PAB Re: ITU and TLDs

Robert Shaw (robert.shaw@itu.int)
Wed, 24 Jun 1998 16:14:14 +0200

J. William Semich wrote:
>
> Hello Robert;
>
> There have been some discussions afoot that indicate the ITU and IANA
> (or whomever) are discussing the possibility of the ITU getting involved
> in managing some TLDs (perhaps ccTLDS, whatever); some questions arising
> about the purpose of the recent survey of the ISO ccTLDs by the ITU (and
> posting of ccTLD info on the ITU site); there has also been a posting at
> the ITU site (since 1996) indicating it is involved in managing the .int
> TLD.
>
> Can you clarify what the ITU's interests are viz managing *any* TLDs,
> and if you have any plans to get involved, if discussions are under way
> with anyone, how that would jibe with the ITU's "treaty" roles, etc?
>
> Just to clear the air, as it were <smile>.

Bill,

We don't have any interest in "running/overseeing/whatever" any
ccTLDs. ITU and IANA have had no discussions on this topic. We do
provide some technical TLD management support for some developing
countries (e.g. Cameroon) at their request. In addition, governments
sometimes ask us questions about Internet TLD policies and we try to
answer them as best we can and keep IANA informed on these correspondence.

The only thing we do discuss with IANA in this realm is shipping ccTLD
data off to them. We mostly did the 3166 survey because we got tired
of not being able to answer people's queries about this topic.

We will manage .int but that's a free service with highly restrictive
entrance requirements mainly for intergovernmental organizations - I
doubt that there will ever be more than 100 delegations in .int. I'm
trying to finish up the policy paperwork on that as it's dragged on
forever (and that's my fault).

Robert

-- 
Robert Shaw <robert.shaw@itu.int>
Advisor, Global Information Infrastructure
International Telecommunication Union <http://www.itu.int>
Place des Nations, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland