The ICANN Board just approved unanimously the motion to adopt the New gTLD policy and to move forward with the implementation of New gTLDs. The implementation details are still subject to Board approval later this year.

Under the current timeline, applications will be called for in early to mid 2009.

Today, June 26th, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) voted to allow more domain options into the mix. This means that sometime in the near future you will have even more choices in which to register your domain names. Once applications to establish new TLDs are approved, people and brands could register names in domains such as .apple, .ebay, .bensen (that’s me!), etc.

Currently there are 20 generic top level domains (gTLDs). Some – like .edu, .gov, .museum, etc. – have special eligibility requirements, but most – like .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, .name, etc. – can be registered by anyone. These domains mean something to us in a general sense, and we register names in them for specific reasons. For example, you may register a .com to set up a website, get the same name in .net to set up a community, and add the .org if you have a non-profit entity associated with it. While that’s 3 unique domain names, for the user they each have a specific reason. It’s also a way to remember the URL which has its own value.

The application and review process for creating new TLDs will take time. There also will be an arbitration process for people to object to proposed domains. Once these processes have run their course and the new TLDs are approved, you can expect a rush as people and brands seek to personalize their names in these new domains.

Here is some further reading and opinions on this process:

ComputerWorld

Debate over new top-level domains drags on – the history

Online shake up will revolutionise the face of the Internet – the challenges of the transition

The end of the road for .com?

ICANN’s policy brief that cites a link to its coverage of the overall process: see http://www.icann.org/en/policy/briefs/new-gtlds-jun08-en.pdf