ultimate parent – Numericable; and
- names of departments within SFR SA and its Affiliates.
Furthermore, SFR SA envisages registering a fair number of generic words that are directly or indirectly related to the day-to-day business activities and operations of SFR SA, its Affiliates and those of its ultimate parent.
Prior to effectively registering such domain names in the .SFR gTLD, SFR SA will require its legal and intellectual property department to review the list of these domain names on a regular basis in order to satisfy itself that they will not infringe the rights of third parties.
In any case, SFR SA will claim to have a legitimate interest in these domain names, as they are merely descriptive of the activities, products or services of SFR SA and⁄or its Affiliates. So even if one or more of these domain names would be protected by a registered trademark, held by a third party, it is likely that a claim under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy or Uniform Rapid Suspension policy will fail.
As regards the names referred to in Specification 5 to the template Registry Operator Agreement, SFR SA will follow the processes and procedures established by ICANN and the Governmental Advisory Committee.
If SFR SA would determine, at its sole discretion, that it will gradually allow certain categories of stakeholders to register domain names in the .SFR gTLD in their own name, SFR SA will devise policies to that effect.
However, SFR SA will at all times be entitled to restrict, limit or expand:
- the category or categories of stakeholders who will be entitled to register one or more domain names in the .SFR gTLD, including their criteria for qualification;
- the choice of domain name(s) registered in the .SFR gTLD by and per such eligible stakeholder (category);
- the use made by a stakeholder of a domain name registered in the .SFR gTLD; and
- the transfer of domain names registered in .SFR.
SFR SA shall reserve the right to subject the registration or use of a domain name to internal approval processes and procedures, at each and every step of the domain name life cycle.
Given the fact that SFR SA may release such available domain names post launch in a highly controlled manner, this also reduces the likelihood that two or more applicants qualify for the registration of the same domain name in the .SFR top-level domain;
As a method of last resort, and subject to the actual domain name registration policy adopted by the Registry Operator and in force at the time of registration, domain names will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
In any event, SFR SA reserves the right to change or restrict any policies, procedures and practices at any point in time if it is of the opinion that there would be a risk that the reputation of the SFR brand would be damaged.
The Applicant intends to make the .SFR top-level domain available to qualifying domain name registrants at no cost to them. If the Applicant ⁄ Registry Operator would be contemplated or required to charge a fee for the registration of domain names under the .SFR gTLD, the fee will be set at a cost-recovery or arm’s length basis, to be determined at that time by the Registry.
If SFR SA will be required to or would decide to increase the fees for the registration of domain names, such increases will keep pace with the cost-recovery or arm’s length character referred to above, and will announce any increases in accordance with the