18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

1. Goals of the TLD

An important goal of the TLD is the safeguard of the intellectual property right of the PCCW and the 電訊盈科 brand.

The Group places great importance on brand protection. We have been investing heavily in protecting the Group’s intellectual properties, including trademarks and domains. A comprehensive set of brand protection measurements and policy has been established within the group. Together with external trademark lawyers, an in-house Group Legal office, Brand Management division and Risk Management division jointly manage the Group’s brand and IP portfolio including trademarks, goodwill and domains, etc. Through the years, PCCW and its sub-brands have established strong brand recognition in the customers’ mind and in the industry. We have received awards from different local and overseas organizations including APICTA International, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific, etc.

For PCCW, the establishment of the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” TLDs on the Internet safeguards our brand’s intellectual property right and enable opportunities from potential expansion of business. PCCW has invested substantially in the online areas and will continue to do so.

2. Differentiation and Innovation

The utilization of the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” TLDs by PCCW is in itself a differentiation and innovation we set ourselves apart from our competitors. PCCW is a Hong Kong-based company which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses and is excited to explore new and innovative uses of subdomain names directly under the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” TLDs.

At the same time, as a TLD, PCCW understands the importance to maintain a reliable, advanced and operationally sound TLD registry that safeguards the security and stability of the Internet.

The primary users of the gTLD will be within the Group with businesses serving several million business and consumer accounts.

3. Improving User Experience

To Internet users, the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” domains provide a more direct way of reaching the company with a better user experience as they will be able to access PCCW information and services directly under the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” domains.

The initial plan is to consider deployment of the gTLD by the Group and its subsidiaries. It might cover the websites and the personalized email addresses. The latest number of employees of the Group is 20,100+ worldwide with the majority located in Hong Kong. Not all of the employees will use their own domain name, rather departments or business units within the group.

The potential expansion of the gTLD could apply to individual business units of the Group for their marketing promotion or customer acquisition purposes serving over several million customers. E.g. our business customers could be using the sub domain under the gTLD to run their business. We have had similar experiences in running our directory business (YP.com.hk and biz.com.hk) by offering sub domains to our customers at a minimal cost.

4. Registration Policies Supporting the Goals to Drive User Benefits

While we are not planning for the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” TLDs to be open for external registrations, in the case that future expansion happens, the Registry is dedicated to upholding its reputation as a socially responsible TLD. As such, beyond the basic ICANN requirements, the Registry intends to put in place a comprehensive Sunrise and Startup process as well as effective Abuse Prevention and Rights Protection Mechanisms to strengthen the orderly and stable introduction of the TLD.

5. Privacy and Confidentiality Protection

Measures to protect the privacy and any confidential information of registrants and users will be consistent with other existing broad generic gTLDs. This ensures a sense of coherence from users and registrants and reinforces the goals of making IDN not an alternative but a given.

With the support from competent registry front-end and back-end service providers, the Registry will be administered with compliance to a Privacy Policy which requires that identifying information received by the Registry Operator in connection with registrations will not be disclosed to third parties, except as required to combat any abusive registrations and comply with our contractual obligations to ICANN and investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies.

Should the “.pccw” and “.電訊盈科” TLDs be based out of Hong Kong, it will be governed by the Privacy Ordinance while the registry systems will be supported by the competent registry back-end service provider. A Privacy Policy has been developed which is compliant with relevant legislation and ensures that a high level of privacy and information security surrounds all collected data.

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