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.DHL New gTLD Application

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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Deutsche Post AG

 

Application Downloaded On: 11 Sep 2015

 

String: DHL

 

Application ID: 1-1075-45896

 

Applicant Information

 

  1. Full legal name

Deutsche Post AG

 

  1. Address of the principal place of business

Charles-de-Gaulle-Straße 20 Bonn - 53113 DE

 

  1. Phone number

+49 228 1820

 

  1. Fax number

+49 228 182 63 199

 

  1. If applicable, website or URL

http://www.dp-dhl.com/de.html

 

Primary Contact

 

6(a). Name

Christopher Niemi

 

6(b). Title

Manager, Domain Services

 

6(c). Address

 

6(d). Phone Number

+1 208 685 1857

 

6(e). Fax Number

+1 208 389 5771

 

6(f). Email Address

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

 

Secondary Contact

 

7(a). Name

Wasiliki Karagiannaki

 

7(b). Title

Corporate Domain Manager

 

7(c). Address

 

7(d). Phone Number

+49 228 182 96701

 

7(e). Fax Number

+49 228 182 96799

 

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

Aktiengesellschaft

 

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

Germany

 

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.

Euronext / DPWd

 

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

Angela Titztrath Personnel

Dr Frank Appel Chief Executive Officer

John Bruce Gilbert Supply Chain

Jürgen Gerdes Mail

Kenneth Allen Express

Lawrence A. Rosen Finance, Global Business Services

Roger Crook Global Forwarding, Freight

 

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

Name

Position

Angela Titzrath Personnel

Dr Frank Appel Chief Executive Officer

John Bruce Gilbert Supply Chain

Jürgen Gerdes Mail

Kenneth Allen Express

Lawrence A. Rosen Finance, Global Business Services

Roger Crook Global Forwarding, Freight

 

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

Name

Position

KfW (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) 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

 

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

DHL

 

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.

 

 

  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.

 

  1. Operational or rendering problems

 

 

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, more recently, .SX in 2010.

 

 

Together with its selected back-end registry operator, the Applicant has carried out a series of tests in order to review whether the .DHL TLD presented any operational or rendering issues. This included the deployment of a testing infrastructure that operated:

 

- an SRS for the .DHL 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 .DHL registry;

 

- an EPP and web interface for registrars;

 

- a DNS system, serving authoritative responses for the .DHL TLD;

 

- a web server on which different basic websites were deployed; and

 

- 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 .DHL 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 .DHL testing environment;

 

- sending email messages to and receiving email messages from domain names registered in the TLDʹs 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; and

 

-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 Applicantʹs best knowledge and belief, no specific issues are to be expected as regards the operation and rendering of the .DHL gTLD.

 

  1. 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.

 

18 (a). Mission ⁄ Purpose of the gTLD

 

 

The Applicant for .DHL is Deutsche Post AG (hereinafter: ʺDeutsche Post DHLʺ), a global organization that renders postal and logistic services under the DEUTSCHE POST and DHL trademarks, apart from a large number of product- and service-specific brands.

 

 

According to Deutsche Post DHL, the mission and purpose of the .DHL TLD will be to:

 

  1. First and foremost, secure and protect one of the Applicantʹs key brands (ʺDHLʺ) as a gTLD;

 

  1. Reflect the DHL brand at the top level of the DNSʹ hierarchy;

 

  1. Provide stakeholders of the Applicant with a recognizable and trusted identifier on the Internet. Such stakeholders include, but are not limited to:

 

- its subsidiaries in various countries;

 

- affiliate partners;

 

- sponsorships;

 

- prospective and current customers and

 

- directors and officers of DHL and its subsidiaries, including its employees.

 

  1. Provide such stakeholders with a secure and safe Internet environment, under the control of the Applicant, in which they are able to obtain information from and communicate with the Applicant and where they are able to obtain genuine information provided by DHL and its approved stakeholders;

 

  1. Provide for secure and trusted platforms for user ⁄ customer ⁄ stakeholder interaction and transactions, including the use of shipping applications under specific generic or distinctive domain name registrations.

 

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

 

18 (b).

 

 

The Applicant intends to organize the registry operation for .DHL which will minimize the likelihood of having multiple applications or registration requests for a particular domain name.

 

 

According to the Applicant, this can be achieved in the following ways, which likely needs to be further refined following ICANNʹs award and delegation of the .DHL gTLD to the Applicant:

 

  1. DHL is one of the Applicantʹs distinctive and most recognized brands for logistics solutions;

 

 

  1. From the Applicantʹs perspective, .DHL 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 the gTLDs (or even ccTLDs) has disappeared, the .DHL top-level domain is currently intended to be unambiguous in regards to:

 

- the identity of Deutsche Post DHL as the Registry Operator;

 

- the source of the content and services offered under the .DHL gTLD;

 

- the affiliation between the Registry Operator and the TLD; and

 

- in term, and at the discretion of Deutsche Post , the affiliation between the Registry Operator and any third party that is authorized by Deutsche Post DHL to register and⁄or use one or more domain name registrations in the .DHL TLD.

 

 

  1. As mentioned in the vision and mission statement above, the key reasons Deutsche Post DHL is applying for .DHL include, but are not limited to:

 

- Securing and protecting the DHL brand as a generic top-level domain.

 

  Deutsche Post DHL holds various registered trademarks for DHL and its derivations. One of the primary reasons Deutsche Post DHL is submitting this application for the .DHL gTLD is to prevent third parties from securing a TLD that is identical to Deutsche Post DHLʹs highly distinctive and reputable brand for logistics solutions;

 

- Marketing and branding to reflect the Applicantʹs key brand DHL at the top-level of the DNSʹ hierarchy;

 

- Safety and security; and

 

- Mitigation of counterfeiting and piracy, in the near or distant future.

 

 

  1. The Applicant intends to implement the following policies and procedures with respect to the registration of domain names in the .DHL top-level domain:

 

- Reservation and registration of domain names in the name of Deutsche Post DHL. It is likely that this will be the scenario that Deutsche Post DHL will put in place during the first months or even years of operation of the .DHL gTLD.

 

  These names may include, but are not limited to:

  1. descriptive names, referring to the actual day-to-day business activities of the Applicant or its Affiliates;
  2. descriptive names, referring to the internal departments of the Applicant;
  3. descriptive names, referring to the subsidiaries, affiliates and⁄or joint ventures of the Applicant;
  4. potentially also names relating to other stakeholders of Deutsche Post DHL, to be determined by Deutsche Post DHL following ICANNʹs award and delegation of the .DHL gTLD to Deutsche Post DHL;
  5. etc.
  6. 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 Deutsche Post DHL will be entitled to set at its own discretion, may register domain names in the .DHL gTLD. Where applicable these processes will include a sunrise period, during which physical persons, organizations and entities that meet the eligibility requirements determined by Deutsche Post DHL at that point in time will be allowed to choose and, where allowed by Deutsche Post DHL, to register the domain names that are identical to their trademarks. After that sunrise period, the general registration procedures and policies will apply (including, as determined by Deutsche Post at its sole discretion, eligibility restrictions).

 

     Depending on the terms and conditions in force at the time of launch of the TLD, 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 TLD (i.e., Deutsche Post DHL). In any case, Deutsche Post DHL reserves the right to impose additional and other restrictions from time to time at its sole discretion;

 

 

  1. Given that the Applicant is a company established in Germany, it is subject to national privacy and data protection rules and practices. In particular, given that German and European data protection authorities have issued strict guidelines, Deutsche Post DHL will at all times are obliged to carefully consider and, where applicable, implement these policies, and this prior to and during the operation of the .DHL gTLD.

 

 

  1. The Applicant has acquired the majority of DHL in 2002 and has bundled all its logistics and express services under this brand which exits since 1969.

 

 

  1. At this stage, Deutsche Post DHL has not yet developed concrete or tangible plans in order to migrate its online activities from its many active domain names used by Deutsche Post DHL and its subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures. However, the Applicant has identified methods to inform existing and future customers, visitors and stakeholders of the (gradual) development of a new online environment under the .DHL TLD. These methods include, but are not limited to:

 

  1. Direct and indirect marketing and branding initiatives;

 

  1. By way of brochures and advertisements in newspapers, magazines, etc.;

 

  1. Internet advertising campaigns, including paid search, pay-per-click advertising, etc.;

 

  1. Having Internet traffic to its various active domain names resolving into domain names registered in the .DHL TLD, which builds awareness with Internet users that the .DHL gTLD exists;

 

  1. Email marketing campaigns;

 

  1. etc.

 

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?

 

18 (c).

 

 

In line with Deutsche Post DHLʹs mission and purpose for the .DHL gTLD, it is first and foremost important for Deutsche Post DHL to safeguard and protect its DHL trademark at the top level of the DNSʹ hierarchy. Such protection does not only extend to the actual registration, delegation and use of the TLD, but also to the domain names that are registered therein, and how these domain names will be used.

 

 

Considering that the actual award and delegation of the .DHL gTLD to Deutsche Post DHL 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 .DHL gTLD.

 

 

By all means, it is in Deutsche Post DHLʹs 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 .DHL gTLD to Deutsche Post DHL, this extension is likely going to be a so-called ʺsingle registrant TLDʺ as contemplated by ICANN in Article 4.5 of the template Registry Operator Agreement (ʺTransition of Registry upon Termination of Agreementʺ). For the avoidance of doubt, a ʺsingle registrant TLDʺ is a TLD where ʺ(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.ʺ

 

 

Therefore, parties who are not Deutsche Post DHL or - insofar and to the extent Deutsche Post DHL deems appropriate - an Affiliate will not be entitled to register domain names in the .DHL gTLD.

 

 

Deutsche Post DHL believes this to be in line with two of the main elements in its vision and mission statement, namely:

 

- Protecting and safeguarding the DHL brand and its reputation, by keeping full control over the entire operation of the .DHL registry and every domain name registered therein; and

 

- Guaranteeing to Deutsche Post DHLʹs key stakeholders who are interacting with Deutsche Post DHL and, as the case may be, its Affiliates, by using domain name registrations in .DHL 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 .DHL gTLD in the first place.

 

 

However, even if only Deutsche Post DHL (and, as the case may be, Deutsche Post DHLʹs 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 .DHL gTLD.

 

 

In order to avoid these risks, Deutsche Post DHL intends to implement the following policies and processes:

 

 

First, the domain names to be registered by Deutsche Post DHL and, as the case may be, its Affiliates, will likely relate to the following:

 

- registered trademarks of Deutsche Post DHL;

- names of the Affiliates of Deutsche Post DHL;

- names of departments within Deutsche Post DHL and its Affiliates;

- partners, sponsorships, customers;

- etc.;

 

 

Furthermore, Deutsche Post DHL envisages registering a fair number of generic words that are directly or indirectly related to the day-to-day business activities and operations of Deutsche Post DHL and its Affiliates.

 

 

Prior to effectively registering such domain names in the .DHL gTLD, Deutsche Post DHL 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, Deutsche Post DHL will claim to have a legitimate interest in these domain names, as they are merely descriptive of the activities, products or services of Deutsche Post DHL 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 would fail.

 

 

In regards to the names referred to in Specification 5 to the template Registry Operator Agreement, Deutsche Post DHL will follow the processes and procedures established by ICANN and the Governmental Advisory Committee.

 

 

If Deutsche Post DHL would determine, at its sole discretion, that it will gradually allow certain categories of stakeholders to register domain names in the .DHL gTLD in their own name, Deutsche Post DHL will devise policies to that effect.

 

 

However, Deutsche Post DHL 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 .DHL gTLD, including their criteria for qualification;

- the choice of domain name(s) registered in the .DHL gTLD by and per such eligible stakeholder (category);

- the use made by an and per eligible stakeholder of a domain name registered in the .DHL gTLD;

- the transfer of domain names registered in .DHL;

- etc.

 

 

Deutsche Post DHL 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 that Deutsche Post DHL 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 .DHL 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, Deutsche Post DHL 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 DHL brand would be damaged.

 

 

The Applicant intends to make the .DHL top-level domain available to qualifying domain name registrants at no cost to them; if the Applicant ⁄ Registry Operator would be required to charge a fee for the registration of domain names under the .DHL TLD, the fee will be set at a cost-recovery or armʹs length basis, to be determined at that time by the Registry.

 

 

If Deutsche Post DHL  should decide to increase the fees for the registration of domain names, such increases will keep pace with the cost-recovery or armʹs length character referred to above.