Services
In order to host a web site (at EsoSoft or elsewhere), you need two services: Web Hosting Service and Domain Name Registration.

• Web Hosting Service provides you with space on a web server where your domain name and web site can reside.
• Domain Name Registration provides you with the right to use a particular domain name for a specified period of time.

EsoSoft offers both Web Hosting and Domain Name Registration services. Because you are reading this page, it is assumed that you have a web site hosted at EsoSoft, probably using our Basic Web Hosting service. Your domain name might be registered at EsoSoft (via OpenSRS/Tucows) or via another Registrar.

Your domain name does not have to be registered via EsoSoft in order for you to use our Basic Web Hosting service. However, regardless of where your domain name is registered (EsoSoft or elsewhere), you will eventually be contacted regarding payment for the domain by the Registrar responsible for your registration.

While it is not mandatory that your domain name be registered via EsoSoft, many Basic Web Hosting customers find it more convenient to be contacted by only one company regarding payments. If your domain is not registered via EsoSoft, you can have it transferred. There is no fee to have your domain transferred, however, the domain name registration must be renewed for one year during the transfer process. This renewal process will add one year to the current "expiration date" of your domain. If you would like to discuss the possibility of transferring your domain from its current Registrar to EsoSoft, please contact our Service & Support Team at service@esosoft.com.

Payments

Basic Web Hosting
To view the payment plan options for EsoSoft's Basic Web Hosting service, please visit our Basic Web Hosting information page.

If your Basic Web Hosting account is paid either Monthly or Quarterly, charges are automatically processed to the credit card on file for your account. You receive an invoice via e-mail each month or quarter (as the case may be).

If your Basic Web Hosting account is paid Semi-Annually, Annually or Bi-Annually, the charges are never automatically processed. EsoSoft's Accounting Department contacts you via e-mail two to four weeks before payment will become due. The e-mail from Accounting will ask if you wish to continue service and, if yes, provide you with a link to our "payment" page where you can submit payment instructions.

You can visit the "payment" page at any time at:

Basic Web Hosting Payments

To access your account information, you will need your domain name and your site's password. Once logged in, you can review the status of your current payment, review your Payment Method and Payment Period preferences and submit new information if you like.

Domain Name Registration
If you have received a notice from EsoSoft regarding the renewal of your domain name registration, please respond to that message as soon as possible. Without a response, your domain name will not be renewed. If not renewed, the domain will be deactivated. If renewal is made after deactivation, it will take a minimum of 24 hours to re-activate the domain. If the domain is not renewed after deactivation, the domain name will eventually be "released" and will be available to anyone in the world for registration.

When renewing your domain name registration, you will need to decide on the number of years for the renewal. You can choose from one to ten years.

For renewals of 1 to 2 years, the renewal fee is $20.00 per year.
For renewals of 3 to 10 years, the renewal fee is $15.00 per year.

The chart below illustrates the payment options:

Where is Your Domain Name Registered?
You can find the Registrar for your domain by looking at the "whois" information for the domain. To view the whois information, visit the Network Solutions web site and click on the "whois" link. Enter your domain on the next screen and click "Go".

The next page will return the Whois Search Results. The whois information varies from one Registrar to another, but somewhere within the details provided you will find the information you need.

Special and Important Note:
Many unscrupulous and unethical companies (including Network Solutions / Verisign) are contacting domain name registrants (such as you) via regular postal mail. Their correspondence looks (and feels) just like an actual invoice. The wording leads the recipient to believe that if payment is not made quickly, the domain name registration will expire.

These letters are nothing more than attempts to have you unwittingly transfer your domain name registration from its current Registrar to the company sending the letter.

EsoSoft's advice: Before you pay any company for the registration of your domain name, verify that you are paying the Registrant with whom your domain is actually registered. If you are ever in doubt, feel free to write to our Service & Support Team at support@esosoft.com.