The PublicRoot DNS Operations Working Group (DNSops WG) develops and publishes guidelines concerning the operation and administration of DNS software servers and zone files. These guidelines provide operators and administrators with technical information relating to the implementation of the DNS protocol, zones, resolvers, root and TLD name servers.

The DNS Operations Working Group has requested that the Internet Names Authorization & Information Center (INAIC) Council delegate experimental numeric top-level domains (TLDs). These TLDs will test the technical support for numeric only domain names on the Next Generation Internet.

Heppenheim, Germany April 25, 2005

Peter Dambier announced today that the PublicRoot DNS Operations Working Group (DNSops WG) is testing numeric top-level domains this May 2005. Mr. Dambier co-chair of the DNSops WG will supervise the tests. Numeric TLDs will facilitate communications in commerce and trade by providing users with easy to remember number sequences.

UNified IDentity Technology (UNIDT) a worldwide registrar of corporate TLDs (cTLDs) and a principle contributor to the development of the Next Generation Internet is a leader in the development of TLD standards that serve the corporate community. UNIDT is a sponsor and supporter of the working groups research into numeric top-level domains.

The world needs an easier way to communicate, said Marcel Bor, Chief Technology Officer of UNIDT, and number domains provide a simple clean solution. Research conducted by UNIDT discovered that many Asian businesses waste time communicating contact information using alpha characters. The use of alpha characters in domain names is difficult and confusing to many of our Asian users. Mr. Bor explained that alpha characters cause communication problems in many local dialects. Numbers however are universal and easier to communicate, he said.

The PublicRoot already provides support for Numeric TLDs. Richard Sexton of VRx Network Services first delegated numeric TLDs .800 and .888 in 1996. Sexton a DNS pioneer and root operator was successful in testing root support for numeric TLDs. Sexton a strong proponent in the deployment of numeric TLDs . This can make everyones life a lot easier, right now, said Sexton, think phone numbers.

The PublicRoot is an international federation of independent root operators and community stakeholders responsible for the operation and technical management of the Internet's DNS root system. The DNSops WG is a body of the PublicRoot chartered to develop and publish guidelines on the operation and administration of DNS server software and zone files.