Anyone used 1&1?

[bdw]

Incidentally, I am still awaiting a response from them but then I've only waited six or seven hours.

,

 

[frockery]

In your dreams.

You need to be self reliant to survive the 1&1 rollercoaster (or non-rolling rollercoaster, to be more precise).

I spent several hours today thinking I had personally broken something, but it wisnae me after all!

At least we now know that Facebook is a better source of information than the actual company. Small mercies and all that.

 

[Nala]

Incidentally, I am still awaiting a response from them but then I've only waited six or seven hours.

,

When I had to send them an email I waited 3 days for a reply.

Relax, put your feet up and enjoy yourself in the meantime!

 

[Posilan]

9 hours outage for a large swathe of servers is not good at all.

 

[Dominic Taylor]

Hope all those affected are back online. None of us in the tech world are perfect but it's strange to see little mention of issues on their own site, a lack of offsite status updates beyond unofficial means and a lengthy resolution time. I wonder what went wrong from a technical point of view.

I wish there was a switch I could use to rid myself of this mess of a a company.

.

Use the coupon SWITCHME to get 80% off the first 3 months of (almost) any Vidahost order - including domain transfers, shared hosting and virtual servers.

We'll transfer you (from any host) and ensure you're hosted with a company who respond promptly to any issues, be it a problem with your site or with our service - we're not perfect (albeit that thread being our only major issue for a very long time) but we are always on the end of the phone for any query/issue, and update our twitter/forums when necessary.

Feel free to contact me / email [email protected] with any queries and I'll be happy to help however possible

 

[bdw]

This is the company that is taking tons of money from me on an annual basis and at the same time trying to put me out of business by advertising DIY web design on television.

Thanks for the offer Dominic. I really need to do something about this because 1&1 are making fools of all of us.

My only problem is that I have several of my own and my client's websites on their space and I cannot afford any glitches. I have read so many horror stories about the obstacles they put in the way of anyone trying to move away from them.

.

 

[Dominic Taylor]

This is the company that is taking tons of money from me on an annual basis and at the same time trying to put me out of business by advertising DIY web design on television.

Thanks for the offer Dominic. I really need to do something about this because 1&1 are making fools of all of us.

My only problem is that I have several of my own and my client's websites on their space and I cannot afford any glitches. I have read so many horror stories about the obstacles they put in the way of anyone trying to move away from them.

We've transferred many people from 1&1 (including I'm sad to admit my own personal domains from pre-Vidahost times ) and so long as everything is transferred before there's a hint of cancellation, there shouldn't be any issues.

It's when cancellations are submitted and not quite navigated correctly that domains can get detagged, sites still pointed at their nameservers go offline, etc.

 

[frockery]

Thanks for all that info, Dominic. Once I recover from the latest trauma, I'll think about moving, too, but I can't cope with that particular challenge quite yet.

Somewhat astonishingly, I received a reply from 1&1 this morning to my original support ticket, which made no mention of the outage and was frankly no more than a useless platitude.

 

[bdw]

Dominic, what is the best way to approach this? In other words what would be the best way to minimise the chances of 1&1 being obstructive during a transfer?

 

[diggersjohn33]

I have used 1&1 for hosting.

Not bad at all!

 

[Dominic Taylor]

Dominic, what is the best way to approach this? In other words what would be the best way to minimise the chances of 1&1 being obstructive during a transfer?

Sorry I missed this earlier - the best method is to ensure all data is backed up and copied, then change the nameservers, then once all is running fine at its new home, submit a cancellation request via their contracts site and ensure the right options are chosen (so a domain doesn't end up being detagged!).

It's no problem at all to take care of - I think the main difficulties are when people cancel too early and find their site immediately taken offline, which could be German efficiency (1&1 being owned by United Internet AG) at work!

We have an 'immediate' cancellation option too, but leave it a few days before removing an account and retain backups for the odd time when people change their mind.

 

[bdw]

Have a look at this ...
http://webhostinggeeks.com/user-reviews/index2.php?item_id=6

.

 

[Dominic Taylor]

Have a look at this ...
http://webhostinggeeks.com/user-reviews/index2.php?item_id=6

.

https://contract.oneandone.co.uk is the place to go to cancel and is something we can help with

 

[bdw]

1&1's aim is to provide you not only with the best possible products, but also, the best possible support. The dedicated 1&1 support team has gained an excellent reputation throughout the industry in providing comprehensive after-care for the products you purchase.

For all service requirements, 1&1 provides friendly and well trained e-mail support. The dedicated support team will aim to solve any problem within one working day.

Professional, technical support by e-mail and phone is availabe (sic) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week . You can find the technical support number in the Control Panel in 1&1 Help & Contact section.

I am still waiting on a reply to the support request I raised about hosting performance on Monday afternoon and I am fairly sure they will not now respond. The quotes above are from their website and they relate to the level of service that they offer. They are clearly false and there is massive evidence to support this.

Do you think that there are grounds for reporting them to the ASA for making false claims?

.

 

[Posilan]

Do you think that there are grounds for reporting them to the ASA for making false claims?

Quite possibly - might need a few of you to complain to make the ASA aware it's not just a one off.

The ASA regulations were extented recently to cover websites:

Marketing communications on companies’ own websites and in other, non-paid-for space under their own control

http://www.asa.org.uk/Regulation-Explained/What-we-cover.aspx

Steve

 

[Dominic Taylor]

Probably but I guess the same applies to most big companies and you'd get the same generic response back ("we try hard....maintain standards....all clients...") although the stricter ASA guidelines might mean you get a better response.

There's so much junk printed by many companies unfortunately. Even a popular, well-regarded host states they're the only one to include backups free of charge, which is total rubbish.

I hope our site doesn't contain any claims which are untrue; it probably contains typos and sentences which don't quite make sense, but I don't see the point in telling anything other than the truth.

 

[Posilan]

Also:

The dedicated support team will aim to solve any problem within one working day.

They will probably use this as a "get out of jail" card.

 

[bdw]

Just for the record, I have not had ANY response to the support request I made on 26 September and I won't be getting one now.

This is very typical of the "professional support that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week". I must stress that this is not unusual. In my experience it is actually quite typical.

.

 

[bdw]

Just for the record, I have not had ANY response to the support request I made on 26 September. That's ten days I have been waiting and it's clear that I won't be getting any response now.

This is very typical of their "professional support that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week". I must stress that this is not unusual. I have experienced it several times.

.

 

[ukwebhosting]

Just for the record, I have not had ANY response to the support request I made on 26 September and I won't be getting one now.

This is very typical of the "professional support that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week". I must stress that this is not unusual. In my experience it is actually quite typical.

.

One off well fair enough you could maybe understand but 11 days without a response and you say that is typical!

Maybe 1&1 are that big now they have lost that caring touch!

Shocking!

Paul

 

[ITsoldUK]

Just for the record, I have not had ANY response to the support request I made on 26 September. That's ten days I have been waiting and it's clear that I won't be getting any response now.

This is very typical of their "professional support that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week". I must stress that this is not unusual. I have experienced it several times.

.

Says it all really....

I know it doesn't help you bdw but it really does put a REAL slant on things.

Regards
Daren

 

[marketingquotes]

Is this not indicative of a large organisation - have you every tried BT customer service?

 

[bdw]

Maybe 1&1 are that big now they have lost that caring touch!

Actually I first used them almost ten years ago and this has been going on since the start. Why am I using them? Don't ask!

.

 

[DesignerNick]

It is just a shame people see their adverts on TV and sign up with them, or people see their cheap prices without checking and sign up. Then 2 months down the line we see the "help, how can i move my site" type posts.

 

[GravexWebServices]

I'm sure that they could be done under false advertising for some things? I mean any other business with that crap of a service would have been complained about long ago and had legal action taken against them.

In regards to my client who's on 1&1 (well she's not on there, because I can't get the site to work on it. A combination of 1&1's crappy service and the result of the shoddy work done by the guys who built her site), she's asked to have a redesign so I'm going to transfer it to PHP and host it on my own servers. (Here current site is ASP.NET).

 

[Harvest]

I'm glad I started this thread because if I hadn't I probably would have signed up with them myself! (shamefully seduced by the tv advert)

Anyway I was watching Watchdog last night and this thread sprung to mind - has anyone ever thought of reporting them to Watchdog? After all, if their advert is promising great support and they're just not delivering it, isn't this something we should make other people aware of?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to start some kind of campaign, but the feeling in this forum was so against using them, lots of stories so it makes me think a wider audience should know about it, and 1&1 need to improve and change their ways.

Now I've never used them (and probably won't after the responses I've seen here!), but for all those disgruntled users - isn't it worth preventing other unsuspecting people being sucked in by the advert?

 

[bdw]

This is why I am reluctant to start moving my websites.

And this (1&1 problems happen in the USA too)

It Gets Worse

And this

These ^ are all recent cases (within last month)

.

 

[marketingquotes]

There does however seem to be a little bit of the 'little green eyed monster' here though - lots of website designers jealous of them hoovering up prospects due to their TV adverts.

We used them for hosting years back - and no probs.

If they are now offering website design and are getting lots of business due to advertising on TV & PPC - then fair play. Shows the way to do things, more people should advertise website design on TV.

 

[WebTrust]

As someone with over 150 websites, 5 hosts companies with about 4 accounts with each,

I can say 1and1 has beaten them all hands down.

I have used

1and1
godaddy
123-reg
hostgator

and loads of little, not so well known ones.

My friend uses heart internet and they are really bad.

 

[bdw]

There does however seem to be a little bit of the 'little green eyed monster' here though

It has nothing to do with that at all. Haven't you paid attention to any of the links that are being posted here? 1&1 are universally pilloried all over the Internet for abominable support and sharp practice and I have experienced it. It is a fact and because a few people have not had any problems does not make it any less of a fact.

They won't damage the website design business and I have no problem with them advertising on telly, apart from the fact that are probably telling lies about the level of service that people can expect. Many people will sign up with them and then come to guys like me when they realise that it doesn't work and that they cannot do it themselves.

Have a wee think about how long B&Q, Homebase and Wickes have been using telly advertising. Do you think this destroyed the joinery and building industries? I once fitted my own kitchen and the experience just made me vow never to try anything like that again. Same thing applies here.

.

 

[bdw]

Incidentally, amongst others I have used 1&1, Godaddy, Hostmonster, 123 and UK Web Solutions Direct (UKWSD). 1&1 is the only one that has given me any real problems.

UKWSD are a model of how support should be done (and I have no affiliation to them.)

.

 

[marketingquotes]

If you look at most companies online - they will have good and bad reviews.

Have you every used BT - lots of reviews about them.

Dig deep enough and there are always moaning minnies that will take time out of their day to rant and rave about poor service.

Most normal people just suck it up and get on with it, it is just the people that have a chip on their shoulder and complain about anything.

I love one foot in the grave though - if Victor Meldrew was computer litterate I am sure he would have had something to add.

 

[DesignerNick]

If you look at most companies online - they will have good and bad reviews.

Have you every used BT - lots of reviews about them.

Dig deep enough and there are always moaning minnies that will take time out of their day to rant and rave about poor service.

Most normal people just suck it up and get on with it, it is just the people that have a chip on their shoulder and complain about anything.

I love one foot in the grave though - if Victor Meldrew was computer litterate I am sure he would have had something to add.

Reviews help a lot, if nobody spoke out and said something was rubbish or a service was awful then people would use them and continue to be ripped off. The same with providing good service, if you provide a good one people will rave about you and sell for you

I wouldn't say they were "moaning minnies" though...

 

[bigredtomato]

Hi I used to be with Switchmedia for my hosting but I was having terrible response times and outages on my site.

My friend is a web developer and he suggested I moved hosting to 1&1. He did all the migration work for me and I've never used any of the cPanel screens.

However, uptime and site response is so much better.

 

[JDX_John]

Hope you haven't been seduced by their adverts...

1&1 is an awful company. Steer well clear at all times. A simple search will reveal hundreds of people complaining about their appalling customer service.

Hundres of complaints can either mean they are bad, or simply that they have a lot of customers. This is not a fair metric on its own.

 

[marketingquotes]

Hundres of complaints can either mean they are bad, or simply that they have a lot of customers. This is not a fair metric on its own.

Indeed - look at any big company and there are always a few people that moan and winge - you cannot please everyone.

Waiting for other website designers to take the plunge and start advertising on TV (we will then see new threads moaning about them)

 

[WebTrust]

Incidentally, amongst others I have used 1&1, Godaddy, Hostmonster, 123 and UK Web Solutions Direct (UKWSD). 1&1 is the only one that has given me any real problems.

UKWSD are a model of how support should be done (and I have no affiliation to them.)

.

What are you having issues with?

But why do you need the others support? I've never had to contact 1and1 in 6 years cause there so awesome stuff works, unlike 123-reg the worlds worst.

 

[JDX_John]

Reviews help a lot, if nobody spoke out and said something was rubbish or a service was awful then people would use them and continue to be ripped off. The same with providing good service, if you provide a good one people will rave about you and sell for you

I wouldn't say they were "moaning minnies" though...

Yes but you need to look at the balance of reviews and the number of reviews / customer base... not just say "X has 100 bad reviews, they must be terrible". Also - for this type of thing people are far more likely to spend time complaining than praising so it's not an easy thing to gauge sometimes.

A small company nobody has heard of will have few bad reviews!

 

[WebTrust]

My problem is the reviews are all about support, but what is it they need support with? cause a web host isn't there to teach you how to write code or anything else.

 

[DesignerNick]

My problem is the reviews are all about support, but what is it they need support with? cause a web host isn't there to teach you how to write code or anything else.

What a silly comment.

No, but if something isn't working to do with the hosting or you need something enabling such as a PHP module etc. There are a lot of things a Web Host's support get asked.

I spend mid xxx on hosting every month, it is vital that customer service is good else I simply wouldn't use them and I am lucky I have found one with great customer support. It is not that I need them to teach me how to code, but if something goes wrong or I have a query about something quite technical (PHP Modules, config files, mysql config, php config) then that is what I pay them for. To "support" me.