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In accordance with the protocol signed by the Middle East Technical University (“METU“) and the Information Technologies and Communications Authority (“ITCA“) on 21 December 2018, all authorizations regarding the management and allocation of “.tr” domain names have been transferred from Nic.tr to ITCA. Nic.tr recently announced to its users that the transfer of management of “.tr” domain names to ITCA is expected to be completed by January 2022. Following the completion of the said transfer, the Nic.tr platform will be closed completely and the “.tr” Network Information System (“TRABIS“) will become operational in the near future. Once the TRABIS period begins, there will be significant amendments to the currently used concepts, definitions and abbreviations related to “.tr” domain names. You can read our legal alert on Nic.tr’s aforementioned announcement here.
Recent development
The competence to act as the “.tr” Registration Authority was transferred from Nic.tr to ITCA pursuant to the protocol signed between ITCA and METU in December 2018, and as a consequence of the said transfer, Nic.tr will be shut down very soon and TRABIS will commence operating. Fundamental amendments to the concepts, definitions and abbreviations related to “.tr” domain names will be made once the TRABIS period begins. In order to enable users to follow the process effectively during the transition period from Nic.tr to TRABİS, information concerning the amended and updated concepts in domain name transactions was shared with users via METUnic. You can find the definitions and abbreviations that will be used in the TRABIS period here.
What kind of amendments will the TRABIS period make to the concepts, definitions and abbreviations regarding “.tr” domain names?
- TRABIS refers to the platform that enables the operation, updating, monitoring and domain name application processes of “.tr” domain names and their central database.
- Internet Domain Name (“IAA“) describes the names that define the internet protocol address used to determine the address of computers or internet sites on the internet.
- Internet Domain Name Owner (“İAAS“), is the concept used to designate the domain name holder.
- Domain Registrar (“KK“) refers to the party that mediates the transactions related to domain names, especially application, renewal and cancellation, and METUnic will operate as a KK that has completed TRABIS accreditation.
- ITCA is the independent administrative authority that regulates and supervises the telecommunications sector in Turkey. ITCA is authorized to make necessary arrangements within the framework of the legal legislation, to audit the KKs and those authorized as dispute resolution service providers (“UÇHS“), and to impose the necessary administrative sanctions, including terminating their activities.
- The List of Restricted Domain Names (“TAKIL“) is the list containing domain names whose allocation is restricted by the registration authority for various reasons and for which documents will be requested at the time of application.
- The List of Domain Names Closed to Allocation (“TAKAL“) is a list of domain names that are not allowed to be allocated by the registration authority due to reasons such as being contrary to the legislation, public order and general morality.
- Domain name allocation will be conducted in two ways: as documented and undocumented. Undocumented domain name allocation will be carried out in accordance with the “first-come, first-served” principle, and the registration of the domain name application will be based on when the domain name application is received by TRABIS. Documented domain name allocation will be carried out by submitting the relevant documents to be announced. All documents and applications will be evaluated by TRABIS and KKs will not be authorized to partake in the document and application evaluation processes. The domain name can be allocated for a period of at least one and at most five years.
- Waiver is the name for the process that was called “Deletion” under Nic.tr. The waiver process is carried out if the registrant wishes to terminate the use before the domain name expires. With this process, the domain name owner waives all rights by requesting the deletion of the relevant domain name.
- Cancellation can be done by informing the domain name owner and METUnic. The domain name allocation can be canceled via TRABIS. In order to cancel a domain name, one or more of the situations demonstrated below need to occur:
- Determining that the information provided by the domain name owner is incomplete or incorrect
- Inclusion of the domain name within the scope of TAKAL
- Presence of a court decision to cancel the domain name allocation
- Presence of an administrative reason to be determined by the ITCA
- Presence of conditions determined by the ITCA to find and implement the decision of the arbitrator or arbitral tribunal conveyed to the ITCA by the UÇHS
- Renewal is the process of continuing the ownership of an already existing domain name by making a payment. METUnic informs the domain name owner via email at least three months before the end of the domain name allocation period and the domain name owner is requested to perform the renewal process.
- Sale is not permitted under the operation of Nic.tr, but users will be enabled to perform this transaction with the launch of TRABIS. However, the domain name sale will be possible three years after TRABIS becomes operative. Transfer is another transaction not allowed under Nic.tr’s operation, but domain name transfer will be enabled upon the commencement of the TRABIS period. In cases such as death, absence and presumption of absence of real persons, the domain name will be transferred to the legal heirs. Legal entities will be entitled to transfer domain names for reasons such as mergers and acquisitions. You can read our legal alert on the sale and transfer of domain names, which are among the most significant innovations that TRABIS brings, here.
- Transfer Between Domain Registrars is the process that was called “Change of Responsible Person” under Nic.tr. It is the transfer of a domain name in a different KK to a panel in METUnic with a transfer code. Likewise, a domain name in METUnic can be transferred to a different KK using the transfer code.
Conclusion
Following the completion of the transfer of management of “.tr” domain names to ITCA, Nic.tr will be completely inoperative and TRABIS will be activated. The beginning of the TRABIS period will bring radical amendments to the concepts, definitions and abbreviations related to “.tr” domain names. In order for the transition process to be followed correctly and to prevent any loss of rights, it is of great importance that the domain name holders carefully follow the announcements that Nic.tr will make through its website, social media accounts and emails.
