Will current domain name owners
be given special registration preference?
Most likely, the answer is no, but it depends on the rules put
in place by the TLD Registry. Some may impose a period of time
for trademark holders to register first. Other rules may require
compliance with the particular TLD. An example - only aerospace
companies can register .aero. Otherwise these new TLDs will be
available on a first-come, first-serve basis to anyone that wants
to register them. Even if the domain name you want is already
registered by someone else in a com/net/org, you still have the
opportunity to register it in one of the new TLDs. However, if
you successfully register a domain name in one of the new TLDs
that is currently trademarked by an individual or company with
an existing com/net/org, your domain name registrations could
be challenged by that individual or company. Second level domains
in the new gTLDs that embody existing trademark rights may be
held only by the owner of the trademark rights. If you register
a domain name in any of the new gTLDs that embodies trademark
rights owned by another person, the registration will be subject
to cancellation if the trademark owner brings a challenge under
the dispute settlement regime.