The Board of ICANN has approved a recommendation that could see a
whole range of new names introduced to the Internet’s addressing
system. A final
version of the implementation plan must be approved by the ICANN Board
before the new process is launched. It is intended that the final
version will be published in early 2009.

Presently, users have a limited range of 21 top level domains
to choose from — like .com, .org,
.info.

This proposal allows applicants for new names to self-select
their domain name so that choices are most appropriate for their
customers or potentially the most marketable. It is expected that
applicants will apply for targeted community strings such as (the
existing) .travel for the travel industry and .cat for the Catalan
community (as well as generic strings like .brandname or
.yournamehere). There are already interested consortiums wanting to
establish city-based top level domain, like .nyc (for New York City),
.berlin and .paris.