FYI ------ Forwarded Message From: Kurt Pritz <kurt.pritz@icann.org> Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 18:26:31 -0700 To: Chris Disspain <ceo@auda.org.au> Cc: Gabriella Schittek <gabriella.schittek@icann.org>, Bart Boswinkel <bart.boswinkel@icann.org>, Doug Brent <doug.brent@icann.org> Subject: IDN ccTLD Delegations Dear ccNSO members, This has been an historic week for global Internet users with the introduction of the first three country-code IDNs into the root zone. Just two years ago, some were saying that this could not be achieved in any reasonable timeframe, yet working together this community has produced a great outcome. The ccNSO played a critical role in enabling this important accomplishment. We always welcome community discussion on ICANN's work and have noted some comment on how we communicated about the new IDN ccTLD delegations, as well as a suggestion that we may not have met the expectations of the TLD operator. ICANN strives to provide excellent and consistent service, and we think that through our excellent working relationships with the ccNSO and others, the community understands this. Our staff works incredibly hard to provide top service, and we have added staff from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia and other regions to increase our understanding of cultural sensitivities. Recent feedback acknowledges the positive results of these efforts. It is important to understand the ICANN process underlying last week's delegations. - Processing TLD requests and communicating with TLD managers is a team effort at ICANN. Staff at every level worked together with our outside partners and the Board of Directors to accelerate the delegation process, responding to the desire for speed expressed by requestors. - Through its IANA function, ICANN plays a crucial role in working with you and vetting root zone changes. However, the last part of the root zone management process is performed by other parties. ICANN notifies TLD operators of changes once we have been officially notified that a change has taken place. All formal and published processes were followed in executing the IANA function this week, as is always our goal. The Fast Track program introduced a set of issues that must be fully considered and that may ultimately change the communication process. We will continue to dedicate our efforts to fully meeting the expectations of TLD operators. We believe that in the day-to-day operation of the IANA function, relationships between service provider and client are generally positive, constructive and solution-oriented. We will continue to seek ways to improve this process to ensure that ICANN's customers are kept fully informed of occurrences in the delegation process. Last week's groundbreaking introduction of IDNs in the root zone was a milestone in the history of the Internet. Our eye is now on the next big challenge: Internet naming access for the next billion users. Sincerely, Doug Brent Kurt Pritz ICANN ------ End of Forwarded Message