ICANN has published updated statistics for its subsidy program for applicants for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The data is refreshed monthly, and the September report stands in stark contrast to the August figures. Just a month earlier, more than 70 companies and organizations were included in the program. Now, only 42 applicants remain.
The Applicant Support Program (ASP) provides significant subsidies for new domain name applications. At present, the cost of applying in the second phase of the New gTLD Program, due to begin in less than a year, is estimated at $227,000. ASP participants are promised a discount of up to 85% of this amount. ICANN’s aim is to make it easier for non-profits and applicants from developing countries, whose global digital presence is considered insufficient, to obtain new domains.
However, it remains uncertain to what extent these plans will materialize. ICANN has previously been criticized for the lack of interest shown by Latin American countries, whose online presence is judged inadequate, in the ASP program. Moreover, the program as a whole is progressing very slowly. To date, only three applications have been approved, with just one fully cleared.
It now turns out that the bidders themselves are, to put it mildly, in no rush to compete for subsidies. According to Domain Incite, 30 applications have been pulled out from the list. In every case, the reason was the same: applicants, having initially declared their intentions and submitted preliminary documentation, subsequently showed no activity over a 90-day period. Under ASP rules, this constitutes grounds for removal.
