The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has registered new proposals addressing IPv6 deployment, internationalized domain names, and global Internet governance ahead of its Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha, Qatar, next month. The submissions, recorded October 29, seek changes to existing ITU resolutions but have not been adopted.

The ITU’s PP-26 proposal register identifies submissions from China and the Asia-Pacific region covering three areas of Internet policy: deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), government involvement in internationalized domain name management, and implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) outcomes.

IPv6 deployment is the subject of competing regional submissions. The Asia-Pacific Common Proposals include amendments to Resolution 180, which addresses the promotion of IPv6 deployment. Arab States also submitted proposed changes to the same resolution on October 26. The separate submissions place IPv6 policy on the conference agenda, although their precise differences and any resulting operational obligations require examination of the underlying texts.

IPv6 provides a substantially larger address space than IPv4 and supports the continued expansion of Internet-connected networks and devices. Changes to Resolution 180 could influence the ITU’s future work on deployment assistance, technical cooperation, and capacity building, depending on the wording ultimately accepted by member states.

China has proposed changes concerning internationalized domain names. Its October 29 submission addresses Resolution 133, which concerns the role of member-state administrations in managing internationalized, or multilingual, domain names. The subject intersects with the responsibilities of national authorities and the existing international coordination arrangements for Internet naming. The register confirms the proposed amendment but does not establish whether China seeks to expand, reduce, or otherwise change those responsibilities.

A separate Asia-Pacific submission addresses Resolution 140, covering the ITU’s role in implementing and reviewing WSIS outcomes and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. African countries submitted amendments to the same resolution on October 27, providing another set of proposals for consideration.

The WSIS framework addresses international cooperation on digital development and Internet governance, including the participation of governments, the private sector, civil society, and technical organizations. The precise wording of Resolution 140 matters because it defines areas of ITU activity within that broader framework.

No policy changes have been adopted. The submissions are proposals to modify existing resolutions, not decisions establishing new technical requirements or governance arrangements.

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference will meet November 9–27 in Doha. Held every four years, it is the organization’s highest policy-making conference and determines its strategic direction, financial plans, and institutional priorities. Member states will consider the submitted proposals during negotiations, where texts may be amended, combined, retained, or rejected.