The global postal sector is one step closer to obtaining its own top-level domain name on theinternet, to be known as .post (dot-post), thanks to the successful conclusion of negotiations
between the Universal Postal Union and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN).The .post top-level domain represents a platform for innovation in the area of global postalservices, and will provide opportunities for linking the physical and electronic dimensions ofpostal services, the UPU announced.
The UPU said it is the first United Nations agency to negotiate such a contract with ICANN.UPU Director General Edouard Dayan called the agreement “historic” for respecting the UPU’s uniquecharacter as an intergovernmental organisation bound by international law.
“A top-level domain for a service-oriented industry such as ours is an opportunity to developa trusted space on the internet for integrating physical and electronic postal services,” said PaulDonohoe, UPU e-business manager and responsible for the domain application and ICANN negotiations. “ .post will be a unique and focused internet domain with the potential to connect the entire postalcommunity and its customers. The domain will enable the UPU and the postal sector at large to workon delivering new innovative internet-based international postal services, such as hybrid mail,e-commerce, e-identity, e-communication and e-government, and built on UPU standards.”
For Poste Italiane’s Giovanni Brardinoni, who chairs the UPU’s standards and technologycommittee, .post represents the future of postal services. “Not only will .post help postaloperators such as Poste Italiane to further develop secure electronic services, includingregistered electronic mail, but consumers will be sure they are receiving electronic communicationfrom a secure and trusted source. The possibilities are endless,” he said.
ICANN said earlier that the agreement represents “a significant accomplishment for the UPU,ICANN and the global Internet community”. ICANN CEO and president Rod Beckstrom added: “The UPU hashelped mark out a path for other intergovernmental organisations to sponsor their own top-leveldomains and this helps us expand our multi-stakeholder relationships in this field.”
The agreement must now go through a public comment process during a 30-day period beforeICANN’s board of directors consider it for final approval.
The .post project will be presented to more than 800 delegates from UPU member countries atthe 2009 session of the Council of Administration, taking place in Berne from October 26 toNovember 13.
