Telstra Corporation Limited
v.
Nuclear Marshmallows
[Indexed as: Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows]
[Indexed as: Telestra.org]
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
Administrative Panel Decision
Case No. WIPO D2000-0003
Commenced: October 24, 1999
Judgment: February 18, 2000
Presiding Panelist: Andrew F. Christie
Domain name - Domain name dispute resolution policy - Second staff
report- Respondent default- Actual notification- Identical - Confusingly
similar - Bad faith registration - Bad faith use- Invented word- Famous
marks- Failure to respond to complaint- Passive holding of domain name.
Complainant is the proprietor of more than 50 trademark registrations
inside Australia, extensive trademark registrations in a large number of
countries and a registered Community Trademark all containing the name
TELESTRA. Additionally, the Complainant is the registrant of five domain
names containing the name Telestra, including its principle web site address
Telestra.com.
Registrant registered the domain name, telestra.org. The Registrant
is not a recognizable business entity and the domain name does not resolve
to a website or other online presence. Complainant alleged that its registered
marks and domain names were identical to the registered domain name and
that Respondent, Nuclear Marshmallows, registered the domain name at issue
in bad faith.
Held, Name Transferred to Complainant.
The Respondent is default owing to failure to respond to the complaint.
WIPO discharged its duty under paragraph 2(a) to employ reasonably available
means to achieve actual notice to the Respondent by transmission of complaint
by facsimile, by email in multiple formats, and by post.
ICANN adopted the Uniform Policy in a form that clearly intends that
the Complainant must prove both that the domain was both registered in
bad faith and that the domain name is being used in bad faith for a remedy
to be available.
It is clear that the domain name TELESTRA.ORG is identical or confusingly
similar to the service mark and trademark registered and used by Complainant,
TELESTRA. TELESTRA is an invented word and one of the most recognizable
trademarks in Australia. There is no plausible circumstance in which
the Respondent could legitimately use the domain name TELESTRA.ORG. There
is no plausible situation in which the Respondent would have been unaware
of this fact at the time of registration. The Respondent has no rights
or legitimate interest in respect of the domain name. This is bad faith
registration.
The Respondent is in breach Australian business names registration
legislation because of failure to register its trading name. The Respondent
is in breach of their warranty under the Uniform Policy by providing false
address information in its domain name registration. TELSTRA is one of
the best-known trademarks in Australia, and it is inconceivable that the
Respondent would not be aware of this fact. Members of the Australian public
would associate the domain name TELESTRA.ORG with the Complainant and any
realistic use of the domain name must misrepresent association with the
Complainant and its goodwill, resulting in passing off, breaching of Australian
consumer protection legislation and trademark infringement.
The Respondent has undertaken no positive action in relation to the
domain name. The panel held that ‘being used in bad faith' is not limited
to positive action and contemplates passive holding of a domain name. As
a result of the Complainant's strong trademark reputation and extensive
use of the TELESTRA mark, the respondent's failure to respond to the complaint,
the respondent's active concealment of true identity and the respondent's
deliberate steps to conceal location; the panel found the Respondent's
passive holding of the domain name demonstrates bad faith use of the mark.
Policies referred to
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, adopted August 26, 1999
Second Staff Report on Implementation Documents for the Uniform Dispute
Resolution Policy, submitted October 24, 1999.
Registration Agreements referred to
--
Cases referred to
--
Panel Decision referred to
Administrative Panel Decision in the WIPO Center Case No. D99-0001
Christie, Panelist: -
1. The Parties
1.1 The Complainant
is Telstra Corporation Limited, a company incorporated in Australia, with
its registered office in Melbourne, Australia. The Respondent is
Nuclear Marshmallows. Nuclear Marshmallows is an unregistered business
name of an unidentifiable business entity. The address of the Respondent
as contained in the domain name registration is a post office box in Gosford,
NSW, Australia. The administrative and billing Contact provided for the
domain name registered by the Respondent is a Michael Jenkins.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
2.1 The domain
name that is the subject of this Complaint is <telstra.org>. The Registrar
of this domain name is Network Solutions, Inc of Herndon, Virginia,
USA.
3. Procedural History
Issuance of Complaint
3.1 A Complaint
made pursuant to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy implemented
by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on October
24, 1999 ("Uniform Policy"), and under the Rules for Uniform Domain Name
Dispute Resolution Policy implemented by ICANN on the same date ("Uniform
Rules"), was submitted electronically to the World Intellectual Property
Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center ("WIPO Center") on January
4, 2000. A paper original of the Complaint together with annexures and
the required fees were forwarded by courier under cover of
a letter of the same date, and received by the WIPO Center on January 10,
2000. An Acknowledgment of Receipt was sent by the WIPO Center to the Complainant,
by facsimile and email dated January 10, 2000.
3.2 A copy of
the Complaint was dispatched by courier to the Registrar on 5 January,
2000, and delivered to the Registrar on 7 January, 2000. By email to the
WIPO Center on 7 January, 2000, the Registrar confirmed that it is the
Registrar of the domain name <telstra.org>; confirmed that the current
registrant of that domain name is the Respondent, Nuclear Marshmallows;
informed that the administrative, technical, zone and billing Contact for
the Respondent is Michael Jenkins; and provided a postal and a email address,
and a telephone and a facsimile number, for the Contact. The Registrar
also supplied the terms of the domain name service agreement between it
and the Respondent. Amongst other things, that agreement provides that
the Respondent agrees to be bound by the domain name dispute policy
incorporated therein. The policy incorporated into the agreement is the
Uniform Policy.
Notification
to Respondent
3.3 Having verified
that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Policy
and the Uniform Rules, the WIPO Center issued to the Respondent on January
12, 2000, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative
Proceeding (including a copy of the filed Complaint), to both the postal
and email addresses of the Respondent, and to the facsimile of the Respondent's
Contact, as provided by the Registrar. Copies of this Notification of Complaint
were sent to the Complainant, the Registrar and ICANN on the same date.
3.4 On January
14, 2000, an email was received by the WIPO Center from the email address
of Nuclear Marshmallows' Contact, saying in full "cannot read attachment".
On that day, the WIPO Center replied to the Contact by email, attaching
the Notification of Complaint in four different formats in four separate
transmissions, and inviting the Contact to specify any other format required.
No response to these emails was received. Moreover, no response to the
postal dispatches of the Notification of Complaint to the Respondent was
received. Furthermore, all attempts to transmit the Notification of Complaint
to the Respondent by facsimile failed. Having reviewed the communications
records in the case file, the Administrative Panel finds that the WIPO
Center has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Uniform
Rules "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual
notice to Respondent".
3.5 Having received
no response from the Respondent within the specified time in the Notification
of Complaint, on February 3, 2000, the WIPO Center issued to both parties
a Notification of Respondent Default. On February 4, 2000, the WIPO Center
issued to both parties a Notification of Appointment of Administrative
Panel and Projected Decision Date. This Notification informed the parties
that the Administrative Panel would be comprised of a single Panelist,
Dr Andrew Christie.
4. Factual Background
4.1 The Complaint
asserted, and provided evidence in support of, and the Administrative Panel
finds established, the following facts.
Complainant's
Activities
4.2 The Complainant
is the largest company listed on the Australian stock exchange, having
a market capitalisation of approximately $A62 billion. It is the largest
provider of telecommunications and information services in Australia, with
financial year 1998-99 revenue exceeding $A16 billion. The Complaint's
main activities, each of which is carried out under or by reference to
the <TELSTRA> mark, are the provision of a fixed telephony network to
residences and businesses across Australia; the provision of local, long
distance domestic and international telephone call services to over 7 million
residential and business customers in Australia; the provision of 78,000
public payphones in Australia; the operation of mobile telecommunications
services to 3.4 million customers; the provision of a range of data, Internet
and on-line services (including the largest Internet Service Provider in
Australia); the provision of wholesale services to other telecommunications
carriers and service providers; the provision of directory information
and connection services to over 520 million calls per annum; the publication
and distribution of white pages and yellow pages directories in hard-copy,
CD-ROM and on-line formats; and the operation of over 80 retail outlets
throughout Australia.
Complainant's
Trading Name and Trademarks
4.3 The predecessor
in title to the Complainant's business can be traced back to 1901. In April
1993 the Complainant changed its legal name to Telstra Corporation Limited.
It has traded under the name <Telstra> outside Australia since that
date, and within Australia since July 1995. The Complainant is the proprietor
of more than 50 registrations in Australia of trademarks consisting of
or containing the word <TELSTRA> (details of which are contained in
Annexure 3 to the Complaint), including a number of registrations in class
38 in respect of telecommunications services. The various trademark registrations
and applications cover an extensive range of goods and services, and span
17 of the 42 trademark classes. As well, the Complainant has registered,
or applied for registration of, a range of trademarks consisting of or
containing the word <TELSTRA>, in a large number of countries, such
as Brunei, Cambodia, France,
Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakstan, Kiribati, Korea,
Laos, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, People's Republic
of China, South Africa, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan,
The Philipines, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu,
Vietnam and Western Samoa. In addition, the Complainant has obtained a
registered Community Trade Mark for a trademark including the word <TELSTRA>.
Details of the trademark registrations in countries outside Australia are
set out in Annexure 4 to the Complaint.
Complainant's
Domain Names and Web Sites
4.4 The Complainant
is the registrant of the following domain names containing the word <TELSTRA>:
telstra.com
telstra.net
telstra.com.au
telstra-inc.com
telstrainc.com
4.5 The Complainant
operates its principal web site at <telstra.com>. The site includes
electronic customer services for its fixed-line and mobile-phone customers,
news and entertainment services, and White Pages and Yellow Pages directories.
Respondent's
Identity and Activities
4.6 The Respondent
is the registrant of the domain name <telstra.org>, the Registrar of
which is Network Solutions, Inc. This domain name does not resolve to a
web site or other on-line presence.
4.7 The postal
address of the Respondent and its Contact, as contained in the Registrar's
registry, is a post office box in a town in the State of New South Wales,
Australia. The registers of company names and business names in Australia
do not disclose a registration of a company name or business name for the
Respondent's name, Nuclear Marshmallows. Accordingly, it is not possible
to identify the legal entity conducting business in Australia under the
Respondent's name.
4.8 Prior to
the issuing of the Complaint, the Complainant made substantial efforts
to identify and contact the Respondent, using the details then current
on the Registrar's registry. During the course of these attempts, some
of the contact details of the Respondent changed. The Complaint then renewed
its efforts to contact the Respondent, using the changed contact details.
These combined efforts disclosed that the street and post box addresses
of the Respondent were for persons unassociated with the Respondent, and
that the telephone number was for a person unassociated with the Respondent.
5. Relevant Provisions of the Uniform Policy
5.1 Paragraph
4(a) of the Uniform Policy sets out the three elements which must be present
for a proceeding to be brought against the Respondent, and which the Complainant
must prove to obtain a remedy. It provides as follows:
a. Applicable Disputes. You [the Respondent] are required to submit to
a mandatory administrative proceeding in the event that a third party (a
"complainant") asserts to the applicable Provider, in compliance with the
Rules of Procedure, that
(i) your domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark
or service mark in which the complainant has rights; and
(ii) you have no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain
name; and
(iii) your domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
In the administrative proceeding, the complainant must prove that each
of these three elements are present.
5.2 Paragraph
4(b) of the Uniform Policy identifies, in particular but without limitation,
four circumstances which, if found by the Administrative Panel to be present,
shall be evidence of the registration and use of a domain name in bad faith.
The precise wording of this paragraph is as follows:
b. Evidence of Registration and Use in Bad Faith. For the purposes of Paragraph
4(a)(iii), the following circumstances, in particular but without limitation,
if found by the Panel to be present, shall be evidence of the registration
and use of a domain name in bad faith:
(i) circumstances indicating that you have registered or you have acquired
the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise
transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the
owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that complainant,
for valuable consideration in excess of your documented out-of-pocket costs
directly related to the domain name; or
(ii) you have registered the domain name in order to prevent the owner
of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding
domain name, provided that you have engaged in a pattern of such conduct;
or
(iii) you have registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of
disrupting the business of a competitor; or
(iv) by using the domain name, you have intentionally attempted to attract,
for commercial gain, Internet users to your web site or other on-line location,
by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to
the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of your web site or
location or of a product or service on your web site or location.
5.3 It is worthy
of note that each of the four circumstances in paragraph 4(b), if found,
is an instance of "registration and use of a domain name in bad faith",
notwithstanding the fact that circumstances (i), (ii), and (iii) are concerned
with the primary intention or purpose of the registration of the domain
name, whilst circumstance (iv) is concerned with an act of use of the domain
name. The significance of this point is discussed in paragraph 7.10 below.
5.4 Paragraph
4(c) of the Uniform Policy sets out circumstances, in particular but without
limitation, which, if found by the Administrative Panel to be proved, demonstrate
the Respondent's rights or legitimate interests to the domain name for
the purposes of paragraph 4(a)(ii). The provisions of this paragraph are
as follows:
c. How to Demonstrate Your Rights to and Legitimate Interests in the Domain
Name in Responding to a Complaint. When you receive a complaint, you should
refer to Paragraph 5 of the Rules of Procedure in determining how your
response should be prepared. Any of the following circumstances, in particular
but without limitation, if found by the Panel to be proved based on its
evaluation of all evidence presented, shall demonstrate your rights or
legitimate interests to the domain name for purposes of Paragraph 4(a)(ii):
(i) before any notice to you of the dispute, your use of, or demonstrable
preparations to use, the domain name or a name corresponding to the domain
name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or
(ii) you (as an individual, business, or other organization) have been
commonly known by the domain name, even if you have acquired no trademark
or service mark rights; or
(iii) you are making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain
name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers
or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue.
6. Parties' Contentions
The Complaint
6.1 The Complainant
contends that each of the three elements specified in paragraph 4(a) of
the Uniform Policy are applicable to this dispute. In relation to element
(i), the Complaint contends that the relevant part of the domain name in
issue is <telstra>, and that this is clearly identical with or confusingly
similar to the various trademarks for the word <TELSTRA> which are registered
and owned by the Complainant.
6.2 In relation
to element (ii), the Complaint contends that the word <TELSTRA> is an
invented word, and as such is not one traders would legitimately choose
unless seeking to create an impression of an association with the Complainant.
The Complaint further contends that it has not licensed or otherwise permitted
the Respondent to use any of its trademarks, nor has it licensed or otherwise
permitted the Respondent to apply for or use any domain name incorporating
any of those marks. Accordingly, the Complainant contends that the Respondent
has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name in
issue.
6.3 In relation
to element (iii), the Complainant contends that evidence of bad faith registration
and use is established by the following circumstances. First, the Respondent
is in breach of the relevant Australian business names registration legislation,
by virtue of its failure to register its trading name, Nuclear Marshmallows,
as a business name. Secondly, the Respondent has provided false address
information for the purposes of its domain name registration, in breach
of the Respondent's warranty under paragraph 2(a) of the Uniform Policy.
Thirdly, the trademark <TELSTRA> is one of the best known trademarks
in Australia, and it is inconceivable that the person or persons behind
the Respondent would not be aware of this fact. Fourthly, by virtue of
the wide spread use and reputation of the trademark <TELSTRA>, members
of the public in Australia would believe that the entity owning the domain
name <telstra.org> was the Complainant or in some way associated with
the Complainant. Fifthly, any realistic use of the domain name must misrepresent
an association with the Complainant and its goodwill, resulting in passing
off, breaches of Australian consumer protection legislation, and trademark
infringements.
The Response
6.4 The Respondent
did not file a Response to the Complaint.
7. Findings and Conclusions
Identical or
Confusingly Similar Domain Name
7.1 The domain
name in issue is <telstra.org>. The relevant part of this domain name
is <telstra>. The Administrative Panel finds that this part of the domain
name is identical to the numerous trademark registrations of the word
<TELSTRA> held by the Complainant. In addition, the Administrative Panel
finds that the whole of the domain name is confusingly similar to those
trademark registrations.
Respondent's
Rights or Legitimate Interests in the Domain Name
7.2 The Respondent
has not provided evidence of circumstances of the type specified in paragraph
4(c) of the Uniform Policy, or of any other circumstances giving rise to
a right to or legitimate interest in the domain name. In light of (i) the
fact that the Complainant has not licensed or otherwise permitted the Respondent
to use any of its trademarks or to apply for or use any domain name incorporating
any of those marks, and (ii) the fact that the word <TELSTRA> appears
to be an invented word, and as such is not one traders would legitimately
choose unless seeking to create an impression of an association with the
Complainant, the Administrative Panel finds that the Respondent has no
rights or legitimate interests in the domain name.
Domain Name Registered
and Used in Bad Faith
7.3 It is less
clear cut whether the Complainant has proved the third element in paragraph
4(a) of the Uniform Policy, namely that the domain name "has been registered
and is being used in bad faith" by Respondent. The Administrative Panel
notes two things about this provision. First, the provision contains the
conjunction "and" rather than "or". Secondly, the provision refers to both
the past tense ("has been registered") and the present tense ("is being
used").
7.4 The significance
of the use of the conjunction "and" is that paragraph 4(a)(iii) requires
the Complainant to prove use in bad faith as well as registration in bad
faith. That is to say, bad faith registration alone is an insufficient
ground for obtaining a remedy under the Uniform Policy. This point is acknowledged
in the Administrative Panel Decision in the WIPO Center Case No. D99-0001,
the first case decided under the Uniform Policy. In paragraph 6 of that
Decision, the Administrative Panel refers to the legislative history of
the Uniform Policy, and in particular to the Second Staff Report on Implementation
Documents for the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy submitted to the ICANN
Board at its meeting on October 24, 1999. That Report, at paragraph 4.5,
contains the following relevant statement and recommendation: Several comments
(submitted by INTA and various trademark owners) advocated various expansions
to the scope of the definition of abusive registration. For example:
a. These comments suggested that the definition should be expanded to include
cases of either registration or use in bad faith, rather than both registration
and use in bad faith. These comments point out that cybersquatters often
register names in bulk, but do not use them, yet without use the streamlined
dispute-resolution procedure is not available. While that argument appears
to have merit on initial impression, it would involve a change in the policy
adopted by the Board. The WIPO report, the DNSO recommendation, and the
registrars-group recommendation all required both registration and use
in bad faith before the streamlined procedure would be invoked. Staff recommends
that this requirement not be changed without study and recommendation by
the DNSO.
7.5 From the
fact that the ICANN Board accepted the approach recommended in the Second
Staff Report, and thus adopted the Uniform Policy in the form originally
proposed, it is clear that ICANN intended that bad faith registration alone
not give rise to a remedy under the Uniform Policy. For a remedy to be
available, the Complainant must prove both that the domain was registered
in bad faith and that it is being used in bad faith.
7.6 This interpretation
is confirmed, and clarified, by the use of both the past and present tenses
in paragraph 4 (a)(iii) of the Uniform Policy. The use of both tenses draws
attention to the fact that, in determining whether there is bad faith on
the part of the Respondent, consideration must be given to the circumstances
applying both at the time of registration and thereafter. So understood,
it can be seen that the requirement in paragraph 4(a)(iii) that the domain
name "has been registered and is being used in bad faith" will be satisfied
only if the Complainant proves that the registration was undertaken in
bad faith and that the circumstances of the case are such that Respondent
is continuing to act in bad faith.
7.7 Has the Complainant
proved that the domain name "has been registered in bad faith" by the Respondent?
In light of the facts established in paragraphs 4.6 to 4.8, the Administrative
Panel finds that the Respondent does not conduct any legitimate commercial
or non-commercial business activity in Australia. In light of the facts
established in paragraphs 4.6 to 4.8, the Administrative Panel further
finds that the Respondent has taken deliberate steps to ensure that its
true identity cannot be determined and communication with it cannot be
made. Given the Complainant's numerous trademark registrations for, and
its wide reputation in, the word <TELSTRA>, as evidenced by the facts
established in paragraphs 4.2 to 4.5, it is not possible to conceive
of a plausible circumstance in which the Respondent could legitimately
use the domain name <telstra.org>. It is also not possible to conceive
of a plausible situation in which the Respondent would have been unaware
of this fact at the time of registration. These findings, together with
the finding in paragraph 7.2 that the Respondent has no rights or interests
in the domain name, lead the Administrative Panel to conclude that the
domain name <telstra.org> has been registered by the Respondent
in bad faith.
7.8 Has the Complainant
proved the additional requirement that the domain name "is being used in
bad faith" by the Respondent? The domain name <telstra.org> does not
resolve to a web site or other on-line presence. There is no evidence that
a web site or other on-line presence is in the process of being established
which will use the domain name. There is no evidence of advertising, promotion
or display to the public of the domain name. Finally, there is no evidence
that the Respondent has offered to sell, rent or otherwise transfer the
domain name to the Complainant, a competitor of the Complainant, or any
other person. In short, there is no positive action being undertaken by
the Respondent in relation to the domain name.
7.9 This fact
does not, however, resolve the question. As discussed in paragraph 7.6,
the relevant issue is not whether the Respondent is undertaking a positive
action in bad faith in relation to the domain name, but instead whether,
in all the circumstances of the case, it can be said that the Respondent
is acting in bad faith. The distinction between undertaking a positive
action in bad faith and acting in bad faith may seem a rather fine distinction,
but it is an important one. The significance of the distinction is that
the concept of a domain name "being used in bad faith" is not limited to
positive action; inaction is within the concept. That is to say, it is
possible, in certain circumstances, for inactivity by the Respondent to
amount to the domain name being used in bad faith.
7.10 This understanding
of paragraph 4(a)(iii) is supported by the actual provisions of the Uniform
Policy. Paragraph 4(b) of the Uniform Policy identifies, without limitation,
circumstances that "shall be evidence of the registration and use of a
domain name in bad faith", for the purposes of paragraph 4(a)(iii). Only
one of these circumstances (paragraph 4(b)(iv)), by necessity, involves
a positive action post-registration undertaken in relation to the domain
name (using the name to attract custom to a web site or other on-line location).
The other three circumstances contemplate either a positive action or inaction
in relation to the domain name. That is to say, the circumstances identified
in paragraphs 4(b)(i), (ii) and (iii) can be found in a situation involving
a passive holding of the domain name registration. Of course, these three
paragraphs require additional facts (an intention to sell, rent or transfer
the registration, for paragraph 4(b)(i); a pattern of conduct preventing
a trade mark owner's use of the registration, for paragraph 4(b)(ii); the
primary purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor, for paragraph
4(b)(iii)). Nevertheless, the point is that paragraph 4(b) recognises that
inaction (eg. passive holding) in relation to a domain name registration
can, in certain circumstances, constitute a domain name being used in bad
faith. Furthermore, it must be recalled that the circumstances identified
in paragraph 4(b) are "without limitation" - that is, paragraph 4(b) expressly
recognises that other circumstances can be evidence that a domain name
was registered and is being used in bad faith.
7.11 The question
that then arises is what circumstances of inaction (passive holding) other
than those identified in paragraphs 4(b)(i), (ii) and (iii) can constitute
a domain name being used in bad faith? This question cannot be answered
in the abstract; the question can only be answered in respect of the particular
facts of a specific case. That is to say, in considering whether the passive
holding of a domain name, following a bad faith registration of it, satisfies
the requirements of paragraph 4(a)(iii), the Administrative Panel must
give close attention to all the circumstances of the Respondent's behaviour.
A remedy can be obtained under the Uniform Policy only if those circumstances
show that the Respondent's passive holding amounts to acting in bad faith.
7.12 The Administrative
Panel has considered whether, in the circumstances of this particular Complaint,
the passive holding of the domain name by the Respondent amounts to the
Respondent acting in bad faith. It concludes that it does. The particular
circumstances of this case which lead to this conclusion are:
(i) the Complainant's trademark has a strong reputation
and is widely known, as evidenced by its substantial use in Australia and
in other countries,
(ii) the Respondent has provided no evidence whatsoever of any actual or
contemplated good faith use by it of the domain name,
(iii) the Respondent has taken active steps to conceal its true identity,
by operating under a name that is not a registered business name,
(iv) the Respondent has actively provided, and failed to correct, false
contact details, in breach of its registration agreement, and
(v) taking into account all of the above, it is not possible to conceive
of any plausible actual or contemplated active use of the domain
name by the Respondent that would not be illegitimate, such as by being
a passing off, an infringement of consumer protection legislation, or an
infringement of the Complainant's rights under trademark law.
In light of these
particular circumstances, the Administrative Panel concludes that the Respondent's
passive holding of the domain name in this particular case satisfies the
requirement of paragraph 4(a)(iii) that the domain name "is being used
in bad faith" by Respondent.
8. Decision
8.1 The Administrative
Panel decides that the Complainant has proven each of the three elements
in paragraph 4(a) of the Uniform Policy. Accordingly, the Administrative
Panel requires that the domain name <telestra.org> be transferred to
the Complainant.
Andrew F. Christie
Presiding Panelist
Dated: February 18, 2000
Domain
Name Transferred
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