I was doing some research on hosting companies when i decided to check out Dot5Hosting.

I noticed that both Dot5 and Ipower have the EXACT same address. Even the same Suite#

So, I went online to contact there chat support to get some answers to:

1) If I sign up for Dot5 am I really signing up with Ipower and Ipower support

2) I want to clear up the mystery to me that it seems like they are the same company

3) I want to know why they have the same SUITE #205


Its these types of crappy service that just jades people towards hosting companies!


Perhaps someone out there can clear things up!

This is what I got from there Chat Support:

Andrew: Thank you for contacting Dot5Hosting Live Chat. How may I
assist you today?
schotastic: Hello.
schotastic: Are you guys related to Ipower ?
Andrew: Hello schotastic
Andrew: What are having our datacenter at Ipower
schotastic: Are you guys resellers?
Andrew: i mean we are having datacenter at ipower
schotastic: i mean. i dont want to sign up with Ipower through you guys
Andrew: No
Andrew: We are having our ownservers at ipower
Andrew: You can signup with us
Andrew: For more info you can visit our site dot5hosting com
schotastic: yeah. im on it now
schotastic: thats how i got to you.
Andrew: ok
schotastic: im just doing research
schotastic: choosing the right one
schotastic: are you guys a big company?
Andrew: yes
Andrew: You can take your own time in choosing the hosting company
schotastic: how come you guys have a simmilar address as Ipower?
Andrew: Which address?
schotastic: Dot5Hosting Inc., 2800 28th Street Suite 205 Santa Monica, CA 90405
Andrew: That is the address of our data center where our system
administrator are working
schotastic: You guys are colocated at Ipower?
Andrew: Yes our servers are located at ipower
schotastic: But Ipowers Data Center is in Downtown, Los Angeles. in the
Garland Building
Andrew: They are not having one single dc..
Andrew: the LA location is the second location besides the one is
Santa Monica here
schotastic: yeah. I realize that. The other "DC" is in Arizona
Andrew: Yeah that is what I told you
schotastic: Thats not what you said.
Andrew: They are not having one single dc..
Andrew: This is what I said just a moment back
schotastic: That would make it THREE datacentes. One in LA, One in ARIZONA,
and the other in Santa monica.
Andrew: Yeah so you know that..
schotastic: but, Ipower only has TWO datacenters.
Andrew: Sir I am not with iPowerWeb... I am with Dot5 and I am aware
of the DC that we are having related to iPowerWeb
Andrew: it would be better if you could find the details for the
number of DC iPower have with iPower itself :)
schotastic: Im just trying to clear it up. I just dont want to sign up with Ipower.
Andrew: Okay\
schotastic: You said Dot5 is big company right?
Andrew: Yeah you will find this over the internet as well
Andrew: :)
schotastic: :)
schotastic: Where is your tech support located?
Andrew: It is locate in the Santa Monica office it self.. with one in LA
schotastic: How many customers do you guys have?
schotastic: I dont want an overloaded company
Andrew: You will not face any problems with the no of customers
schotastic: it says on webhosting.info that you guys have 8000 customers
schotastic: is that true? That looks like a good size without overloading
Andrew: What date is that information related to..?
Andrew: Right now we are having more than 10000 clients
schotastic: 02/20/06 - 02/27/06.
schotastic: ok cool
Andrew: :)
Andrew: Anything else I can help you with?
schotastic: How many people are working there? I want to make sure that
there is enough people
Andrew: yes
Andrew: you will also get 30days money back guarantee
schotastic: How many people work for dot5?
Andrew: Sorry but this info cant be discloses
schotastic: Is there a boss I can speak to?
Andrew: What else you want to talk
schotastic: I want to talk to your boss
schotastic: What is your supervisors name?
Andrew: Wilson
schotastic: What is his email address?
Andrew: you can mail to sales dot5hosting com
schotastic: Im not upset with you. I just want to know more information
about a company that im going to give my credit card to
Andrew: dont worry your info will be safe
Andrew: We do take care of our customer
schotastic: I realize that you cant disclose certain information. Perhaps,
Wilson can give me the information im looking for. There are just sooo
many scary webhosting companies out there. I dont want to take another
risk
Andrew: okay as you wish
schotastic: What is Wilsons title?
Andrew: He is our supervisor
Andrew: You can mail your query and he will be replying to all your queries
schotastic: I thought Chris was your supervisor?
Andrew: We are having number of supervisor in every shifts
schotastic: Is Chris a supervisor?
Andrew: yes he is also a supervisor but not in this shift
schotastic: Whats his email address?
Andrew: You cant get any personal email addresses of any supervisor
you will have to mail all your queries to sales dot5hosting com
Andrew: And all your queries will be answered accordingly
schotastic: Is your supervisor available now?
schotastic: Wilson?
Andrew: yes
schotastic: Can I chat with him?
Andrew: Yes schotastic... This Wilson here
Andrew: How can I help youi..?
schotastic: I just wanted to know if you guys are owned or a subsidiary of ipower?
Andrew: We are a separate identity and not related to iPowerWeb..
Andrew: besides having the data centre with iPower
Andrew: The management is separate...
Andrew: so there is no relation between the two companies
schotastic: Do you guys occupy the same office as Ipower in Santa monica?
Andrew: The building is the same
Andrew: the office management is separate
schotastic: How come it says on the internet that Dot5 was sold to Ipower
Andrew: Nope it was considered to be sold when we moved from GB to USA
schotastic: AH!~
Andrew: The issue was with the change in the DC and relocation of the
server from another DC to iPower Web only
Andrew: and nothing besides that
schotastic: Is it true that you guys have your tech support outscourced in India?
schotastic: There is nothing wrong with it. I just want to know what im getting into.
Andrew: Nope the tech support is in USA itself..
Andrew: with the technicians from different nationalities
schotastic: :) Cool.
Andrew: I think you are having a big research over our company :-)
schotastic: How many employees do you guys have? I want to make sure that
the company has enough people to support me. Heh. Yeah its a big
research. I just dont want to give my Credit Card just to anyone. I
just Google'd "dot5" and many bad post and links came up.
schotastic: So I was worried and decided to ask directly.
Andrew: When a company is having around 10K clients then it becomes
necessary to have a good amount of staff to support the clients..
Andrew: this information is not to be disclosed over which is the
reason I cannot be provide you this information
schotastic: 10k is not alot. and thats what attracted me to dot5.
Andrew: but this is really something that is in good numbers
Andrew: atleast compared to the other companies which come and go in
some days.. it is quiet a big and secured number :-)
schotastic: LOL
schotastic: Why do you guys have VDECK?
Andrew: The platform that we use over the servers are offered by iPowerWeb..
Andrew: who are having vDeck control panels as well
Andrew: so we are running the vDeck control panels
schotastic: Ah, Gotcha!
schotastic: So, Your support staff is in California, Santa Monica right?
Andrew: Yepp
schotastic: And not in India?
Andrew: Nope
Andrew: Not in India
schotastic: LOL. Ok. Cool. Thank you.
Andrew: You are welcome
schotastic: Can I send an email to Chris directly?
Andrew: :-)
Andrew: Chris.. the supervisor in the shifts..?
schotastic: is he head of support?
schotastic: or something like that?
Andrew: Sorry but he is not having a direct email address you can
contact at... neither me... ;)
Andrew: but you can contact us at
Andrew: sales dot5hosting com
schotastic: I want to email him a comment. dont worry, its not bad. its positive.
Andrew: lol
Andrew: yeah certainly
Andrew: you can contact him through the sales email..
Andrew: they shall be forwarding the comments to him
schotastic: is he in charge?
Andrew: Right now I am incharge
Andrew: I will let him know your comments :-)
Andrew: don
Andrew: Don't worry about that..
schotastic: LOL! Ok cool!
schotastic: Thanks!
Andrew: You are welcome
Andrew: :-)
schotastic: See You soon!

Andrew: Thank you for contacting Dot5Hosting Live Chat. How may I assist you today?
schotastic: Hello Again Andrew
schotastic: Is Wilson around?
Andrew: yes
schotastic: May I chat with him?
Andrew: sorry he is busy with some other clients right now over phone
Andrew: may i help you?
schotastic: How come dot5 and ipower have the exact same address? and the exact same suite # ?
Andrew: i think this has already been explained to you earlier
schotastic: No it hasnt.
schotastic: If you feel that you have explained it to me earlier.. Please kindly explain it to me again, perhaps, I didnt understand clearly.
Andrew: schotastic: how come you guys have a simmilar address as Ipower?
Andrew: Andrew: Which address?
Andrew: schotastic: Dot5Hosting Inc.,2800 28th Street Suite 205Santa Monica, CA 90405
Andrew: Andrew: That is the address of our data center where our system administrator are working
Andrew: schotastic: You guys are colocated at Ipower?
Andrew: Andrew: Yes our servers are located at ipower
Andrew: schotastic: But Ipowers Data Center is in Downtown, Los Angeles. in the Garland Building
Andrew: Andrew: They are not having one single dc..
Andrew: Andrew: the LA location is the second location besides the one is Santa Monica here
Andrew: schotastic: yeah. I realize that. The other "DC" is in Arizona
Andrew: Andrew: Yeah that is what I told you
Andrew: schotastic: Thats not what you said.
Andrew: Andrew: They are not having one single dc..
Andrew: Andrew: This is what I said just a moment back
Andrew: schotastic: That would make it THREE datacentes. One in LA, One in ARIZONA, and the other in Santa monica.
Andrew: Andrew: Yeah so you know that..
Andrew:
Andrew: This was the chat with you some moments earlier
schotastic: Yes. But my question is: "Why does dot5 and Ipower have the same SUITE # 205.
schotastic: I understand if you guys are in the same building, But in the exact same office suite?
Andrew: schotastic: Do you guys occupy the same office as Ipower in Santa monica?
Andrew: Andrew: The building is the same
Andrew: Andrew: the office management is separate
Andrew:
schotastic: Andrew. Please dont be rude. My question is very specific.
schotastic: I want to know: Why does dot5 and Ipower have the same SUITE # 205."
Andrew: I am not being rude just that I am having the previous chat here with me...
Andrew: just trying to find the details from in there
Andrew: The details that you are asking for is related to the management of Dot5 which I don't think is necessary to be disclosed :)
Andrew: I hope you understand this
schotastic: That doesnt make sense. My question is very simple. Im not asking for specific details of management. I just want to know: Why does dot5 and Ipower have the same SUITE # 205.
Andrew: sorry but this has been explained earlier as well
Andrew: and this is more of a daily routine details which should not affect you
Andrew: or any client
Andrew: so we are not allowed to disclose such details..
Andrew: I think I have provided you a lot of information... which can be a problem for me...
Andrew: ;)
schotastic: Dude. Thank you. But Dude; I think my questions are very simple and relevant.
Andrew: you are welcome
Andrew: Thank you for visiting Live chat .
schotastic: 1) I want to sign up with Dot5 and not Ipower
Andrew: We look forward to having you as our client.
Andrew: Anything else I can help you with?
schotastic: 2) I want to clear up the mystery to me that it seems like you guys are the same company
Andrew: sorry but this was explained to you already
Andrew: :-)
schotastic: 3)I want to know why you guys have the same SUITE #205
schotastic: You havent answered these directly.
Andrew: sorry but this question cannot be answered by me
schotastic: You have been evasive.
schotastic: Then who can answer this question?
Andrew: sorry but as said before.. this is much of internal management for the company which is not to be dissclosed by any one
schotastic: Then, Let me speak with Internal Management
Andrew: Sorry they cant be contacted
schotastic: Why not?
Andrew: You can email to sales@dot5hosting.com and all your queries can be handled by them
schotastic: Do you represent dot5?
schotastic: Do you work for dot5?
Andrew: yes
schotastic: Then, why dont you let me speak with Internal Management?
Andrew: You can contact support at Phone no : 1-877-378-5349
Andrew: and all your queries can be handled there
schotastic: Are the available now?
Andrew: yes
schotastic: Who will I need to speak with?
Andrew: you can speak to any one you find
schotastic: I mean for internal management?
Andrew: am not sure
schotastic: then why do want me to call there?
schotastic: Arent you there?
Andrew: No am on live chats and not on phone support
schotastic: are you located somewhere else?
Andrew: I m not upon the phone support
Andrew: so I am not sure about it
Andrew: Anything else I can help you with?
schotastic: Are you located where the phone support people are located
Andrew: in a different cell
Andrew: and different floor
Andrew: Anything else I can help you with?
schotastic: You mean a different floor in the Santa Monica office?
Andrew: Yes
Andrew: !
schotastic: Is Wilson available?
Andrew: no he is not
Andrew: i mean he is busy
Andrew: over phones
schotastic: Do you have his extension so that I can reach him
Andrew: no please
Andrew: he is not having
schotastic: Can I ask for him?
Andrew: As i said he is busy
schotastic: I mean, If I call on the telephone, Can I ask for him?
Andrew: cant say am not sure
Andrew: whether he will be available or not
schotastic: Is there a supervisor I can ask for?
Andrew: He is the supervisor
schotastic: besides him
schotastic: because he is busy
Andrew: No one
schotastic: When does his shift end?
schotastic: Basically, its just you and Wilson are there?
Andrew: In four hours our shift will be ending
schotastic: Are the only people there right now; just you and Wilson
schotastic: ?
Andrew: Why who else you need
Andrew: I mean there are many people around
schotastic: A supervisor!
Andrew: No as i said wilson is the onlt supervisor
schotastic: No offense, But, you and I seem to not be communicating properly.
schotastic: May I please speak with Wilson
Andrew: As i said he is busy over phones
schotastic: So, Basically, there is no one else to speak with besides you. I cant reach anyone else that can Answer my basic questions.
Andrew: schotastic, I don't wanna be rude.... but it would be better if you could contact the support phone number provided above...
schotastic: How would that help me?
Andrew: I cannot help you in the questions that you are asking to me
schotastic: Is it the number to "Internal Management"?
Andrew: You can ask for some question which look something that can be answered to
Andrew: sorry but no phone number besides the one provided above
Andrew: Thank you for visiting Live chat .
schotastic: Are you there?

about the same address, many companies use agents to incorporate. These agents will provide you with an address in the State you incorporate in :) It may be the case

That doesnt seem to be the case for this one.

That doesnt seem to be the case for this one.Indeed it doesn't. Two companies with the same address.

One would think that if it looks like a dog and barks like a dog, then it must be a dog.

What's with their grammar? I'm horrible at grammar, so I shouldn't complain, but that Live Help person seriously sounded like he was coming from India...

Both companies use VDECK, they are the only ones. If indeed they are seperate, they must be working with each other in someway.

they are same ?

they are the only onesStartlogic uses Vdeck as well...

If indeed they are seperate, they must be working with each other in someway.Dot5 claims to be using Ipower's datacenter. So they're working all right. But using the same address? That takes "working together" to a whole new level. :)

well it looks like StartLogic is an IpowerWeb company as well:

Info listed on their respective contact pages:

StartLogic, Inc.
919 E. Jefferson St, Suite #100
Phoenix, AZ 85034

For Legal Inquiries:
Christopher Gonzalez
General Counsel
111 E. Broadway, #210
Glendale, CA 91207


---

The IPOWER Corporate Headquarters is located at:

919 E. Jefferson St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Additional Offices are located at:

2800 28th Street, Suite 205
Santa Monica, CA 90405

For Legal Inquiries:

Christopher Gonzalez
General Counsel
111 E. Broadway, #210
Glendale, CA 91207

Hello,

Some interesting threads:

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=205863&page=2
http://forums.dot5sucks.com/viewtopic.php?p=72&sid=e3500749015c40a1ca7d6d6a4b5c00cd

Buyouts happen all the time. What's the big deal in this situation?

Well.. you are correct Richard H ... BuyOuts happen all the time. And thats cool!

But, I specifically didn't want to BUY IPOWER.. I was checking out Dot5.

The big deal is:

1) I never got a real direct answer to the THREE SIMPLE questions I asked that was critical for me to make a decision.


2) If they are the same company, so be it. We all move on, But as you can see from the chat conversation, that there was a specific intent towards subterfuge.

3) Well.. just overall poor customer support interaction. When I wanted to speak to a supervisor, I basically couldnt. --- Imagine if you needed to speak to them about your credit card statement or a misbilling.

--- Why couldnt they just be straight with me.

" Why do they have the same physical address and suite # ?"

Its a pretty straight forward question.

Looks to me like there support can't speak english very well. Maybe he doesn't understand you clearly or something :D.

They may be owned by not directly managed by ipower

Well, schotastic - the reason you are so keen on finding this out seems to be you have a low opinion of Ipower and don't want to have your hosting associated with them.

The question is: does Dot5 have a better reputation....? If not, the question you are asking is not really worth putting much time into, IMHO.
Some interesting threads:

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...=205863&page=2
http://forums.dot5sucks.com/viewtopi...7d6d6a4b5c00cd

:)

yeah.. well.. there you go.

just the mediocre pre-sales-service alone is enough for me to say "no thanks"

it amazes me how shady some people can behave.

well it looks like StartLogic is an IpowerWeb company as well:Sure it does! ipower, ipowerweb, dot5, startlogic. All brands that aim to look independent.

I appreciate good detective work and make it my practice to read all the accessable records I can find on the internet for companies I'm about to commit money to -- especially my card number or other "personally identifiable" information.

Besides forums (WHT always) and a Google look, I backtrack cascading domain names and nameservers through WhoIs searches, and I never skip a company's local Better Business Bureau. (Many BBBs are linked into BBBOnline now.) In fact, I shop for a BBB logo and a payment link to PayPal.

lol.. Actually I heard something like that. I met and had dinner with one of major web hosting directory manager and ceo because they were visiting all over the U.S. for their clients (web hosting companies) and told me about something like we may/should make another site with another business info or under same company info with different domain and site name and it will boost sales because some people buy hosting packages by just looking of the site.... and told that some companies do it.and actually they get more signups... maybe they are talking them or not.. not sure..but that's what I heard from them who know truth of it….LOL..

It can be a legitimate marketing strategy or a deceptive one if the second entity is trying to skirt around a bad reputation.