A hosting service provider or web host provides web hosting services that enables users to upload web pages to the Internet. These services are not only limited to providing web space on a server but also include facilities like connectivity to T3 lines, protection against malicious hacker attacks, domain name registration, design and coding of websites.

Great web hosts even provide website templates that make website hosting so much easier. Besides this, site owners can take advantage of other facilities like FTP (file transfer protocol) access, e-mail, e-mail aliases, mail forwarding, shopping carts etc. These services are like one-stop hosting shops - they take care of all your needs.

Most of these hosting companies offer a range of packages to meet the needs of customers. Anyone can buy a starting pack that may enable him to host a few pages for his personal site. At the other end, hosting services can provide dedicated hosting with unlimited web space and bandwidth for the ultra professional user.

Hosting services are available in many flavors. There are some hosts that offer free hosting but in lieu they serve advertisements on the user websites. However, there are very few users who make use of free services because they realize that they can’t run long-term businesses using this model.

When you’re initially shopping for web hosting you’re probably going to be looking for cheap web site hosting options because you want the best value for money right? That’s totally understandable and the good news is that you can get reliable website hosting that you can depend on and still only pay a few bucks a month.