HOUSTON, Sep 15, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

The Planet, the global leader in IT hosting, today announced its new Partner Plus program, which includes significant extensions to its already-strong partner program. It includes three specific partner models designed to fit the business requirements of its customers. The new Referral Partner program offers industry-leading commission rates up to 20 percent to reward partners that introduce their customers to The Planet's wide range of products and world-class customer service.

Partners are able to earn commissions or server discounts, depending on the model, from the broadest portfolio of products and services in the industry: dedicated hosting, hosting with advanced services, managed hosting or colocation.

"As other hosting companies and colocation providers are cutting back their programs, The Planet is making significant investments in Partner Plus to build indirect sales and leverage the power of the channel to expand our market reach," said Tom Blair, vice president of Global Sales with The Planet. "Today marks a strategic expansion in our already-successful partner program. Customers select The Planet based on the quality of our data centers and network, which is the foundation for our new Partner Plus Program, and we're now providing a multitude of new reasons for choosing our IT infrastructure resources.

"We set about to reshape the partner landscape, with the most lucrative and creative program in the industry, backed by a dream team of sales, technical and support personnel committed to partners' success. I've been in the industry for more than 25 years, and this is the program I've always envisioned being able to offer," Blair concluded.

"As a reseller, our global customer base relies on us for providing the reliability and connectivity they require to operate their businesses," said Tenko Nikolov, Chief Executive Officer of SiteGround (http://www.siteground.com).

"Our business continues to grow, as does our relationship with The Planet. Their commitment to customer support and attention to our requirements makes them an ideal partner for our company, and those are among the reasons we work with The Planet."

About The Planet Partner Plus Program

The Planet Partner Plus program offers three unique models to match any partner's business. Each category provides strategic advantages to enable successful partner relationships. Constructed to ensure zero channel conflict and drive more business, partners benefit from personalized relationships with assigned account managers, expert sales training, and access to events and development programs. The Planet also provides data center tours for partners and their clients, along with meeting rooms to make selling easy and convenient.

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