midPhase (www.midphase.com) is a fairly large and well known web host based in Chicago. The company, which was launched out of its founders’ dorm room, has been around since May 2003 and is adding over 4,000 new accounts per month. Some people I know say midPhase is the best host others, while others would never get near it. One would assume a company that is getting so many new customers per month is doing something right. This review will find out if they are, and if so, what.
The company’s offerings are pretty standard: midPhase offers Linux shared hosting (the subject of this review), Windows hosting plans, VPS plans, dedicated servers, and web design services. VPS hosting and web design services are both new offerings from midPhase.
Features of midPhase Hosting Plans
- 750,000MB Disk Space
- 10 TB Bandwidth
- Host One Domain
- $6.95/month - More Info
Pro-PHASE- 999,000MB Disk Space
- unmetered Bandwidth
- Host unlimited Domains
- $11.95/month - More Info
Plan Pricing
midPhase offers an astonishing 3000 MB of disk space and unmetered bandwidth for $7.95 a month. The plan comes with support for PHP, JSP, MySQL, PERL, SSL, and more. midPhase also offers you a free domain name if you prepay for a full year's worth of hosting. If you're big on using MySQL databases, this plan is your best bet because you can create as many as you like. A 14-day refund guarantee is also available with midPhase.
Customer Service
midPhase currently has an average response time of 29 minutes or less if you contact them by e-mail. Of course, e-mail isn't the only way you can get in touch with them. The company also offers community forums, a self-help section, and a toll-free telephone number. I am generally pleased with response times by phone and e-mail, and midPhase's self-help section has also proven useful.
Control Panel
midPhase's control panel is essentially a slightly altered version of CPanel that might prove to make the whole process of managing a web site easier to a beginner. The panel is equipped with all the different CPanel functions, and is graphically intuitive. The panel makes available a number of third-party scripts, including chat, message boards, and more.
Data Center
midPhase's data center, called the "Equinix IBX Center", is located in Chicago, IL. The center is hooked to several network providers and backbones to maintain redundant connections to the Internet. All of their servers are connected to a line burst-able up to 100 MBPS. Time Warner, Internap, and Bell South are just some of their Internet backbone providers.
Summary
There is no valid reason not to go with midPhase. The company offers a surplus of disk space, and more bandwidth than most other hosts. Their "SimpleSite Wizard" is great for the beginner webmaster and responses to e-mails are usually received in under 29 minutes. midPhase is great for webmasters who plan on continually growing their web site.
