snoopy
Top Contributor
If you read the names policy panel report 2015 and Ausregistry's well publicised arguments there is little doubt key reasons for bringing .au was following .uk, .nz and the threat of ntlds. Those factors seem to account for 50% of what NPP said as to why .au should be brought in (other arguments were shortness and choice)
https://www.auda.org.au/assets/pdf/2015npp-final-report.pdf
On .uk and .nz
On ntlds
Ausregistry was even more blunt,
2015
https://www.ausregistry.com.au/product-innovation-will-produce-the-next-3-million-au-domains/
Ausregistry's viewpoint now seems to have changed...........
2017
https://www.ausregistry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BTD_Issue_11.pdf
Overall: With the benefit of hindsight & given everything that has happen since that report came out,
Is it fair to say the NPP basically got it wrong?
https://www.auda.org.au/assets/pdf/2015npp-final-report.pdf
On .uk and .nz
Some evidence that shorter names are more attractive to registrants can be seen in .uk and .nz, both of which introduced direct registrations in mid‐2014. Monthly .nz statistics suggest that there is a shift underway from 2LDs to direct .nz names (although the figures are variable month‐on‐month)2. A similar trend is visible in .uk, where total registrations under 2LDs have declined by approximately 95,000 since January 2015, while direct registrations have increased by approximately 180,0003.....................
On ntlds
It has also been suggested that as more people get used to being able to register domain names directly at the second level in an increasing number of ccTLDs and new gTLDs, over time it will become more confusing for users if the Australian namespace remains the “odd one out”.
The Panel has considered whether the creation of hundreds of new gTLDs through the current ICANN process is having, or will have, a major impact on the “.au brand”. Whilst the introduction of new gTLDs is significant, it is not of itself a reason to introduce changes to .au. It was felt that the .au namespace stands on its own merits, at least as far as Australian registrants and users are concerned.
Ausregistry was even more blunt,
2015
No matter how you spin it, the introduction of new Top-Level Domains has created increased competition.
https://www.ausregistry.com.au/product-innovation-will-produce-the-next-3-million-au-domains/
Ausregistry's viewpoint now seems to have changed...........
2017
In terms of gTLDs, early indications in global trends suggest new gTLDs, although still with very small market shares are not impacting the ccTLDs greatly (at least in terms of volume).
https://www.ausregistry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BTD_Issue_11.pdf
Overall: With the benefit of hindsight & given everything that has happen since that report came out,
- new data on .uk (no real growth)
- nz (total growth rate has dropped from 10% before the change to under 4% now)
- ntlds (even Ausregistry now admit they aren't competing much with cctlds and most people would describe them in far worse terms)
Is it fair to say the NPP basically got it wrong?