1&1 Web Hosting review

General Impression

Choosing a reliable web host is important and 1&1 Internet Inc., a leader amongst global Web hosting providers, makes this decision a simple one. Our global community is more than 10 million customer contracts strong. We are a financially stable and profitable web host that continues to grow.

Proven Products, Affordable Prices
From convenient domain packages and feature-rich web hosting plans to virtual private servers and powerful dedicated servers, 1&1 offers a complete range of web services for every need, skill level, and budget. With newer products like MyBusiness Site, small- and medium-sized businesses can design and execute a professional website without any experience in web development. All 1&1 products have been designed to provide the ideal combination of features and affordability, with no pricing gimmicks or hidden costs. You simply won't find a better value for your money!

Domain Registration
Domain names are an important aspect of generating brand awareness on the web. As an official registrar for top-level domains (TLDs), 1&1 has successfully registered over 11 million domains for business and private customers worldwide in cooperation with ICANN and Afilias. It's an important part of 1&1's initiative to provide customers with any resource necessary to help them create their place on the Internet.

Technology
Combining over 70,000 highly efficient web servers with the renowned performance of Foundry and Cisco routers in our data centers, 1&1 utilizes the best products from the world's leading technology manufacturers and service providers to provide customers with 99.9% uptime. The infrastructure supporting 1&1's technology is a system of state-of-the-art hardware and efficient software run in highly secure data centers across the US and Europe. 1&1's Kansas data center, for example, is strategically located to ensure maximum uptime for customers due to equal latency for both coasts. 1&1's strong relationships with paramount companies, including Parallels and Symantec, bring our customers the latest in virtual and security software.

Green Innovation
1&1 continues its support of a clean environment by using eco-friendly equipment and hardware in our data centers. 1&1's US data center, located in Kansas, has been recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Green Power Partner. In order to consume as little energy as possible, 1&1 also uses highly efficient power supplies with less than 20% heat loss - globally, 1&1's initiative prevents 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Mission
To provide an optimal internet presence for private users and small-to-medium sized businesses by offering a complete range of innovative, high-quality web hosting solutions at affordable prices. Since the company was founded, 1&1 has been dedicated to one goal: complete customer satisfaction.

Products
Complete solutions, complete control
Whatever your Internet requirements, from personal websites to dedicated servers and e-commerce sites for businesses, 1&1 has a complete solution to fit your needs. The powerful, intuitive 1&1 Control Panel is web-based, giving you full control of your information from any Internet-connected computer with no software to install. Update your domains, modify all elements of your site, and even upgrade your 1&1 package, all with one password and one login.

Your own domain...for less!
Offering one of the lowest domain name registration fees in the industry, 1&1 makes it easy to register a domain for one low, all-inclusive price. There's nothing extra to buy, and none of the hidden costs that many registrars add to your bottom line, so you can make your mark on the web without putting a dent in your wallet.

Full scalability
Ready for more power or web space? Your 1&1 website grows with you. Upgrading to a higher package is quickly and easily done from the Control Panel, so you can get more features as your business expands and your needs increase.

All-inclusive prices, unbeatable value
Other companies promise cheap hosting, but then charge extra for setup fees, higher renewal rates, or promotional services. With 1&1, the listed price is the number you'll pay, and you can expect a fully loaded, comprehensive suite of web services.

Satisfaction guaranteed
1&1 offers a 90-Day Money Back Guarantee on all Shared Hosting plans, Instant Mail, SharePoint Hosting, Exchange Hosting, and eShops. If you decide that you are not completely happy with your 1&1 package, within 90 days from when your initial order was placed, you'll receive your money back, no questions asked.

Our commitment
Experience and stability

As a subsidiary of the publicly traded company United Internet, 1&1 remains debt-free, profitable and financially stable even as other Internet companies disappear from the web. You can rest assured that your site will be up and running for as long as you need it.

24/7 Support
Questions? Concerns? Our knowledgeable technical support staff is available by phone or e-mail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are well trained and will address your issues quickly and professionally. Send your inquires to support@1and1.com or give us a call anytime, toll-free at 1-877-GO-1AND1 (1-877-461-2631).

Our technology
Industry-leading innovators
1&1 employs over 250 in-house developers. They don't work for any third party company; solely for 1&1 hosting services. These highly trained programmers deliver the absolute best in what's on the forefront of technology, making 1&1 consistently first to market with the latest advances in communication.

Advanced Data Centers
1&1 has spent $25 million to provide the ultimate home for your valuable information. Surpassing all standards of safety, power, connectivity, hardware, performance, and security, our data centers represent the future in information storage.

Connectivity
1&1 offers some of the largest connectivity on the web, with our own global backbone and the strength of 9 leading carriers powering your website all over the world. You'll never worry about your data again.

Facts & Figures
1&1 was founded as a reseller of technology products, including an early online service, in 1988 by Ralph Dommermuth (now CEO of United Internet, the public parent company of 1&1, and CMO of 1&1).
Schlund + Partner, a leading web host and registrar acquired in 1998, was co-founded in 1995 by Andreas Gauger and Achim Weiss.

Data Centers: 5 operated by 1&1, 2 owned by 1&1
Servers installed: Over 70,000
Connectivity: 30 Gbit external carrier class connectivity our own backbone
Customers: Over 10 million customers on paid services
Domains: Over 11 million domain names are registered and handled by 1&1

Worldwide Locations:
Austria
France
Germany
Cebu, Philippines
Bucharest, Romania
Madrid, Spain
Slough, UK
Philadelphia, PA USA (Chesterbrook)
Warsaw, Poland

From past to present
A pioneering beginning
In 1988, a small German company called 1&1 took over marketing activities for BTX, the troubled online service run by T-Com (a sister company of T-Mobile). The fledgling corporation 1&1 decided to try something innovative - a future trademark of the company and launched the first major advertising campaign for an online service. The ads took the complex new technology and made it appealing and easy to understand. Interest soared and because of 1&1, BTX became the market leader under its new name: T-Online.

Developing an industry
1&1 had established itself as a groundbreaking marketing company, but it also provided content for T-Online as well as working in the development of new technologies and services. Alongside others, 1&1 defined the new KIT standard ("core software for intelligent terminals"). KIT introduced a user interface that appealed to a very broad user base. Then 1&1 developed the first telecom decoder - or browser as it was called later - for T-Online.

With the growth of the PC, there was also an increased need for user support. Therefore, in 1992 1&1 launched its new Customer Care Division, with IBM coming in as the first key account. Then, in a step which solidified its position as a technology marketing authority, 1&1 used its knowledge to establish an Internet-based media network in order to tap the new marketing opportunities of the web.
An initial public offering

March 23, 1998 witnessed a milestone. 1&1's parent company, United Internet, became one of the first web companies to go public. IPO proceeds of around $60 million were used to finance further growth and develop 1&1 into a group of Internet companies. By buying into the highly respected internet provider Schlund+Partner in 1998, 1&1 brought their unique marketing talent and abundant technological experience together with one of Europe's most powerful and secure data centers.
Providing our own services

1&1 expanded its range of products by introducing Puretec, Europe's first affordable and reliable web hosting product for customers on a budget. With satisfied users and cutting-edge technology, 1&1 grew rapidly, acquiring the e-mail service GMX, which soon became a leading provider of e-mail and messaging services with more than 15 million accounts. Next came successful domain name registration and the development of a top-of-the-line and extremely secure Data Center. 1&1 eShops : our e-commerce suites - were introduced during 2000, and 1&1's comprehensive range of dedicated server packages debuted in 2001.

The 1&1 Difference
We provide the most comprehensive, feature-packed solutions at the best prices possible and with no hidden costs. Transparent pricing is a 1&1 commitment. We provide everything you need to maximize your full web potential - without barriers, without downtime and without reservation.
At 1&1, we don't believe you should have to pick and choose your features. We provide you with everything you need in one comprehensive package, at one low price. And the price you see is always the price you'll pay! There are never any hidden charges with 1&1.

Domain Names - Free domain names
All 1&1 shared hosting plans include free domains! Depending on the plan you choose, we include up to 5 .com, .net, .org, .info or .biz domain names at no additional cost. Best of all, these domains are free for as long as you keep your shared hosting package with 1&1! Use your included domains however you'd like - register new domains or transfer existing ones to 1&1.

90-Day Money Back Guarantee
We want our customers to be 100% satisfied. If you decide that you are not completely happy, within 90 days from when your initial order was placed, you'll receive your money back - no questions asked.

Domain Registration
1&1 makes it easy to register your own .com, .net, .org, .us, .name, .info, .biz, .cc, .ws, .tv or .mobi domain name. And our low prices come without any gimmicks or bait-and-switch sales tricks. There are no extra tools or packages to buy, and no limit to the number of domains you can register.

Dedicated SSL Certificate - GeoTrust Dedicated SSL Certificate
This important security feature is included with Linux and Microsoft Developer Shared Hosting packages, the Developer eShop package and all Server packages - at no additional cost. The certificate can be purchased optionally for all other shared hosting plans and eShops for just $49 per year.

24/7 phone & e-mail support
Get great tips from our comprehensive online FAQs. New to 1&1? Contact our technical support for product details or with any other questions. 1&1 customers have unlimited access to our 24-hour phone and e-mail technical support

Connectivity - 99.9% Uptime
Connectivity is one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a web host. At 1&1 you'll have access to over 30 GBit of external connectivity, which means that more people can reach and interact with your website, faster.

Reliability

1&1 is determined to provide the highest product quality, top security, and unshakable reliability for our customers. Our Data Centers have been built from the ground up using the most advanced technology available, giving our global network the strength to withstand all conditions. The power and stability of 1&1's systems allows us to be the first to market web products that are innovative and dependable.

At 1&1, even our fail-safes have fail-safes. Backup generators, multiple hard drives, dual routers, cooling systems and gel battery power banks give us real redundancy so our fleet of 40,000 high-end servers will continue to operate regardless of external conditions. In the event the grid is down, five huge 16-cylinder diesel generators supply constant, reliable power for all systems.

Data Center

This state-of-the-art green facility brings you power, connectivity and security unsurpassed in the industry.

* Excellent 30 Gbit connectivity and high redundant capacity, capable of routing thousands of Tbytes of traffic per month without any data jams
* Superior energy capabilities of Kansas make it ideally suited to host data intensive operations
* 55,000 square feet- 5 server rooms provide space for 40,000 servers
* Additional steel-reinforced walls, fire protection via the combination of an early detection system + FE-25 system + double-interlock pre-action sprinkler system, backbone routers from two different vendors, redundant cooling systems and redundant UPS systems in addition to diesel generators ensure top-of-the-line security so that our servers will continue to operate regardless of external conditions.

Mechanical Room
3 mechanical rooms supplied by 3 outside industrial chiller plants guarantee a continuous flow of chilled water to the server rooms where it is used by the Computer Room Air Conditioning Systems (CRACs) to provide cold air to the servers. This is a 2+1 redundancy system, i.e. two of these three rooms are sufficient to cool the data center, so an outage of one chiller plant is without effects.

Electrical Room
5 electrical rooms supply power to the 5 server rooms in the data center. These electrical rooms contain the battery supported Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) to keep the servers running during an utility outage. In such a case the Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) in each of these rooms start the generators which will then feed the UPS and cooling systems with power until the utility supply gets established again.

Storage Room/Loading Dock
New equipment can be brought in quickly and efficiently and stored safely.

Testing Lab
In this room, equipment can be tested to ensure proper long-term operation.

Server Rooms
Our server rooms provide a safe and secure environment to house your data.

Security
24/7 monitoring by Internet specialists, 150+ permanently recording video cameras, safety locks and more ensure that only authorized personnel can enter 1&1 Data Centers - your data is always safe and secure.

Environmentally Friendly
Powered by Green Energy: with Renewable Energy Certificates to match 100% of the energy consumed in our data center, 1&1 will help save 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Control Panel

Exclusive 1&1 Control Panel - The user-friendly interface of the 1&1 Control Panel lets you administer all of the settings of your 1&1 packages with one login, one password and no hassle! Access your data anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Conclusion

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