Information on Specific Items
2007 Circulars
- Providing access to databases (Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
- Rental of access time to the internet / global computer networks (Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
- Providing of user access to the internet / global computer networks (Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
- Rental of access time to databases (Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
2004 Circulars
- Leasing services (Circular No. 20/2004, dated 12 November 2004)
[The last paragraph will not apply to applications filed on or after 1 January 2012 as these applications will be examined according to the 10th Edition of NICE Classification where "leasing services", with the exception of financial leasing, are regarded as the equivalent of "rental services"]
(Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
(Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
(Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
(Circular No. 33/2007, dated 26 September 2007)
For applications lodged on or after 3 October 2007, the Registrar will accept these and other analogous items in Class 38 only. These are essentially telecommunication services and are classified under Class 38 whether they are provided by an Internet Service Provider or a non-Internet Service Provider. Hence, our previous journal notice on the classification of these services based on the status of the applicant is no longer applicable.
Consistent with our previous journal notice on "leasing" (Circular No. 20/2004, dated 12 November 2004), applicants should also avoid using the term, "leasing", in any class except Class 36, as "leasing services", are acceptable only in Class 36. With regards to the above items in Class 38, an example of an acceptable description would be "rental of access time to databases" and not "leasing of access time to databases".
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The circular below will not apply to applications filed on or after 1 January 2012 as these applications will be examined according to the 10th Edition of NICE Classification where "leasing services", with the exception of financial leasing, are regarded as the equivalent of "rental services".
Leasing services
(Circular No. 20/2004, dated 12 November 2004)
With effect from 19 November 2004, the Registrar will accept “leasing services” only in Class 36 regardless of the nature of the goods to which it relates. This is in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s view that it is a form of financial service.
“Rental services”, on the other hand, will still be classified in the same class as the services provided. For example, “rental of telecommunication apparatus” will be classified in Class 38 while “rental of medical apparatus” will be classified in Class 44.
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