Simply put dont use them, I have only been with them for 3 weeks and i am on complaint number 6! Although i have had not issues with their technology (this is mainly because i have not gotten far enough with my website to know if there is anything wrong, they have billed me incorrectly 2 times now and on the second time i was told that I even though they did not set up the account correctly I have to cancel the entire package, receive a penalty charge (of up the 80% of the entire fees) and set it up again but by doing this i can not get my domain name again, and i have to repay all the set up charges. These fees will = more then the error! Thus i am completely screwed. Hopefully i can at bad mouth them enough to stop some people using them.

Also I signed up for one MS based package and all though their advertisements say it comes with X, Y and Z. It is only the fine print that notes that it does not come with Y and Z and the same one under the linux, So if you dont listen to me and go with this company read the fine print, (which must be downloaded and read or mailed to you. not available to read on line.)., They only have call centres in india, and not very helpful people anyway as they can only tell you what is on the check list in front of them, nor do they really care..

GRRR I hate this kinda cr*p service..

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

Far be it for me to be defending big companies, especially after my run in with Visa yesterday but that's not been my experience with 1&1. I've been hosting my two business websites, a few "vanity" sites and my e mail with them for nearly four years without any trouble at all for a fiver a month.

Things must have changed though because the last time I had to call them (about 3yrs ago) with an e mail problem it was definitely to a UK call centre.

Having written this now I'll probably find it's all gone wrong when I switch on the computer tomorrow!

Our company website is hosted on 1&1 and we've had no hassle. I don't think my pet Geek has ever needed to approach them for support though. Maybe that's where they fall down.

I know two people/companies who have lost their domains trying to exit 1&1.

I have worked in the ISP business, and what tends to happen is development is done building systems to create your account, register your domain, provide you with storage space, etc, etc. But it stops there. There is no infrastructure to help customers migrate away from the company, because that doesn't make the ISP money. And margins are tight. Consequently, when something goes not-quite-right, there's nothing in place to deal with it except a poorly paid and under-trained scapegoat.

This sounds about right!
Update.. After getting a friend (a QC) to lend me some letter head, upon which i point out to them that a their 60 day money back guarantee means that they can not charge me for the cancellation as i have not had the package even near to that long (I would not have even know this if they had not forced me to read all the fine print). Their response was: "We have agreed as a gesture that any charges that have already been raised would be cancel so that you get the offer and the correct package." AS A GESTURE! Knowing that they have broken thier own contracts obligations.. nice gesture.. Well i have dont it all now.. So I will keep you informed if this "Gesture" happens or not; I have cancelled one package, signed up with an other. Lost one domain was able to save an other.. so lets see..

I still say stay away though.

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

I have been with 1&1 now for a few years, and have several domins hosted with them, with out any problems at all.

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Do you guys check your billing statements.THIS SECTION HAS BEEN CENSORED AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THEIR THREAT, and my advice was remove this until .. i guess lawyers are not good at maths...

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

My experience with them is quite limited but so far so good. Set up an account just this week and was pleasantly surprised how fast the domain names were active and so on. No problem setting up a Joomla site even without the CPanel script that I understood to be available (and doesn't seem to be on Linux at least). I only signed up with them because a bud has been with them for a year or so and very happy as well. The 599 instead of 5.99 sounds like normal call-center fare. My only problem has been that their file-handling program can't be accessed on my Asus Eee because of a minimum screen width of 1024... but that's the only support program that has that limit as far as I can see. There are many workarounds for me. Also, the last two mornings, I've seen that my site has been down for a few minutes. Dunno why. No biggie so far. Can't beat the price. $5/month. To my mind, I get what I pay for and for $5, I'm happy. Beats hosting it off of my bedroom computer which is what I was doing in the past.

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Samuel Longiaru
Kamloops, BC Canada
1975 BMW R60/6
http://thetwilightproject.net

YES they are RUBBISH !

Have a look at my website. It's been online for 15 months now and I have had loads and loads of problems with 1 & 1.

When you complain you get put in touch with a Pakistani or Indian call centre operator with only a very basic understanding of I.T and the English language! I defy you to get anywhere with these morons. It's an absolute joke.

I have written to the company 5 times to complain. All my letters were polite and sent recorded delivery. I know they were all delivered because the Post Office sent me clarification. NONE of the letters were ever replied too !

It appears that if the Customer Service Department of 1 & 1 has a difficult problem to deal with they just totally ignore you as though you don't exist.

My website was being taken offline in the early hours of the morning (UK Time). I kept being told by users they couldn't access the website so I set a trap. Sure enough the website went down every single night for 7 days. I was told by someone that this is standard treatment for sites they deem unimportant. Their servers work faster the less sites are online and so they often take sites offline to improve response times!

It took me ages to get a reaction, when I did I had to phone their office 5 times before getting the right person.

I defy anyone here to get in touch with a senior English member of management at 1&1. YOU can't its impossible. Have a look at their website, they don't even give you a clear English Postal address. They prefer to have comlaints put through by email, this way they can blame others for not getting it.

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Kent sorry to hear it.. but at least i now know i am not the only one... i was beginning to feel a bit of a "its just me" victim. I have bullied some contact details for an actual guy here in the UK (although i have not tried it).. if you want the details let me know and i'll pm them over to you.

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

Update:

Okay everything has worked out!!!

I guess some one decided to actually look at the numbers as when i was told that they would send collection agents and laywers after me, i replied "oh please do.. i have always wanted to own a large company" and then mumbeled something about harrasmnet charges..

Fast forward two days..... I have just received a hand delivered message (the currier just walk out of my office and i just got off the phone with my bank)... The letter was noterised and said "We are sorry for our mistake" and they have corrected the acounts.. and it is has been confirmed by my bank ... So at least this side of things has gone okay..

Moral of this story is stick your guns!...No lets see if the entire techinology side of this stands up to your praises (excluding kent's that is)...

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com