GMO Hosting & Security, Inc. (GMO-HS), a member of the GMO Internet Group and one of the fastest growing web hosting and security companies in Japan, is pleased to announce the launch of WINISH, a new hosting service on a Windows Server 2003 as the operating platform.

Offered through its hosting brand iSLE, the new WINISH service represents a full-scale entry into the field of Windows-based shared hosting services for GMO-HS, a platform that the company will actively promote in the future.

GMO-HS, already hosting more than 130,000 sites in Japan, has been strategically developing Unix-based hosting services under several brands since 1997. The company has increased its market share, with the aim of becoming the dominant provider in that field.

Today, in response to trends in the European and American hosting markets where Windows-based hosting is rapidly growing in share, GMO-HS has turned its attention to the Japanese market, which has yet to mature, and developed WINISH. By promoting the spread of Windows-based hosting services, which offer high levels of convenience and stability as well as earning the confidence of customers, GMO-HS expects to further increase its own market share.

"Microsoft welcomes GMO-HS's WINISH shared hosting service on the Windows Server 2003 platform. WINISH is a shared, low-cost hosting service that reflects the merits of robust, high-performance Windows Server 2003," said Garth Fort, Senior Director, Server Platform Business Group, Microsoft.

"By entering the market for shared hosting on the Windows Server platform, GMO-HS, which has extensive server hosting experience under the iSLE and other brands, will substantially stimulate the hosting market overall. In addition, there is likely to be increasing need for the provision of value-added hosting using Windows. Microsoft is happy that GMO-HS will provide hosting that amply delivers the merits of Windows Server."
Features of WINISH service

WINISH offers the consistent server performance achieved by using Windows Server 2003, as well as various capabilities that are provided as standard on the platform, including 'SiteBuilder', which enables quality Web sites to be created in just five steps, choosing from a comprehensive range of 267 design templates, 'Plan Manager', a high-performance server management tool developed independently by iSLE, which makes it easy to perform many server settings, and ASP.NET software enables the efficient creation of applications and performance enhancement.

From first-time users with no experience of operating a Web site to advanced users who want to run various applications using ASP.NET, GMO-HS can meet diversifying needs through Windows-based hosting services.

To mark the start of service provision, GMO-HS is holding a WINISH Introductory Campaign. If customers apply within the Campaign period, the first year's domain fee and six months' service fee will be waived.

About GMO Hosting & Security, Inc.
Founded in 1992 and incorporated in 1997, GMO-HS is a pioneer in the web hosting industry in Japan. Today, GMO-HS is one of the fastest growing web hosting companies in Japan, serving 120,000 customers from over the globe. Throughout the years, GMO-HS has served individual and small to medium-sized businesses by providing them state of the art web hosting and other Internet solutions for affordable prices. The company's strength lies in the reliable network and unmatched customer care program that it has put in place for website hosting. Every day, more small and medium-sized businesses entrust "iSLE" and "RapidSite" with "the keys" to their Web shop. The business is centered on hosting services, but GMO-HS also develops and offers all types of Internet solutions, including security businesses, issuing digital certificates, and providing OEM's for ISP and hosting businesses. For more information, please visit www.gmo-hs.com/index_e.html.

Contact:
Ms. Emiko Okamoto
GMO Hosting & Security, Inc.
Cerulean Tower 26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho,
Shibuya-ku,Tokyo Japan
Tel: +81-3-6415-6100
Fax: +81-3-6415-6101
e-mail: pr@gmo-hs.com