Six years ago GearHost Inc began as a one man rodeo. We started with one server and a laptop running from a T1 in our CEO’s basement. Since then we have grown into a mature hosting company providing thousands of web sites with fast and reliable web services. We have introduced all new improvements to our hosting services which will provide more value and benefit to your web hosting account. Below you will find a list of these improvements along with a description of how they will benefit you as an existing customer of GearHost.

       

     

Table of contents:

• Infrastructure
• Home Page
• Support
• GearPanel
• Community Forums
• Hosting Plans
• Phone System

Infrastructure:

Our new network infrastructure features improved uptime, decreases in network latency, and better performance. Technically speaking we will be adding and replacing new switches, routers, and firewall equipment to our current network to provide you with better service. This also encompasses our new proprietary network called GearSpeed which has been fine tuned for the best performance utilizing a blended network operating over multiple providers. We have also upgraded all database, web, and mail servers to brand new hardware which will drastically increase performance for your websites. 

                             

FAQ

Q) What equipment is included in the new Infrastructure?

A) This includes our core network equipment such as switches, routers, power strips, firewall, network cabling, hosting servers, etc...

                             

Q) How does this affect me?

A) You will see better performance from you website along with less latency.

                             

Home Page:

We have released our new home page which has been completely re-designed from the ground up. We designed the new site around the demands of our customers allowing you to quickly and easily find useful information that will help you get the most from your hosting experience with GearHost.

                             

FAQ

Q) Why the change?

A) We wanted to get relevant information to our customers efficiently and the old website has been around for a few years now.

                             

Q) What new features have been added?

A) We’ve added a network status page, LiveChat, knowledge base, and additional support features.

  

Support:

Our new support features include a lot of the same tools that we have used throughout the years as they have proven successful, such as our ticket manager and support forums. GearHost is also introducing a new knowledge base system that will include concise, accurate and useful information that’s also easy to get to.  You will be able to query the knowledge base system by category or questions which will allow you to get results more efficiently.

                             

The following support options are now available

         

• Ticket Manager
• Knowledge Base
• Community Forums
• Email
• Phone
• LiveChat

          FAQ

Q) How have you enhanced support for me?

A) We’ve added a new and intuitive knowledge base article system which will allow you to easily browse and query common solutions and questions. We’ve also made support easily accessible via the home page now.  

                             

Q) How do I access the knowledge base system?

A) You can access the knowledge base system directly through the home page or GearPanel.

                             

Q) Has anything changed with the old support?

A) All of the same features are still available such as LiveChat, support ticket system, email, and phone.

                             

Q) Can I still use ticket manager?

A) Yes, ticket manager is included with the new control panel, GearPanel.

                             

Q) How often do your technicians look at the support forums?

A) Using RSS feeds makes it easier for you and our Support Technicians.  We are able to subscribe to critical topics and include it within our internal Admin System.

  

GearPanel:

GearPanel was written in house from the ground up to replace iControl. Building our control panel in house gives us the chance to tailor features to meet your demands. We can also provide advanced users along with resellers the control they need to succeed. GearPanel features new tools such as reseller account management, built in domain registration, easier access to account information, domain manager, and mailing list integration. It also includes the same controls you are used to in iControl so it will be a seamless integration.

                             

FAQ

Q) What is GearPanel?

A) GearPanel is a hosting control panel which gives you complete control over all services under your hosting account which include email and web.

                             

Q) What new features does GearPanel include?

A) GearPanel includes all new reseller management control, built in domain registration, easier access to account information, domain manager, and mailing list integration. 

                             

Q) How do I access GearPanel?

A) You can access GearPanel via the home page or the url, http://www.gearpanel.com using your existing login credentials.

                             

Q) When will I get GearPanel on my existing hosting account?

A) Each server is scheduled for migration in the near future. You will receive an email before migration advising of the change.

                             

Q) If I sign up an account now will I get GearPanel?

A) Yes you will

                             

Q) Can I cancel my account to get GearPanel now without waiting for the migration?

A) Yes you can, but there will be down time for all websites under your account because you will be getting a new IP. You will also have to pay the cancellation fee.

                             

Community Forums:

Forums not only help us get in touch with you they also create a community for you to get in touch with other GearHost customers. You can share ideas, help with development, or simply spark a conversation. Forums are also a great way to get new clients for you aspiring web devs and designers.

                             

GearHost has launched new community forums orientated around these goals. We want them to be easy to use and we want to create the kind of community that will attract our clients to participate in. The new GearHost community forums will sport brand new features which are sure to enrich your experience.

                             

FAQ

Q) How do I access the new community forums?

A) Our forums can be accessed via http://forums.gearhost.com

                             

Q) What new features are available?

A) The new forums contain RSS feeds so you can keep up to date any posts within a category.

                             

Q) Do I have to sign up for the forums or will my account credentials work?

A) Yes you will need to sign up a new account.  Our forums are entirely new and the old posts will not be imported due to how we have changed the way we do business.

                             

Q) What is a forum?

A) A forum is public meeting place for open discussion of various topics. A forum may also be referred to as a bulletin board or discussion area.

                             

          Q) Can I advertise my own services on your forums?

          A) Yes, these types of posts need to be made under the Advertisements    section of the new forums.

                             

Hosting Plans:

GearHost has introduced completely new hosting plans that are both competitive and feature rich. These plans are bloated with more disk space, bandwidth, email accounts, and domains. We have also made our plans more reseller friendly, making it easier for resellers to expand their own business.

                             

This is a major change so we have created the FAQ below which should answer most questions. If you question is not answered please do not hesitate to call, email, chat, or open a support ticket.

                             

FAQ

Q) Which account will I be moved to?

            A) Below is the account schematic:

·      Silver -> 2^nd Gear – click for details

·        Gold -> 3^rd Gear – click for details

·        Platinum -> 4^th Gear – click for details

                             

Q) Will I be automatically switched to a new plan?

A) Yes all Shared Customers will be switched to the new plans under GearPanel.

                             

Q) What if I just want to stick with my old plan and pricing?

A) We do not offer this as the old hosting environment (iControl) is being upgraded to new servers and control panel (GearPanel).

                             

Q) When does my account get migrated?

A) Accounts will be migrated server by server. We will notify all customers via email of the migration shortly before it will take place. We will also be offering per account migration by request.

                             

          Q) Our all accounts being switched?

          A) Yes, all accounts will be switched to the new hosting plans.

                             

          Q) Can I keep my old account plan?

          A) No, all account plans must be migrated to a new plan

                             

Q) Can I keep my old pricing?

A) No, all accounts are going to be switched to the new account pricing, but we are also including all the new features with the new pricing. For example a silver account would move to a 2^nd Gear account which would result in 900MBs more disk space, double bandwidth, 10 times more email, etc with a price increase of only $1.

                             

Phone System:

You will find new and easier ways to get in touch with GearHost support and sales personnel with our new phone system. Our new phone systeml includes a new processing queue which will help us process incoming phone calls more efficiently, resulting in less messages and call backs.

                             

FAQ

Q) Can I access support easier now?

A) Yes, our system now supports the ability to forward calls to our satellite locations if a support technician is not available at corporate head quarters.

                             

Q) Are you going to extend your phone support hours?

A) Our phone hours will remain the same: Mon-Fri 7a-5pm MST

                             

Q) What departments can be reached by phone?

A) You can call our Toll Free Number for Sales, Support, Billing or for General Questions.

                             

Q) How does this affect us dedicated customers?

A) Dedicated Customers will receive an after hours Emergency Queue that will be handled within 120 seconds.