Seeking UK webhost with telephone support please

[Azam.net]

We're looking for a quality, reasonably-priced web host with servers in the UK for one of our sites.

Requirements:

- shared linux/unix hosting. Minimum 5Gb a month bandwith and 2Gb storage.

- UK telephone support and it shouldn't be a premium or national rate (0870/0871) number.

- uptime guarantee.

- backup sites on a regular basis (and store these backups in another location from their servers)

- looking for a large company which has been in business for at least three or four years. I know there are many wonderful small hosts out there, but we prefer the reassurance of a company which has 100 staff members to ones with only 5.

When I usually post about webhosts, people usually chip in and say something like, "This one doesn't have telephone support but..." but my requirements are essential :)

Thanks very much for any recommendations :)

[MinuWeb]

No recommendation or self promotion as we don't offer phone support :)

Just wondering why you find phone support so essential. We used to offer it but scrapped it in favour of our helpdesk and found it enabled us to resolve clients issues faster and more efficiently, as it keeps a record of all comments made from both sides, and it is alot easier to type a URL or password that it is to say it over the phone.

[Azam.net]

Yes, I can understand why email support may be favoured by many web hosts and I agree with you that it can be more efficient in many cases.

However, it is all too easy for hosts to say they didn't receive an email or not action on it (not saying your hosting company is one of them). I have had hosts in the past who've been less than efficient with handling email support queries and I've been hanging around for hours if not days for them to respond while my critical sites have been down.

Just like I wouldn't sign-up to a gas or electricity company which didn't offer telephone support, I will no longer sign up to a web host which doesn't offer this feature. It's a personal preference and I appreciate that many other people are happy to do without.

[MinuWeb]

I wouldn't recommend e-mail support, but a good helpdesk (ticket) system is the best in my opinion. It allows tickets to be assigned to the correct department (sales, connection problems, control panel help etc) and then answered quickly by a person that knows the answer.

E-mails can be forgotten, not forwarded or simply lost.

[FE]

I use 1 & 1 and yes have all of thast and very good

FE

[coxadmin]

I use 1 & 1 and yes have all of thast and very good

FE

I have also found 1and1's (http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=7436489) service excellent. I have used their telephone support and email and both have solved and explained any problems I have had.