Building a multi-lingual EUnion

International conference on DNS and Internet

Riga, Latvia, 19 April 2013

“As the Internet has spread across the globe, the absence of support for non-Latin scripts became a notable deficiency”

Vint Cerf, World Report on IDN Deployment, Foreword

• Adoption of IDNs

• Usage of IDNs

• Factors that impact IDN uptake at local level

• Conclusions

Agenda

A short history of IDNs

1996Martin Dürst proposes IDN

2000IDNs deployed at second level

2002Browser support for IDNs

2003IDN standards established

2008IDN technical standards revised

2008Fast track process for IDN ccTLDs

2010First IDN ccTLDs launched

2010السعودية.امارات.مصر.

. 台湾.рф

االردن. ලං�කා� and இலங்கை�

ไทย

2011. 한국قطر.

فلسطين.الجزائر.. 香港سورية.

2012.қаз .срб

新加坡சி�ங்�ப்பூர்

201231 IDN ccTLDs approved;19 have been launched.

Adoption of IDNs

Deployment is increasing

New gTLD may expand IDNs

…but will they get lost in the mix?

Usage of IDNs

IDNs support local languages

.eu IDNs evolution

.eu IDNs analysis

• Strong link between local language and

geographic location of the registrant:

• 46% of registration from Germany

• 75% of Greek script based IDNs, registrant located in

Greece

• Over 85% of Cyrillic script based IDNs, registrant

located in Bulgaria

.eu IDNs drop analysis

• Low end-user awareness of IDNs

• Variable user experience of IDNs in browsers, email

and applications

• Correlation domain name growth and economic

growth (Greece share IDNs from 9,7% down to

7,6%)

• Registrar price promotions and short-term marketing

campaigns

.eu IDNs usage against other TLDs

IDNs under .lv

• Launched March 2004

• 759 registered IDNs

• Less than 1% of total registrations

Factors that impact IDNs uptake at local level

Linguistic and cultural homogeneityLocal Internet Exchange PointsBroadband penetrationLocal language contentSize of population (market)

Country indicators

PricesLiberal registration policiesBrand of the ccTLD (more difficult to

build for IDNs)Strong network of local registrars

ccTLD indicators

Inconsistent and unsatisfactory experience because:Limited support for IDNs by ISPs and domain name registrars

Functionality of Internet browsersLack of (full) email functionalityLack of support for IDNs in popular applications and websites in the creation of user accounts

IDNs and end-users

Conclusion

• Multilingual Internet, a high priority

• IDNs as a catalyst for local language content

• Raise awareness and education of IDNs

• Technical developments as key for the uptake of

IDNs

The road ahead

Giovanni Seppiagiovannis@eurid.eu

All you need to know on EURid and .euwww.eurid.eu