I really appreciate having this forum here as a great information resource. However, after reading this forum for a while, I am not sure if I am getting less or more confused about selecting a web host. Sometimes the comparisons on this board seem sufficiently non-quantitative or abstract that, even though I believe I absorb the info, I can't seem to use the information for decision-making. Sorry, I don't mean to criticize; I am just trying to explain my situation.

I have been wondering why that is. Is it primarily because there are so many seemingly similar hosts out there and we base many discussions on comparisons or questions that are too unclear or vague to come up with usable decision-making information? Well, I hope you can all help if I state my hosting needs as clearly as I can. I hope I didn't get too verbose here and that, if you respond, it may also help others in my situation. Thanks.

MY HOSTING NEEDS
My hosting needs are very basic at this point. I simply need to display html, jpgs and gifs on my site, and want to allow for the potential of growing bandwidth so I don't crash into an unexpandable bandwidth barrier. I know high bandwidth doesn't come just because I would like it to, but shouldn't I be prepared just in case I am successful? I would also like to put a second (small usage - company contacts) domain on my main account. My most important need is to have reliable, competent and relatively prompt technical and customer support. My site will be an internet portal that will not be a clone of Yahoo, Excite, etc.; it will start out simple but will be more graphics intensive than other portals.

THE COMPARISON
I will use only host examples that have been discussed in this forum and were described multiple times as having very good customer support. One of the five hosts, Tera-Byte, offers the same or more bandwidth for much lower prices and alternately offers much more bandwidth for still relatively low prices compared to all the others. It appears that only Tera-Byte and FutureQuest allow me to put two domains on the same host but I assmume there must be some way I can work around that for the others listed below.

THE TWO KEY QUESTIONS
(1) Could there be so much difference between support at two companies repeatedly described as having very good customer support on this forum that I should choose one that is considerabley more expensive over the more economical host?

[for example, FutureQuest: (with $59.95/mo. for 20Gb/mo. bandwidth+ $10/Gb excess bandwidth over Tera-Byte offering 20Gb/month of bandwidth for just $9.25 + $4/Gb excess bandwidth,]


(2) I give the crucial specs (for me) on five hosts below. Which of the hosts would you recommend that I use based on your experience? Is there another host you would recommend instead. Please, Please, if you make a recommendation, explain why - otherwise we are just continuing the trend I have seen of recommending a host without forum readers knowing your rationale. I believe your rational is the most important part.

DID I MISS SOMETHING IMPORTANT?
Is it as simple as choosing the host that would only cost one-sixth as much for the limiting feature (bandwidth) between two hosts rated as having very good customer service? Or are there other crucial (possibly more complex) factors that I really need to be considering even if my needs seem basic now?

LIKE TO COMMENT QUANTITATIVELY?
If you are interested in responding numerically to more clearly state your opinion, I will invite each of you to assign two numbers to each of these hosts (that you are familiar with) representing your opinion. For each host, list your rating/opinion of

[customer support = (list a value from 1-10)] and

[overall value rating = (list a value from 1-10)]

representing the overall value of the virtual host for a new web site owner that will need basic, reliable, quality hosting


I would like your advice on whether to go with Tera-Byte who has (many times) been said to provide good customer service and provides a package with 20Gb/month of bandwidth that costs just $9.25. If I would need it, I can also get 50Gb/month for $69 - maybe I will never need it but I wouldn't have to lose sleep at night if my site ended up being successful and grew rapidly. They allow multiple domains per account.

Let's compare them (selected price per bandwidth options) with some other (virtual hosting) companies that have been described as having good customer service.

Ventures Online: $64.95/mo. for 30Gb/mo. (this V650 account is listed as having a limited numer of accounts on the server to allow for higher allocations; they also have dedicated servers). However, they only allow one domain (I don't mean subdomains) per account so I WOULD HAVE TO BUY TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNTS.

FutureQuest: $59.95/mo. for 20Gb/mo. + $10/Gb excess bandwidth (this is their highest listed bandwidth in a package); they allow multiple domains per account. It appears I would most likely need to change hosts if my bandwidth approached 20 Gb.

F5Hosting: $34.95/mo. for 15Gb/mo. + $4/Gb excess bandwidth (this is their highest listed bandwidth in a package); I believe they only allow one domain so I - ASSUME - I WOULD HAVE TO BUY TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. It appears I would most likely need to change hosts if my bandwidth approached 15 Gb.

Hosting Matters: $46/mo. for 15Gb/mo. (this is their highest listed bandwidth in a virtual hosting package) They indicated they may, in some situations be able to arrange for hosting on a semi-dedicated server - cost(?)depends on traffic. However, as far as I could tell from the package chart, they only allow one domain per account so I ASSUME I WOULD HAVE TO BUY TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. They also have dedicated servers.

Thank you very much for any comments you contribute.

From your list of hosts I only have experiences with VenturesOnline (quite good experiences), but all of the five hosts have quite good reviews on this board.
Just a thought: there is no optimal host. What is good for one can be bad for another one. I would send emails with pre sales questions to all hosts and wait how they answer. Last time I was shopping for a dedicated server this worked miracles - out of the 6 candidates I eliminated 3 immediately due to their answers (if pre sales support is not good, how will normal support be???).

Originally posted by Arizona
MY HOSTING NEEDS
My hosting needs are very basic at this point. I simply need to display html, jpgs and gifs on my site, and want to allow for the potential of growing bandwidth so I don't crash into an unexpandable bandwidth barrier. I know high bandwidth doesn't come just because I would like it to, but shouldn't I be prepared just in case I am successful? I would also like to put a second (small usage - company contacts) domain on my main account. My most important need is to have reliable, competent and relatively prompt technical and customer support. My site will be an internet portal that will not be a clone of Yahoo, Excite, etc.; it will start out simple but will be more graphics intensive than other portals.
Two comments... One, if I've got this right, this site isn't up yet, and once it is up, you will grow it slowly (unless you're expecting a sudden instant boom in traffic?). If this is the case, then you don't have to choose the mother of all plans quite yet.

Second, what you may get from this, are various people saying they like one out of the five hosts listed. I'm not sure it will help you, other than to let you know that others have chosen this host and they have no problems. This seems to be what you are attempting to avoid (Quote: I can't seem to use the information for decision-making.). There will be more than one host that people like, and in the end you will have to go with the gut instinct and choose the one you think will be best.

Don't worry, even if you were wrong, you made the best intelligent choice at the time, and you can always try one of your other choices if things don't work out to your satisfaction. Remember, it isn't just 'the right host', it's 'the right host for you'.

Thanks for your replys.

Chicken, I think you are asking for some clarification. Yes, the site is not up yet but I figure I am not exactly in control of how fast it grows (I mean site traffic). I figure that depends on a number of things including how much customers like visiting my site. I think you're saying don't worry too much about getting a huge bandwidth plan right away - correct? I am paranoid about hitting a hosting bandwidth barrier mostly because I have no experience making the jump to another host while traffic is building and don't know how difficult that would be.

The site is in a complete form but may grow in terms of more web pages over time. I also still will need to add features to make $ unless I want to go broke. That's in the next phase; I wanted to concentrate on making a good portal first. I will need to research how to make $ next (I am only a hydrogeologist - not an IT guy - so I am learning one step at a time). Of course, I will also need to learn how to try to get some traffic to my site - my guess is that doesn't happen by just wishing.

Re: your second paragraph, I was trying to get an opinion on which host experienced forum members thought would be best for the very specific situation I described. And of course, I was definitely not trying to get another list of yes/no - OK/not OK, for each host, that's why I specifically tried to get people to provide numerical responses on two separate criteria. It was interesting however, that I still got the standard response (I still appreciated it Walter), even though I begged readers to not respond that way but to add an explanation or submit a numerical rating. However, I suspect that my request was too ambitious for a forum. I also believe my post was too long because there have been so few replies.

But really now, (back to the title of my post) there must be a reason that Tera-Byte charges only one-sixth the price that FutureQuest does for 20Gb/mo. bandwidth. Since they both supposedly provide good customer service, and have lots of features, why such a huge difference? These kinds of unfathomables drive newbies like me nuts. Is it the speed of the connections to the net that allows one to charge so much less or .... ????

I appreciate your patience with all my newbie questions and naive paranoia. I appreciate your advice not to worry too much about finding the one perfect host. I realize I will need to just dive in and test the waters myself. I am nearly ready and you have reminded me that I will most likely survive even if my selection isn't perfect.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments,

Arizona

Wow, you like to type/write alot!

Originally posted by Chicken
...
Don't worry, even if you were wrong, you made the best intelligent choice at the time, and you can always try one of your other choices if things don't work out to your satisfaction. Remember, it isn't just 'the right host', it's 'the right host for you'. That says it. Over the year or so that I've been here I've seen several hosts who could be considered the Darlings of Web Hosting Talk run in to *serious* problems. You could drive yourself crazy searching for the perfect host, and a few months later they run in to trouble. Your best bet is to pick a host with a good reputation that has hosting plans that fit your needs, and *do not*commit to long-term contract at the begining, regardless of their reputation.

Man, you guys like to write. i couldn't even finish the first paragraph.

Maybe it's that I'm so tired I can't even keep my eyes half open.:)

Originally posted by Arizona
But really now, (back to the title of my post) there must be a reason that Tera-Byte charges only one-sixth the price that FutureQuest does for 20Gb/mo. bandwidth. Since they both supposedly provide good customer service, and have lots of features, why such a huge difference? These kinds of unfathomables drive newbies like me nuts. Is it the speed of the connections to the net that allows one to charge so much less or .... ????

I think there's less of a real reason other than one host oversells their plans, and their connections are both decent. Why does one major supermarket sell a 2 liter of soda for $0.69 while another sells it for $1.09. Both stores offer similar service and probably pay a similar price for the soda, but one prices it less. Doesn't make one better or worse.

This is proably a poor example but your list of 5 seemed pretty solid (with the exception of F5 only because I've not heard much either way on them, except reading some posts and cannot really comment on them). My only actual experience is with tera-byte colocation and dedicated servers (not exactly what you are asking about).

When I started (couple years ago) I spent months trying to figure out what host to use. Then I picked one, a few months later my sites were up (3) but my host was not accessible. Email or anything. Then I upgraded to virtual hosting got up to 12 URLs.
We won't go into that year long mistake.

Now I have a dedicated server. Just a cobalt 3i, but I have a Redhat box right next to me I develop on.

Now if I were brave enough to do my own DNS or use a DNS service I would probably would move on up to a nicer system.

So pick one, get started, upgrade as needed. Quit sweating it.

Start with something less I have 30 sites for people and combined they do 4-5 GB month.

Originally posted by Arizona

F5Hosting: $34.95/mo. for 15Gb/mo. + $4/Gb excess bandwidth (this is their highest listed bandwidth in a package); I believe they only allow one domain so I - ASSUME - I WOULD HAVE TO BUY TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. It appears I would most likely need to change hosts if my bandwidth approached 15 Gb.



Actually, our Platinum plan is only 24.95 not 34.95. Just a clarification.

Originally posted by Arizona
[for example, FutureQuest: (with $59.95/mo. for 20Gb/mo. bandwidth+ $10/Gb excess bandwidth over Tera-Byte offering 20Gb/month of bandwidth for just $9.25 + $4/Gb excess bandwidth,]

Very often the difference in such an example, is that one company, is charging what the transfer amount is actually worth (or close to it at least) on the assumption that you will use all of it. While the other is undercharging, because they don't expect you to actually use most of it, so they wont lose money.

Of course this all still depends on how much they pay for the transfer, but as a general rule of thumb, when you see a company charging 50% of the transfer amount, they are undercharging.

The price can in fact tie in with the level of support given, but I can't really comment on those two particular companies as I have had no direct experience with them.


On a side note, $10/gb for overage fees is insanely expensive don't go with a company that charges that much. They are either seriously overcharging you, or a DonHost reseller...A lose-lose situation :rolleyes:

If you need more than one domain on an account, contact the companies support department and ask if thats possible, maybe with an extra fee per month, it can't cost too much ;)

Hope I was of some help, but I haven't gotten quite enough sleep lately and some of what I've written may not make much sense, if you need clarification on what I'm trying to say just let me know and I'll do my best to explain it :)

Regards,
Aron N.

Thank you for the replys! I think this thread is getting better with each post.

Sorry for my mistake on your pricing F5Hosting - thanks for correcting it.

Thanks for the nice post Aron/Relyc but I was a little confused about your sentence quoted here:

"but as a general rule of thumb, when you see a company charging 50% of the transfer amount, they are undercharging."

What did you mean by "50%"? 50% of what? If you mean 50% of what the actual hosts pay, I don't know what that rate is, maybe you can clarify this.

Once again I appreciate and respect your advice to not get too overly paranoid about bandwidth; it reflects your wisdom of experience where I have none.

On the other hand, the guy I read about who recently got badly burned by having to pay for 100's of Gbs in excess bandwidth may now be sorry that he didn't plan ahead better. When I read "I have 30 sites for people and combined they do 4-5 GB month" that at least gives me "something" to compare against - thanks Fish_Saver. But since no one has seen my web site (I am not implying it is good, just unknown), I would suppose that Fish_Saver (no disrespect intended Fish_Saver) might not know if my web site will be more similar to one or all of his 30 sites than to the site where the other guy went 100s of Gb over his limit. But I believe he made a good contribution by at least giving me a point of reference.

I understand that some people get bothered when another person (e.g., me) seems more intense on a topic than they would be themself. Sorry, but don't worry about me dying of bandwidth paranoia; I am just trying to bring out the opinions and information on these topics and, fortunately, that seems to be going well now.

Thanks again to all.