.telefonica New gTLD Application

Click to view Chinese translation articles.
-----------------------------------

New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Telefónica S.A.

String: telefonica

Originally Posted: 13 June 2012

Application ID: 1-1791-89073

 

Applicant Information

 

  1. Full legal name

Telefónica S.A.

 

  1. Address of the principal place of business

Gran Vía 28

Madrid Madrid 28013

ES

 

  1. Phone number

+34 915 844 500

 

  1. Fax number

+34 914 095 650

 

  1. If applicable, website or URL

http:⁄⁄telefonica.com

 

Primary Contact

 

6(a). Name

Mr. Alfredo Timermans

 

6(b). Title

Director de Política de Telecomunicaciones, Oficina Internacional Telefónica S.A.

 

6(c). Address

 

6(d). Phone Number

+34 914 823 674

 

6(e). Fax Number

+34 914 823 674

 

6(f). Email Address

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Secondary Contact

 

7(a). Name

Mr. Javier Seriñá

 

7(b). Title

Jefe de Políticas Públicas, Oficina Internacional Telefónica S.A.

 

7(c). Address

 

7(d). Phone Number

+34 914 823598

 

7(e). Fax Number

+34 914 823 674

 

7(f). Email Address

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Proof of Legal Establishment

 

8(a). Legal form of the Applicant

Sociedad Anónima

 

8(b). State the specific national or other jursidiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).

Ley de Sociedades de Capital, aprobada por Real Decreto Legislativo 1⁄2010, and any other applicable legislation in the Kingdom of Spain and in the European Union

 

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.

BME_Spanish_Exchange;TEF

 

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

Alfonso Ferrari Herrero Consejero

Antonio Massanell Lavilla Consejero

Carlos Colomer Casellas Consejero

César Alierta Izuel Presidente

Chang Xiaobing Consejero

David Arculus Consejero

Francisco Javier de Paz Mancho Consejero

Gonzalo Hinojosa Fernández de Angulo Consejero

Ignacio Moreno Martínez Vicepresidente

Isidro Fainé Casas Vicepresidente

José Fernando de Almansa Moreno-Barreda Consejero

José María Abril Pérez Consejero

José María Álvarez-Pallete Consejero

Julio Linares López Consejero Delegado

Luiz Fernando Furlán Consejero

María Eva Castillo Sanz Consejera

Pablo Isla Álvarez de Tejera Consejero

Peter Erskine Consejero

 

11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners

Angel Vilá Boix Director General de Finanzas y Desarrollo Corporativo

César Alierta Izuel Presidente Ejecutivo

Guillermo Ansaldo Lutz Director General de Recursos Globales

José María Álvarez-Pallete Presidente Telefónica Europa

Julio Linares López Consejero Delegado

Luis Abril Pérez Secretario General Técnico Presidencia

Matthew Key Presidente de Telefónica Digital

Ramiro Sánchez de Lerín Secretario General

Santiago Fernández Valbuena Presidente de Telefónica Latinoamérica

 

11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares

 

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

 

  1. Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.

telefonica

 

14(a). If an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").

 

14(b). 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.

 

14(c). If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).

 

14(c). If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).

 

14(d). If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).

 

14(d). If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).

 

14(e). If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.

 

15(a). If an IDN, Attach IDN Tables for the proposed registry.

Attachments are not displayed on this form.

 

15(b). Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.

 

15(c). List any variant strings to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.

 

  1. 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.

The .telefonica Registry (and CORE Internet Council of Registrars as its technical provider) ensured that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string ʺtelefonicaʺ.

 

Since the gTLD string ʺtelefonicaʺ is an ASCII-only string, it is safe to assume that, just like with existing ASCII-only TLD strings like .com, .net or .de, no operational or rendering problems may be expected. In particular, the name consists only of ASCII characters that are already used for existing top level domains; all the characters in the name are even used in the leftmost position of existing TLD labels. In order to confirm this, CORE Internet Council of Registrars conducted a thorough research regarding whether operational or rendering issues occurred for any existing ASCII-only top level domain in the past. The results of this research confirmed the assumption.

 

Since the registry does not support right-to-left scripts on the second level, bi-directional issues (like the ones described at http:⁄⁄stupid.domain.name⁄node⁄683) will not occur.

 

Moreover, the gTLD string exclusively uses characters from a single alphabet, does not contain digits or hyphens, and it contains characters that are not subject to homograph issues, which means there is no potential for confusion with regard to the rendering of other TLD strings.

 

Finally, CORE Internet Council of Registrars set up a testing environment for the .telefonica TLD using the CORE Registration System, including an EPP SRS, Whois and DNS servers, in order to conduct a series of tests involving typical use cases (like web site operation and e-mail messaging) for a TLD. The tests revealed no operational or rendering issues with any popular software (web browsers, e-mail clients) or operating systems.

 

  1. (OPTIONAL) Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).

 

Mission/Purpose

 

18(a). Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.

Q18-Mission-Purpose-a

 

The .telefonica TLD is applied by TELEFONICA S.A., as a TLD for institutional purposes, and for its services, brands and products, and those of the whole Telefonica Group.

 

Telefonica is one of the world leading integrated operators in the telecommunications sector, providing communication, information and entertainment solutions, with presence in Europe and Latin America. It operates in 25 countries. As of December 2011, Telefonica’s total number of customers amounted to 306.6 millions.

 

In Spain, the Group has over 80 years experience since its constitution in 1924, providing services to more than 47.0 million customers at December 2011. In Latin America, Telefonica gives service to more than 201.4 million customers as of the end of December 2011 becoming the leader operator in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru and has substantial operations in Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and Costa Rica. In Europe, on top of the Spanish operations, the Company has operating companies in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia, providing services to more than 58.0 million customers as of the end of December 2011.

 

Telefonica has a regional and integrated management model. The key to the companyʹs structure lies in extending its client focus, its leveraging scales and its strategic and industrial alliances.

The different operations of the Telefonica Group in 25 countries are organised into two geographical regions, Europe and Latin America, and the global business unit, Telefonica Digital.

Telefonica is a global brand that plays an institutional role towards institutions, shareholders, investors, clients, employees and the general society. Telefonica as a brand is the meaning and the nexus of the main company towards its commercial brands (such as Movistar, Terra, o2).  It offers them and their services to the people to enrich and improve their lives.

Telefonica  is also applying for .movistar and .terra in order to reinforce their brand image and to empower their own identities,  specially in the geographical areas where these two fast-growing expanding brands operate, Spain and Latin America.

 

 

The goals of the .telefonica TLD are:

 

  1. To facilitate digital communications between the Company, its providers, investors and stakeholders, institutions, clients and employees,
  2. To strengthen the image of the Telefonica Group in the on-line world,
  3. To unify the brand in the digital world,
  4. To facilitate access to Telefonica’s information for users,
  5. To improve Telefonica’s customer security, trust and loyalty,
  6. To control Telefonica’s Internet presence,
  7. New marketing opportunities.
  8. New business opportunities,  
  9. Enhance brand recognition,  
  10. To increase the value of Telefonica, and hence, of its digital identity.

 

 

This is to be achieved by:

 

  1. Creating a platform between prospects, clients, partnerships, stakeholders, investors and employees,
  2. Creating an integrated virtual and physical service channel,  
  3. Creating homogenized websites with all the company’s services and social activities.

 

 

Telefonica’s demonstrated social influence, having reached the status as a leading telecommunications provider not only in Spain but in the whole Latin American continent, and being an innovative company continuously investing to be up to date with the last trends, has brought the company to the conclusion that applying for the .telefonica Top Level Domain will represent a tremendous opportunity for the Group. This will reinforce Telefonica’s identity, as as an strategic long-term opportunity.

 

Telefonica has been following with interest ICANN’s new gTLD program since its inception and Telefonica has gathered the required intelligence to adopt an educated decision. Telefonica understands the opportunities and the responsibility of what the gTLD process implies, and is fully committed to run a piece of Internet infrastructure through the .telefonica TLD

 

\\

 

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

Q18-Mission-Purpose-b

 

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

 

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

 

Specialty

 

The proposed TLD will also reinforce the company’s strategic positioning by offering high-end customized online services branded under its own TLD, which will leverage the brand equity and differentiate the entity online from its targeted competitors.

 

The .telefonica TLD will prove the brand’s commitment, integrity, professionalism and teamwork as well as will enhance the trust of its customers, employees, shareholders, investors and society based on the highest quality services that will be provided by its different professional web sites comprised under its own Top Level Domain.

 

Service levels

 

Protecting the brand and having exclusive control of what can be done is a top priority for Telefonica Group. It will help the group in controlling the brand presence online and will help the Group to protect its trademark as well as the company reputation and will limit security risks, posed by scams based on counterfeit identities in the second level domain name registrations under any other existing TLD, that may be registered due to their possible similarities with Telefonica that can be purchased and put to fraudulent use, tarnishing the brand’s reputation.

 

 

Reputation

 

Unquestionably, the .telefonica Top Level Domain will strengthen the Group’s brand and will enhance its recognition internationally, a fact that will naturally increase the value of the group as a result.

 

The corporate vision of Telefonica is underlined under the brand idea “Power to transform”, a legacy of growth, innovation, transformation and value creation for the different audiences of the company. The capacity, the will and talent of improving things, the reflect of a solid company, a leading responsible attitude that acts taking into account all the different collectives that can affect with its actions.

 

Telefonica has a regional and integrated management model. The key to companyʹs structure lies in extending its client focus, its leveraging scales and its strategic and industrial alliances, a company structure that is intrinsically related to the values and the meaning of what Telefonica’s own TLD will represent:

 

  • Social commitment and responsibility
  • Long-term vision and strategy
  • Proximity to customers and key clients
  • Excellence in service
  • Technological innovation
  • Model of corporate governance
  • Sense of belonging for all stakeholders and targeted audience

 

 

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

 

 

Competition

 

This new space will not only distinguish Telefonica’s identity placing the company as a pioneer within the telecommunications sector, but will help reaching new potential customers as well as expanding the target market.

 

 

Differentiation

 

Telefonica has one of the most international profiles in the sector with more than 60% of its business outside its home market. Telefónicaʹs activity has a clear positive impact in the societies where it is present as an engine for economic sustainability. Besides, Telefonica supports social cohesion through the development of social programs and encourages innovation to help overcome social divides, a clear commitment and a social responsibility that will be reflected, enhanced and reinforced by the .telefonica TLD.

 

Telefonica aims to consolidate as a digital and global Company, and to become a leading digital services provider. Nowadays, Telefonica manages around 6000 domain names. Telefonica will be able to reduce the most significant part of its defensive registrations portfolio, as it focuses in promoting the .telefonica TLD.

 

 

Innovation

 

Telefonicaʹs activity contributes to economic development in the countries where it operates with a clear commitment with innovation and entrepreneurship.

 

These factors led Telefonica to expand its presence in the digital world introducing products and services in the financial, health and entertainment sectors. The .telefonica TLD will provide cohesion, relevance and strength to an expanding company in many different sectors, and therefore avoid the risk of brand identity fragmentation.

 

The .telefonica TLD will be a significant amplifier of the company’s branding and marketing endeavours by creating innovative marketing formulas for customers, stakeholders and employees worldwide. Some of the great challenges, benefits and innovative elements that the .telefonica TLD will bring to the company’s structure are:

 

 

  • To strengthen its leadership internationally within the Telecommunications industry,
  • To diversify Telefonica’s business towards companies,
  • To balance Telefonica’s territorial presence, both nationally and internationally,
  • To grow internationally,  
  • To maintain a distinctive investment portfolio,
  • To maintain financial strength,
  • To improve on return of investments,
  • To progress in organisational efficiency and flexibility,  
  • To develop and motivate talent,
  • To underline Telefonica’s social commitment,
  • To communicate the aims of the institution both inwards and outwards.

 

 

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

 

 

Compared to other already existing and open generic TLDs, the .telefonica experience will greatly enhance mnemonics and security. .telefonica will simplify the way the customers find information about the company on the Internet by creating a more easy and understandable online identity and will drive customers into deeper levels of engagement with the company. This engagement will increase:

 

○ Affinity,

○ Ease of use,

○ Customer service efficiency,

○ Sales.

 

 

The .telefonica TLD will give services of virtual communities to its clients. All keywords related to the entity will be assigned in an organized and controlled framework where users will get immersed in a truly branded experience under the umbrella .telefonica TLD.

 

Telefonica approved a new brand model for the entire Group in early 2009. This model, which was launched firstly in Spain in May 2010, was implemented subsequently in all the countries where Telefonica Group is present and has become one of the fundamental pillars of the company’s growth.

 

This brand model, part of the Company’s business approach, focuses on customers leaning towards an increasingly convergent and global environment.

Considering the history, presence and strength of the company’s identity, the current operating heterogeneous brand model, which has been result of growth and acquisitions, has been rearranged in a simplified regional model to target each specific audience in order to strengthen the different Telefonica Group’s brands position.

Telefonica as a brand will play a corporate and institutional role all over the world with Movistar, Terra and O2. The brands under which the commercial offer will be structured in its respective countries and markets are:

 

- Movistar for Spain and Latin America

- Terra for Spain and Latin America (Internet services)

- O2 in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

 

This brand model maximizes the value of Telefonica’s brands and gives them enough flexibility to adapt to the new realities of the markets. Under the new brand model, Movistar, Terra and O2 are the brands that will articulate the Telefonica Group commercial offer, with a clear focus on the customer.

The brand model is a key element in transforming the organization in order to build an even more integrated Group. The .telefonica TLD will serve as a suitable and coherent tool to:

  • facilitate the company’s online recognition and association to the group;
  • improve trust and security;
  • enhance stakeholder’s loyalty; and reinforce a unified corporate culture to all the Group’s employees.

 

Regarding key clients, the usage of the .telefonica TLD will be linked to preferential and differential usages to increase fidelity towards the company. The .telefonica TLD will be a trusted and secure name space to all the company’s customers.

 

The .telefonica TLD  will provide  more memorable URLs to Telefonica’s Group. Digital customers will benefit from a more guessable and efficient navigation experience.

 

 

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

 

The .telefonica TLD will be for the exclusive use of the Telefonica Group’s  services and purposes. Telefonica does not contemplate at this stage opening the registration to any third party. Therefore, the mandatory registration agreement will refer to the following terms and conditions:

 

  1. a) Eligiblity: The registrant will be Telefonica or any Affiliate.
  2. b) Name selection: .telefonica domain name registrations must be related to the Telefonica Group services and products.
  3. c) Use and content: .telefonica domain names may only be used in relationship to the Telefonica Group’s services and purposes, subject to the approval of “Telefonica

Domain names used must be commensurate to the role and importance of the Telefonica services.

 

Considering that,

 

(i) Telefonica will register  and maintain all domain name registrations within .telefonica for its own exclusive use, and that

(ii) Telefonica  will not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in  .telefonica  to any third party that is not an Affiliate of Telefonica   and that;

(iii) Application of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct contained in Specification 9 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement to  .telefonica is not necessary to protect the public interest;

Telefonica will request the exemption to the above mentioned Registry Operator Code of Conduct, and expects ICANN to grant such exemption as Telefonica   provides reasonable satisfaction of the conditions hereof expressed. Telefonica may in the future consider extending the use of domain names for employees, customers and partners, but this is not foreseen neither allowed in the current description of the registration policies.

 

 

  1.    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.

 

Telefonica recognizes first-hand that this is a relevant issue and an evolving area of law in which there is no international standard.  The protection of privacy and confidential information of registrants and users will comply with applicable Law, in particular the European Data Protection framework and the Spanish Personal Data Protection legislation, as well as any ICANN requirements in the area.

 

Nevertheless, the specific model of the.telefonica TLD and the registration policies as described above limit to a great extent the possible concerns on privacy, as no third parties and even less individuals will be allowed to register .telefonica names.

 

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

 

Outreach and communications will be entirely done in-house for internal communication to inform Telefonica’s stakeholders in the 25 countries Telefonica operates. Externally, outreach and communication efforts will be focused on advertising campaigns in the various existing media. With strong emphasis on digital media and via point-of-sale to inform the general public and above all, Telefonica’s 306.06 million clients.  

\\

 

18(c). What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs?

Q18-Mission-Purpose-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?

 

 

As explained in the registration polices above, the .telefonica TLD will only be open to registrations by Telefonica and its affiliates and the domain names will only be used for Telefonica Group legitimate services and products in a way that is commensurate to their role and importance within Telefonica’s group strategy.

 

These rules guarantee that no costs need to be borne by trademark and other intellectual property rights owners in monitoring the .telefonica zone and protecting against abuses from registrations. This similarly applies to personal names, geographic names, Intergovernmental Organizations based in an International Treaty, and in general, any third parties interested in protecting their identity.

 

The .telefonica TLD uses related to Telefonica’s telecommunications activities and its affiliates will have a positive effect on security, both on Telefonica’s own customers and over the Internet as a whole as it will greatly reduce the risks of effective phishing, or any other malicious conduct.

 

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

 

Being the .telefonica TLD for the exclusive use of Telefonica and its affiliates, first-come, first served will be the only available and reasonably possible, should multiple applications for the same domain name happen, as unlikely as this appears for this TLD model.

 

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

 

In a model in which the Registry is the sole and exclusive registrant of the domain names in the TLD, Telefonica does not believe that it makes sense to apply any such pricing measure.

 

  1. Note that the Registry Agreement requires that registrars be offered the option to obtain initial domain name registrations for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar, but no greater than ten years. Additionally, the Registry Agreement requires advance written notice of price increases. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation? If so, please describe your plans.

 

In accordance to Specification 9, point 6 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement,, as published in Module 5 of the Applicant Guidebook, Telefonica, taking into account that will operate the .telefonica for its exclusive use, will request an exemption to the Code of Conduct contained in Specification 9 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement. Telefonica does not intend to provide any special contractual commitments to registrants, as the only allowed registrants will be Telefonica and its affiliates within Telefonica group.

 

Other than that, Telefonica will comply with any of the TLD Registry Agreement’s obligations, such as offering registration of domain names for periods of one to ten years, and the pricing provisions as contained in the Agreement.