[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30388-30389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8077]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

[Docket No. 060519136-6136-01]


The Continued Transition of the Technical Coordination and 
Management of the Internet Domain Name and Addressing System

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce

ACTION: Notice of Inquiry, Notice of Public Meeting

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce's National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) seeks comment 
on the continuation of the transition of the technical coordination and 
management of the Internet domain name and addressing system (Internet 
DNS) to the private sector. In June 1998, the Department issued a 
statement of policy on the privatization of the Internet DNS, which 
among other things articulated four primary functions for global 
Internet DNS coordination and management, the need to have these 
functions performed by the private sector and four principles to guide 
the transition to private sector management of the Internet DNS. On 
June 30, 2005, NTIA released the U.S. Principles on the Internet's 
Domain Name and Addressing System further elaborating on these issues. 
The Department of Commerce seeks comment regarding the progress of this 
transition and announces a public meeting to be held on July 26, 2006, 
to discuss issues associated with this transition.

DATES: Comments are due on or before July 7, 2006. The public meeting 
will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 26, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail to Fiona 
Alexander, Office of International Affairs, National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 
4701, Washington, DC 20230. Paper submissions should include a three 
and one-half inch computer diskette in HTML, ASCII, Word or WordPerfect 
format (please specify version). Diskettes should be labeled with the 
name and organizational affiliation of the filer, and the name of the 
word processing program used to create the document. Alternatively, 
comments may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. 
Comments provided via electronic mail should also be submitted in one 
of the formats specified above. All comments will be posted to NTIA's 
Web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/dnstransition.html. The public meeting will be held at the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Auditorium, 
Washington, DC (Entrance to the Department of Commerce is on 14th 
Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, NW.).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this Notice or the 
Public Meeting, contact: Fiona Alexander, National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 4701, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: 
(202) 482-1866; or e-mail: [email protected]. Please direct media 
inquiries to the Office of Public Affairs, NTIA, at (202) 482-7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: A July 1, 1997, Executive 
Memorandum directed the Secretary of Commerce to privatize the Internet 
domain name and addressing system (Internet DNS) in a manner that 
increases competition and facilitates international participation in 
its management.\1\ In order to fulfill this Presidential directive, the 
Department of Commerce, in June 1998, issued a statement of policy on 
the privatization of the Internet DNS, known as the DNS White Paper.\2\ 
This document articulated four primary functions for global Internet 
DNS coordination and management:
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    \1\ Memorandum on Electronic Commerce, 2 Pub. Papers 898 (July 
1, 1997).
    \2\ Management of Internet Names and Addresses, 63 Fed. Reg. 
31,741 (June 10, 1998).
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    1. To set policy for and direct the allocation of IP number blocks;
    2. To oversee the operation of the Internet root server system;
    3. To oversee policy for determining the circumstances under which 
new top level domains (TLDs) would be added to the root server system; 
and
    4. To coordinate the assignment of other technical protocol 
parameters as needed to maintain universal connectivity on the 
Internet.
    In the DNS White Paper, the Department of Commerce concluded that 
these functions were relevant to the state of the Internet DNS and 
should be primarily performed through private sector management. To 
this end, the Department of Commerce stated that it was prepared to 
enter into agreement with a new not-for-profit corporation formed by 
private sector Internet stakeholders. Private sector interests formed 
the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for 
this purpose.\3\ In the fall of 1998, the Department of Commerce 
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ICANN, a 
California non-profit corporation, to transition technical Internet DNS 
coordination and management functions to the private sector.\4\
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    \3\ For more information on the private sector proposals 
received see http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/background.htm.
    \4\ Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Department of 
Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 
(November 25, 1998), available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/icann-memorandum.htm.
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    The MOU contains a series of core tasks for ICANN, which include 
establishing appropriate relationships with the organizations that form 
the technical underpinnings of the Internet DNS, as well as date-
specific milestones designed to help ICANN reach full corporate 
maturity. It has been amended six times\5\, most recently in September 
2003 and will expire on September 30, 2006.\6\
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    \5\ All MOU Amendments are available online at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/icann.htm.
    \6\ Memorandum of Understanding Between U.S. Department of 
Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and 
Numbers, Amendment 6, available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/agreements/amendment6_09162003.htm.
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    On June 30, 2005, NTIA released the U.S. Principles on the 
Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System, which provides in 
general: the United States Government intends to preserve the security 
and stability of the Internet

[[Page 30389]]

DNS by maintaining its historic role in authorizing changes or 
modifications to the authoritative root zone file; governments have 
legitimate interest in the management of their country code top level 
domains (ccTLD); ICANN is the appropriate technical manager of the 
Internet DNS; and dialogue related to Internet governance should 
continue in relevant multiple fora.\7\
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    \7\ U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Principles on the 
Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System (June 30, 2005), http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/usdnsprinciples_06302005.htm.
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    Request for Comment: Because the current MOU will expire on 
September 30, 2006, NTIA seeks comment on the progress to date of the 
transition of the technical coordination and management of the Internet 
DNS to the private sector.
    The questions below are intended to assist in identifying the 
issues and should not be construed as a limitation on comments that may 
be submitted. When referencing, in your comments, any studies, 
research, and other empirical data that are not widely published, 
please provide copies of the referenced materials with the submitted 
comments.
    1. The DNS White Paper articulated principles (i.e., stability; 
competition; private, bottom-up coordination; and representation) 
necessary for guiding the transition to private sector management of 
the Internet DNS. Are these principles still relevant? Should 
additional principles be considered in light of: The advance in 
Internet technology; the expanded global reach of the Internet; the 
experience gained over the eight years since the Department of Commerce 
issued the DNS White Paper; and the international dialogue, including 
the discussions related to Internet governance at the United Nations 
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)?
    2. The DNS White Paper articulated a number of actions that should 
be taken in order for the U.S. Government to transition its Internet 
DNS technical coordination and management responsibilities to the 
private sector. These actions appear in the MOU as a series of core 
tasks and milestones. Has ICANN achieved sufficient progress in its 
tasks, as agreed in the MOU, for the transition to take place by 
September 30, 2006?
    3. Are these core tasks and milestones still relevant to facilitate 
this transition and meet the goals outlined in the DNS White Paper and 
the U.S. Principles on the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing 
System? Should new or revised tasks/methods be considered in order for 
the transition to occur? And on what time frame and by what method 
should a transition occur?
    4. The DNS White Paper listed several key stakeholder groups whose 
meaningful participation is necessary for effective technical 
coordination and management of the Internet DNS. Are all of these 
groups involved effectively in the ICANN process? If not, how could 
their involvement be improved? Are there key stakeholder groups not 
listed in the DNS White Paper, such as those with expertise in the area 
of Internet security or infrastructure technologies, that could provide 
valuable input into the technical coordination and management of the 
Internet DNS? If so, how could their involvement be facilitated?
    5. The DNS White Paper listed principles and mechanisms for 
technical coordination and management of the Internet DNS to encourage 
meaningful participation and representation of key stakeholders. ICANN, 
in conjunction with many of these key stakeholders, has created various 
supporting organizations and committees to facilitate stakeholder 
participation in ICANN processes. Is participation in these 
organizations meeting the needs of key stakeholders and the Internet 
community? Are there ways to improve or expand participation in these 
organizations and committees?
    6. What methods and/or processes should be considered to encourage 
greater efficiency and responsiveness to governments and ccTLD managers 
in processing root management requests to address public policy and 
sovereignty concerns? Please keep in mind the need to preserve the 
security and stability of the Internet DNS and the goal of decision-
making at the local level. Are there new technology tools available 
that could improve this process, such as automation of request 
processing?
    7. Many public and private organizations have various roles and 
responsibilities related to the Internet DNS, and more broadly, to 
Internet governance. How can information exchange, collaboration and 
enhanced cooperation among these organizations be achieved as called 
for by the WSIS?\8\
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    \8\ See, e.g., World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis 
Agenda for the Information Society (November 18, 2005), WSIS-05/
TUNIS/DOC/6(Rev. 1)-E, available at http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/6rev1.html.
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    Public Meeting: NTIA announces a public meeting to be held on July 
26, 2006, to discuss issues associated with this transition. The agenda 
for the meeting will be posted on NTIA's Web site, http://www.ntia.doc.gov, one week prior to the meeting.
    The meeting will be open to the public and press on a first-come, 
first-served basis. Space is limited. Due to security requirements and 
to facilitate entry to the Department of Commerce building, anyone 
wishing to attend must contact Tanika Hawkins at (202) 482-1866 or 
[email protected] at least five (5) days prior to the meeting in 
order to provide the necessary clearance information. When arriving for 
the meeting, attendees must present photo or passport identification 
and/or a U.S. Government building pass, if applicable, and should 
arrive at least one-half hour prior to the start time of the meeting. 
The public meeting is physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Individuals requiring special services, such as sign 
language interpretation or other ancillary aids are asked to indicate 
this to Ms. Hawkins.

    Dated: May 22, 2006.
Kathy D. Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-8077 Filed 5-25-06; 8:45 am]
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