New York, New York - (The Hosting News) - October 18, 2007 - Tier1 Research has issued a new report, focused on M and A Activity in the mass-market web hosting sector, indicating that it has excelled, in the first half of 2007.

Philbert Shih, Senior Analyst at T1R and coauthor of the report noted, ''The hosting industry has always seen regular M and A activity, and the first half of 2007 was no exception. In fact, the volume of activity picked up considerably from the previous year, with several larger deals in both the infrastructure and mass-market segments. We believe M and A will continue to be a hallmark of the sector. The second half of the year should see less activity, but going into 2008, we should not expect that the M and A trend will slow.''

The new report also details that the Internet infrastructure and mass-market hosting sectors continue to mature, and demand has returned to the point where vendors in this space are looking to commit themselves to the business long-term and are seeking acquisitions to complement their organic growth efforts and achieve meaningful scale. Various other factors are driving this activity, such as the need for specific technological capabilities or facilities, international expansion, strategic considerations and others.

The findings are contained in a report released today by New York-based Tier1 Research (T1R), an independent research firm that analyzes the financial and industry implications of developments affecting public and private companies within the hosting, IT, communications and Internet sectors.

The 47-page report, titled ''M and A Review Series - Report 1: A Review of Merger and Acquisition Activity for the Internet Infrastructure and Mass-Market Hosting Sector,'' provides an overview of M and A activity in the Internet infrastructure and mass-market hosting areas for the first six months of 2007. The key details of more than 20 deals are presented, followed by in-depth analysis that summarizes the impact on the companies involved and the sector itself. Important M and A trends - present and emerging - are also identified.

The M and A Review serves as an invaluable tool for investors and industry executives who want to know about the main players in Internet infrastructure and mass-market hosting sector M and A, what valuations are being paid and the driving forces behind this activity.

Tier1 Research (T1R), a division of The 451 Group, analyzes the financial and industry implications of developments affecting public and private companies within the IT, communications and Internet sectors. Tier1 blends traditional Wall Street investment research with industry analysis to deliver dynamic market and financial intelligence. Clients include institutional investors and technology vendors, along with end users and venture capitalists. Clients leverage Tier1 Research's analytical insight for idea generation, trend identification, due diligence and grounded opinions, as well as metrics and forecasts on companies and industries covered. Since its founding in August 2000, Tier1 Research's coverage has spanned the largest publicly held technology companies as well as smaller, pioneering public and privately held companies.

To learn more, please visit: www.tier1research.com.