.how Startup Policy

Startup periods applicable to .how

1. Definitions of registration periods:
   1. Qualified Launch Period (“QLP”)
      1. Qualified Launch Period is a period where Charleston Road Registry d/b/a Google Registry (“Google Registry” or “Registry Operator”) may allocate second-level domains to selected registrants prior to the allocation of second-level domains in the Sunrise Period (as defined below). Registry Operator will select registrants that it believes may improve the overall understanding and quality of the top-level domain. This period may overlap with the Sunrise and/or Landrush Periods.
   2. Sunrise Period
      1. Sunrise Period is an initial registration period, intended to protect trademark owners, which may overlap with the QLP and/or Landrush Periods but precedes the general registration period. An application is considered a Sunrise application if it meets the application criteria described below and is accompanied by a valid Trademark Clearinghouse (“TMCH”) Signed Mark Data (“SMD”) file.
   3. Landrush Period
      1. Landrush is a period that allows the Registry Operator to allocate highly sought-after names before the start of general registration. During the Landrush Period, Registry Operator will use an appropriate resolution mechanism to award a domain in the Registry TLD if multiple parties express an interest in registering such name before the name is allocated and registered.
      2. Because Landrush Period qualifies as a “Limited Registration Period” as defined in ICANN’s Rights Protection Mechanism requirements, it may overlap with the Sunrise Period and/or QLP.
   4. General Registration Period
      1. The general registration period will be a steady state phase for the duration of the Registry Operator’s operation of the Registry TLD. During the general registration period, any interested registrant may apply for all second-level domains in the Registry TLD not registered at that time, and names shall be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to Section 2.3 and Registry Operator’s rights protection mechanisms set forth in Section 3.6 of the Registry-Registrar Agreement.
2. Qualified Launch Period
   1. Registration Criteria
      1. In order to register a second-level domain during the QLP, the registrant must be invited by the Registry Operator.
   2. Registration Process
      1. Registrant will provide its preference for a registrar from among the Registrars authorized by Registry to carry the TLD at the time.
      2. Registry will contact this Registrar to complete registration of such domain.
3. Sunrise and Landrush Periods
   1. Application Criteria
      1. Sunrise applications must be on behalf of qualified trademark owners of marks in the TMCH. The applications for Sunrise must be for second-level domains that are an identical match to their listed trademarks.
      2. Landrush applications can be for any second-level domains provided the ensuing registration would meet all of the registration policies of the TLD.
   2. Application Fees
      1. The application fees for the Sunrise and Landrush Periods are detailed in the TLD Pricing Policy.
   3. Use of Brand
      1. Registry Operator may review Registrar communications related to Sunrise Period and Landrush Period applications. Registry Operator reserves all rights in its intellectual property, and will only permit registrars to use its proprietary brands, graphic symbols, logos, icons or other images if they are provided by or approved in writing by Registry Operator. At times, Registry Operator may specifically request that certain brand features or key phrases be used in conjunction with the top-level domain when presented on registrar web pages, email alerts, auction notices, and other communications used for processing applications, to provide confidence to registrants that such communications come from an authorized registrar of the TLD.
   4. Application Processing
      1. Registry Operator processes applications for Sunrise and Landrush according to a rank order described here. If the Registry Operator receives multiple applications of the same rank for a second-level domain, those applicants will enter a contention resolution process (for example an auction) to allocate the second-level domain. If the Registry Operator receives applications from multiple ranks, the application(s) from the highest rank will have the first opportunity to be allocated the domain in question before any application(s) from lower ranks are considered. Rank Order is as follows:
         1. The highest rank is for Sunrise applications
         2. The next highest rank is for Landrush applications
   5. Contention Resolution
      1. If a second-level domain goes into contention, all applicants will be contacted and invited to the contention resolution process directly.
      2. The rules of the contention resolution process will be made available to all applicants before the process to allocate second-level domains begins.
      3. The winning applicant of the contention resolution process will be allocated the second-level domain as described in the “Allocation and Registration” section.
      4. For contentions between Sunrise applicants, if none of the parties participates in the process to the minimum required extent (for example, in an auction, pay the minimum bid), the second-level domain will not be allocated to any of the Sunrise applicants, and will be treated as if no Sunrise applications were submitted for it.
      5. For contentions between Landrush applicants, if none of the parties participate in the process to the minimum required extent (for example, in an auction, pay the minimum bid), then Registry Operator will register the second-level domain to the first party that applied.
   6. Allocation and Registration
      1. Once Registry Operator determines who the final recipient of a second-level domain is, it will register the name to that recipient and charge their sponsoring Registrar the full registration price of the second-level domain, for the entire registration period requested by the applicant.
      2. In order to provide the sponsoring Registrar an opportunity to collect these fees, a Sunrise and Landrush Add Grace Period (as defined in the TLD Pricing Policy) will apply, during which Registrar can delete the second-level domain (if for example they never receive payment from their customer), and avoid being billed for it.
      3. However, once Registrar sets nameservers for the second-level domain, Registrar only has the standard Add Grace Period (as defined in the TLD Pricing Policy) within which to delete the second-level domain and avoid being charged.
      4. The registration prices for second-level domains awarded during all registration phases are detailed in the TLD Pricing Policy.
   7. Failure Scenarios
      1. Domain allocation in the event applicants who are engaged in a contention resolution process do not participate is specified in the “Contention Resolution” section.
      2. In the event that a second-level domain is awarded, but then deleted by the Registrar due to nonpayment of registration fees or deleted by the Registry Operator due to SDRP (as defined below) objections:
         1. Registry or an authorized vendor will contact any prior contending applicants, in order of their standing in the contention resolution process, and offer them the opportunity to register the domain.
         2. Then, applicants from lower Ranks as defined in the “Application Processing” section are given the opportunity to enter the contention resolution process (in the event of multiple applicants) or be awarded the second-level domain (in the event of one applicant).
         3. Then, the second-level domain opens up for the general registration period.
   8. Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy
      1. Registry Operator will incorporate a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy ("SDRP"). The SDRP will allow challenges to Sunrise Period registrations by third parties for a 10-day period after acceptance of the registration based on the following four grounds: (i) at the time the challenged second-level domain was registered, the registrant did not hold a trademark registration of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; (ii) the second-level domain is not identical to the mark on which the registrant based its Sunrise Period registration; (iii) the trademark registration on which the registrant based its Sunrise Period registration is not of national or regional effect or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; or (iv) the trademark registration on which the second-level domain registrant based its Sunrise Period registration did not issue on or before the effective date of the Registry Agreement and was not applied for on or before June 13, 2012, the day ICANN announced the generic Top-Level Domain applications received.
      2. After receiving a complaint challenging a Sunrise Period application via the "Help" link at www.google.com/registry ("Complaint"), the Registry Operator's designated contact ("Sunrise Contact") will review the Complaint to see if the Complaint reasonably asserts a legitimate challenge as defined by the SDRP. If the Complaint does not, the Sunrise Contact will email the complainant within 36 hours of the Complaint to indicate that the subject of the Complaint does not fall within the SDRP, and that Registry Operator considers the matter closed.
      3. If the Sunrise Contact requires further information from the Sunrise Period registrant or if the second-level domain is not found to have adequately met the Sunrise Period eligibility requirements ("SERs"), the Sunrise Contact will promptly notify the registrant of the action and the nature of the Complaint, and provide the registrant with the option to respond within ten days to cure the SERs deficiencies. All such actions will be ticketed in Google's customer relationship management software to maintain accurate SDRP processing records.
      4. If the registrant responds within 10 business days, its response will be reviewed by the Sunrise Contact to determine if the SERs are met. If the Sunrise Contact is satisfied by the registrant's response, the Sunrise Contact will then notify the complainant that the Complaint was ultimately denied and provide the reasons for the denial. If not, both the registrant and the complainant will be notified that the second-level domain will be released.
      5. Registry Operator reserves the right to suspend a second-level domain during the pendency of a SDRP dispute, and/or to cancel, transfer, or take other action deemed necessary in its discretion upon completion of its review and/or receipt of a decision under the SDRP. Upon receipt of a decision that the registration does not meet the SERs, Registry Operator expressly reserves the right to cancel, transfer, or take other action deemed necessary in its discretion.