Fasthosts Offers US Reseller Hosting

• By theWHIR.com , September 29, 2008

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By David Hamilton, theWHIR.com

September 29, 2008 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Reseller Web hosting provider Fasthosts (fasthosts.com) has launched in the US, offering resellers a one-year, free, unlimited hosting package, giving US entrepreneurs an opportunity to try Web hosting at no risk, the company announced Monday.

According to Fasthosts spokesperson Richard Stevenson, the 12-month free trial will give many US entrepreneurs the chance to "try out and experiment with creating their own hosting brand." Stevenson presented the new promotion at 1&1 Intenet's new data center in Lenexa, Kansas that will host all Fasthosts' US customer websites and offer 30 GB high-speed connectivity.

1&1's new Lenexa, Kansas data center, where the US offering will be hosted.

The promotion, which ends at the end of 2008, lets resellers determine their own price points and receive 100-percent profit. Customers are also free to add valued-added services like Web design, technical support or other services to use Fasthosts as the backbone of their premium service. Fasthosts also offers off-the-shelf hosting plans to sell to customers. For instance, a plan could include 10GB storage allowance, five FTP accounts and unlimited email accounts.

After the trial period ends, the unlimited reseller hosting price is $50 per month.

There is also an added fee for private label hosting, where reseller customers can brand the control panel, email client, and every other aspect of customer experience without them seeing any indication that it is hosted by Fasthosts. Also, while there is telephone support for resellers, resellers are responsible for providing support for their own customers at this time.

The lure of unlimited storage and bandwidth may attract resellers who will abuse the system; however, Fasthosts is prepared to deal with such extreme cases on a per-case basis. The company's main motivation, according to Stevenson, is attracting participation by minimizing risks and restrictions.

"Our philosophy is that unlimited means unlimited," said Stevenson.

Offering free unlimited plans, however, is not unprecedented and has been used by foreign companies to break into the US market. Owned by Fasthosts' Germany-based parent company United Internet, 1&1 Internet (1and1.com) arranged a pre-launch promotion giving participants three free years of hosting in January 2004 to massive success in the number of people who continued with the company after the trial period.

After serving the UK's small and medium-sized businesses for almost 10 years and becoming the largest UK Web hosting provider, 1&1 chief executive officer Oliver Mauss said Fasthosts will turn this market experience into success in the US. "Fasthosts is launching in the US market with the same approach that worked in the UK," Mauss said.

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