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STARTUP PLAN

 

1.0 Startup Plan

 

Version Control: 3.2

Date of Implementation: 20231907

 

2.0 Summary

 

This document outlines the key dates for the launch of the .MUSIC Top Level Domain (“MTLD”), as well as the requirements prospective Registered Name Holders must meet in order to register and maintain a domain name in the MTLD.

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3.0 Minimum Baseline Requirements

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All domain names registered in MTLD must comply with the following baseline requirements, including, but not limited to:

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  • Registrant Eligibility Policy

  • Registration Eligibility Dispute Resolution Policy

  • Anti-Abuse and Legitimate Use Policy

  • Name Allocation Policy

  • Name Selection Policy

  • Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy

  • Privacy Policy

  • Pricing Policy

  • Registrar Requirements Policy

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Registry Operator will work with a Identity Verification Service Provider, ID.music, a Cypriot (EU) partner entity that will verify registrant identity confirm music community profile data requirements, and may obtain data to review whether the Registered Name Holder meets the eligibility requirements for registering/maintaining a MTLD domain name registration.

 

4.0 Qualified Launch Program

 

The Registry Operator will offer a Qualified Launch Program prior to the start of Sunrise and provide a mechanism for the Registry Operator to register a limited number of names to third parties that will help to promote the MTLD.  At first, registration priority for MTLD domain names under this Program will be given to those with a valid Signed Mark Data file issued by the TMCH, Domain names will be registered on a first come, first served basis during this period. The Registrant Eligibility Policy applies to these registrations. 

 

  • Qualified Launch Period Begin (Date): 15-­May-­2023

  • Qualified Launch Period End (Date): 10-September-2023

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5.0 Sunrise Period

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The Registry Operator will implement a Start-Date Sunrise (i.e., First Come, First Served) for all qualified Applicants that meet the Registrant Eligibility Policy and have a valid Signed Mark Data file issued by the Trademark Clearing House matching the domain name string they wish to register, provided that the domain name is not reserved by the Registry Operator. All domain names registered during this period will be subject to the Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy, which provides third parties the ability to challenge that a domain name registration was improperly granted/denied. 

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  • Sunrise Period Begin (Date): 11-September-2023

  • Sunrise Period End (Date): 15-November-2023

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5.1 Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy

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The Registry Operator has a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy (SDRP) for third parties to file an administrative challenge against any non­‐compliant Sunrise registrations.  This SDRP will be administered by the National Arbitration Forum (“Forum”)

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  • SDRP Challenge Period Begins: 16-­November-­2023

  • SDRP Challenge Period Ends: 16-December-2023

 

6.0 Music Community Organization Phase (Limited Registration Period). 

 

The Registry Operator will offer a limited registration period for music community members that starts during Sunrise and concludes before General Availability. This period is restricted and is exclusively for individuals, businesses, corporations, and legal entities with established content, work, commerce, and history in the music community/industry (Music Community Classification, according to the Registrant Eligibility Policy, subsection 5.1).  At first, while Sunrise remains open, registration priority for MTLD domain names under this Program will be given to those with a valid Signed Mark Data file issued by the TMCH and registered on a first come, first served basis.  No registrations will be allocated or registered during this phase until all Sunrise registrations have been allocated and registered.  After Sunrise ends, registrations will be available to qualified applicants as determined by the Registry Operator. During the duration of this Limited Registration Period registrations will be subject to a Trademark Claims Service and Registry Operator will provide Claims Notices to potential domain registrants if a domain name they are seeing to register matches the Trademark Record of a Trademark Holder that has been verified in the Trademark Clearinghouse.  The Registry Operator reserves the right to extend this Music Community Program in the future provided that appropriate approval/notification is provided by the Registry Operator.

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  • Music Community Organization Phase Begins: 16-October-­2023

  • Music Community Organization Phase Ends: 24-May-2024

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7.0 General Availability

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After the Music Community Program MTLD domain name registrations will be allocated on a first come, first served basis provided the Registrant and domain name comply with Registry Operator’s Registrant Eligibility Policy. 

 

  • General Availability will commence: 25-June-2024

 

8.0 Trademark Claims Period

 

The Registry Operator will initially offer a Trademark Claims service during the timeframe identified below, although the Registry Operator reserves the right to extend this Trademark Claims Period in the future provided that appropriate approval/notification is provided by Registry Operator:

 

  • Trademark Claims Period Begins: 9-April-2024

  • Trademark Claims Period Ends: 1-October-2024

Policies

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