LOS ANGELES - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced in a press release that it is placing the generic top-level domain (gTLD) .DESI into the Emergency Back-End Registry Operator (EBERO) program. This action is being taken following the request of the registry operator, Desi Networks LLC, to terminate its registry agreement and to transfer .DESI to an EBERO, and not as a result of a technical issue. ICANN is placing the gTLD into the EBERO program to ensure the continued operation of the nearly 1,900 domain names under the .DESI gTLD.

ICANN's mission is to ensure the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet. The EBERO program is designed to be activated should a gTLD registry operator require assistance to sustain critical registry functions for a period of time. EBERO providers are organizations that have demonstrated years of experience operating domain name services, registration data directory services, and extensible provisioning protocol services.

ICANN will pursue identifying and contracting with a successor registry operator to assume the long-term operation of .DESI.