Fair Usage Policy

1. Introduction

This Fair Usage Policy supplements the PalmHost Terms & Conditions and explains how PalmHost manages the use of its hosting, business email, domain-related and associated digital infrastructure.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that customers can use PalmHost services fairly while protecting the stability, security and performance of the infrastructure used by all customers.

PalmHost services are intended for normal business, personal and website-related use. Services must not be used in a way that places an unreasonable or disproportionate burden on shared infrastructure or negatively affects other customers.

By using PalmHost services, you agree to comply with this policy.

2. Email Usage and Anti-Spam

PalmHost provides business email services for normal business and personal communication.

PalmHost's email infrastructure must not be used for:

• unsolicited bulk email or spam;
• mass marketing campaigns;
• email lists where recipients have not given appropriate permission to receive the messages;
• phishing or fraudulent communications;
• malicious or deceptive email activity;
• automated email activity that places an unreasonable load on the mail infrastructure; or
• any other activity that may damage PalmHost's mail infrastructure or IP reputation.

Customers requiring bulk marketing or large-scale email distribution should use an appropriate dedicated third-party email marketing or SMTP service.

PalmHost may monitor email activity for security, abuse prevention and infrastructure protection. Where an account is found to be sending spam, abusive email or an unreasonable volume of messages, PalmHost may restrict or suspend outbound email activity.

Email services remain subject to any technical sending limits or restrictions imposed by PalmHost or its infrastructure providers.

3. Bandwidth and Network Usage

Where a PalmHost hosting package includes unmetered or unlimited bandwidth, this refers to normal website and business use within the intended hosting environment.

Bandwidth must not be used to operate services that are unsuitable for the shared hosting environment, including:

• file-sharing platforms;
• peer-to-peer networks;
• large-scale download repositories;
• public file storage services;
• media streaming platforms that generate disproportionate traffic; or
• other services whose primary purpose is the continuous distribution of large amounts of data.

Normal website traffic, e-commerce activity, business communication and other legitimate website-related use are permitted.

Where traffic becomes excessive or disproportionate and materially affects infrastructure performance or other customers, PalmHost may take reasonable action to protect the hosting environment.

This may include traffic restrictions, temporary suspension or requiring the customer to move to a more appropriate hosting environment.

4. Storage Usage

Hosting storage allocations are intended primarily for the operation of the customer's website, databases, associated application files and connected email services.

Hosting accounts must not be used as general-purpose storage facilities.

The following uses are not permitted on shared hosting unless specifically agreed:

• personal computer backups;
• general-purpose cloud storage;
• large media archives unrelated to the hosted website;
• long-term storage of old website or server backups;
• large .tar, .tar.gz or similar backup archives retained solely for storage purposes; or
• other data that does not reasonably relate to the services hosted on the account.

Customers are responsible for keeping appropriate copies of their own backups using a local device or suitable third-party storage service.

5. CPU, Memory and Server Resources

Shared hosting environments allocate server resources across multiple customers.

Customers must not operate applications, scripts, plugins, cron jobs or other processes that continuously or disproportionately consume CPU, memory, disk I/O or other server resources.

Examples of prohibited or potentially problematic activity include:

• cryptocurrency mining;
• continuous background processes unrelated to normal website operation;
• excessively frequent or poorly configured cron jobs;
• poorly coded applications or plugins that consume excessive resources;
• intentionally resource-intensive scripts; and
• attempts to circumvent resource restrictions.

Where a legitimate website or application consistently requires resources beyond what is appropriate for its hosting environment, PalmHost may recommend or require migration to a more suitable service.

6. Prohibited and Abusive Activities

PalmHost services must not be used for activities that are illegal, malicious, abusive or harmful to PalmHost, its infrastructure or other customers.

Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• phishing;
• malware distribution;
• malicious code distribution;
• botnet activity;
• Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks;
• unauthorised access to systems or accounts;
• attempts to compromise or interfere with other systems;
• deliberate abuse of PalmHost infrastructure;
• attempts to bypass, disable or defeat security measures or resource limits; and
• activities that violate applicable South African or international law.

PalmHost may take immediate action where necessary to protect its infrastructure, customers or third parties from active abuse or security threats.

7. Resource Monitoring and Enforcement

PalmHost may monitor resource usage, server health, traffic patterns, storage utilisation, email activity and other technical information necessary to operate and protect its services.

Where PalmHost identifies usage that violates this policy or materially affects the shared hosting environment, it may take reasonable action.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• contacting the customer and requesting corrective action;
• restricting a particular activity;
• throttling resource usage;
• temporarily suspending part or all of the affected service;
• disabling a particular script, process or email function;
• requiring the customer to remove problematic content or applications;
• requiring migration to a more appropriate hosting environment; or
• terminating the affected service where the issue is serious, repeated or cannot reasonably be resolved.

PalmHost may take immediate action without prior notice where this is reasonably necessary to protect the infrastructure, other customers or third parties from security threats, abuse, spam, malicious activity or significant service disruption.

Where practical, PalmHost will communicate with the customer regarding the issue and the steps required to restore normal service.

8. Customer Responsibility

Customers are responsible for the applications, websites, scripts, plugins, content and other software operated through their accounts.

Customers should ensure that:

• websites and applications are kept reasonably up to date;
• unnecessary processes and scheduled tasks are removed;
• scripts and plugins are appropriately configured;
• email accounts are protected from unauthorised use;
• account credentials are kept secure; and
• their use of PalmHost services remains within the intended purpose of their hosting or email package.

A resource problem caused by third-party software, a compromised website or an outdated application does not remove the customer's responsibility to address the underlying issue.

9. No Refund for Enforcement Action

Where PalmHost suspends, restricts or terminates a service because of a violation of this Fair Usage Policy, the customer is not automatically entitled to a refund or account credit for the affected period.

This provision does not exclude any refund, cancellation right or other remedy that cannot legally be excluded.

10. Policy Changes

PalmHost may update this Fair Usage Policy from time to time to reflect changes to its services, infrastructure, security requirements or applicable law.

Where a material change affects existing customers, PalmHost may communicate the change through its website, customer portal or other appropriate communication channel.

Continued use of PalmHost services after the effective date of an updated policy constitutes acceptance of the revised policy, subject to any applicable contractual or statutory rights.

11. Governing Law

This Fair Usage Policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

12. Contact and Support

If you have questions about this Fair Usage Policy or are unsure whether a particular use of your PalmHost service is appropriate, please contact PalmHost through the available support channels or customer portal.