As technology continues to advance and the demand for online services increases, the need for reliable hosting solutions has become paramount for businesses and individuals alike.

Becoming a Hosting Service Provider that offers specialised hosting activities such as web hosting, streaming services, and application hosting typically involves setting up a company that provides technical infrastructure and services for hosting websites, streaming media content, and hosting applications on servers. This type of business would require expertise in server administration, network management, and other technical aspects of hosting services.

6311.02– Specialized Hosting Activities

The term "Specialized Hosting" refers to activities such as Web Hosting, Streaming Services, and Application Hosting. These are critical components of the online ecosystem, enabling websites, streaming platforms, and applications to be accessible to users over the internet.

Web Hosting

Web hosting is a service that involves providing server space, bandwidth, domain registration, email accounts, security features, and technical support for individuals, organisations, or businesses to store their website files and make them accessible on the internet. Web hosting allows websites to be live on the internet, enabling visitors to access and interact with the websites. There are different types and plans of web hosting, such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, and cloud hosting, each with its own features, performance, and pricing.

Web hosting is crucial for websites to be accessible online. Businesses, organisations, and individuals who want to have a website need web hosting services to store their website files and make them available to visitors on the internet. As a Web hosting provider, you play a vital role in providing the necessary infrastructure and resources for websites to be live on the internet, allowing visitors to access and use the websites effectively.

Streaming Services

Streaming services refer to platforms or services that allow users to access and view audio or video content in real-time over the Internet without downloading it locally. These services offer different types of content, such as movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, live events, and sports, and may have various subscription plans, pricing models, and content libraries. Streaming

services require a robust infrastructure, including servers and content delivery networks (CDNs), to efficiently store, manage, and deliver streaming content to users.

Streaming services have gained widespread popularity due to their convenience and accessibility on various devices with an internet connection. They often include features like user accounts, personalization, recommendations, and offline viewing options. The success of your streaming services business depends on factors such as the quality of the user experience, content library, pricing, and ease of use of the platform or service.

Application Hosting

Application hosting is a service that enables businesses or individuals to run their software applications on remote servers or infrastructure accessed over the internet. This allows users to access and use their applications from anywhere without having to install or manage the software locally. Hosting providers are responsible for maintaining the servers, infrastructure, and technical aspects of the application, while users can focus on using the application and accessing their data. Application hosting can involve different types of software applications and can be offered through various hosting models.

Application hosting is beneficial for businesses or individuals who require access to specific software applications without the need to invest in and manage their own infrastructure. It offers scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, as users can access the applications on-demand and pay for the hosting resources they need. As an application hosting provider, you typically offer technical support, maintenance, and security features to ensure the smooth operation and performance of the hosted applications.

If you offer “on-line provision of software (application hosting and application service provisioning)” as a hosting service provider, it typically means that you are providing a service where customers can access and use software applications remotely via the internet, rather than installing and running the software on their local computers or servers.

Exclusions

There are no activities excluded under this business activity.

Third-Party Approvals – Post License

This business activity does not require third-party approval.

AML

Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) in the UAE are obligated to adhere to anti-money laundering laws and counter the financing of terrorism and illegal organisations by meeting the standards set by the Ministry of Economy. An awareness campaign was conducted on April 30th, 2021, and

existing licensees were already registered for goAML, the anti-money laundering system.

Failure to comply with the requirements before the deadline may result in fines imposed by the Ministry of Economy. To avoid such penalties, new licensees must ensure they meet the requirements after obtaining their license.

Business activity 6311.02 is not subject to AML regulations.

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