Time: January 6, 2012
Main content:
　After more than seven years of planning, ICANN has initiated a process that can greatly expand the Internet.
From January 12, ICANN will officially begin to accept new gTLD applications. .com, .gov, .org and 19 other gTLDs will soon be expanded to include various types of characters of many different languages. gTLD will for the first time include non-Latin characters, e.g. Cyrillic, Chinese or Arabic.
　Applicants will use the TLD application system (TAS) to submit applications, and must answer the 50 questions listed in the Guidebook in this system. The link for registration in TAS is on ICANN’s new gTLD page.
January 12: ICANN will begin to accept applications
　March 29: the last day of registration in TAS
　April 12: the last day of ICANN’s acceptance of applications
　The updated version of the Applicant Guidebook has been published simultaneously during the open application period. The updated version includes a series of explanations made through official replies by the gTLD customer service center. The main points of the explanations focus on topics such as batching program, background screening, applicant support plans, sustained operation tools, GAC suggested procedures and code of conduct for registries. Other information and replies to earlier questions can be found in the plan’s supplemental notes. These materials are not for introducing new requirements or standards. Links to the Applicant Guidebook and supplemental notes are both on ICANN’s new gTLD page http://newgtlds.icann.org.
　Now the applicant support program is also provided: qualified applicants are provided with changes in limited funding. Through this program, applicants, especially applicants from developing countries or regions, can obtain funding in the form of certain assessment fee reductions and other similar or institutional groups’ free services. As a component of the program, funding will allow a limited number of qualified applicants to pay an assessment fee of $47,000 instead of the total cost of $185,000. This fee reduction is realized thanks to the ICANN board’s donation of $2,000,000 to the program. This fund is the seed money, and other organizations or institutions can also donate to it. As a response to public opinions, the draft of the program has been updated to expand the scope of application of refunds, open the program to certain trademark owners at the same time and further orient itself to those organizations or institutions aiming to serve public interests. For more information about the Applicant Support Program, visit ICANN’s new gTLD page.