NEW YORK, NY – May 3, 2001 – Afilias, the registry selected by ICANN to operate the new .INFO top-level domain (TLD), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) today announced an agreement whereby WIPO will provide dispute resolution services for .INFO during the Sunrise Period. The Sunrise Period is a 30-day period, prior to the opening of public registration, where trademark and service mark holders will be able to reserve their exact marks in the .INFO domain.

WIPO will be the exclusive provider of dispute resolution services for Afilias during the Sunrise Challenge process, which is the period in which parties have the opportunity to resolve challenges to Sunrise registrations.

"We are pleased to have WIPO, a global leader in intellectual property policy, working with us on dispute resolution as we bring .INFO to market."," said Kent Jordan, Afilias executive committee member. "WIPO's experience and recognition as an impartial protector of IP rights ensures that Afilias will have outstanding dispute resolution services available for those who register during the Sunrise Period."

".INFO is a truly global TLD, and we are pleased to collaborate with Afilias given their commitment to the IP community, " said Francis Gurry, Director of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. "Through this association, we feel the roll-out of .INFO will significantly reduce the potential for trademark abuse in the .INFO domain."

Afilias, which was awarded the right to operate the registry for .INFO in November, has completed contract negotiations, and expects final approval from ICANN in May. Additional news about the rollout of .INFO will be forthcoming.