Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris

On 27/08/2010 15:23, chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris
IdNet, of whom I am a user, have actual people on the phone. Also if you
email them they phone you back very promptly, plus there is no charge,
apart from standard call charges, to phone them. I don't know if they
will fit you in other ways, but go to their web site and see.

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On 27/08/2010 15:33, Moonraker wrote:
On 27/08/2010 15:23, chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris
IdNet, of whom I am a user, have actual people on the phone. Also if you
email them they phone you back very promptly, plus there is no charge,
apart from standard call charges, to phone them. I don't know if they
will fit you in other ways, but go to their web site and see.


I use 1and1 for all the web sites I maintain. Their beginner service is
cheap (just gone up to 2.99 a month I think) and they will host your
domain names. I use Zen for my ISP and think they are great. Rarely down
and good support. Not the cheapest though (17.99 a month).

I also use BritishNIC for hosting other domains and then route email and
web addresses on to the relevant address. In some cases this is google
mail or hotmail. Just whatever suits the situation best.

Peter Scott

chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

I use Edge Hosting for my hosting, which, until recently, included
several ecommerce sites. It was founded by a friendly and knowledgable
chap who used to do all my IT support work. I have always found them to
be efficient, fairly priced and comprehensible.

http://www.edgehosting.co.uk/

Colin Bignell

chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris
On the latter point,. try IDnet.

In article
s.com, chris scribeth thus
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris

Zen are very good with a call centre in a furrign land called
Lancashire

They do know what their talking about too as well as being an excellent
ISP..

Not the cheapest .. but U gets wot U pay 4 ;!...
--
Tony Sayer

On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:50:08 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

In article
s.com, chris scribeth thus
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris

Zen are very good with a call centre in a furrign land called
Lancashire

They do know what their talking about too as well as being an excellent
ISP..

Not the cheapest .. but U gets wot U pay 4 ;!...

I'll second that, reliability is good, very good.

--
The Wanderer

Caffeine isn't addictive as long as you keep taking it.

On 27 Aug, 15:23, chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. *I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all *my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. *Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris

Well I'm with AOL. DON'T use them. Total ******s.

harry wrote:

On 27 Aug, 15:23, chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris

Well I'm with AOL. DON'T use them. Total ******s.

Why are you still with them?

I use Andrews & Arnold. Not cheap but you get a helpdesk where an
intelligent person answers, reliable service, status web pages which they
are quite happy to admit to any issues on their side as well as BT's.

And if you are after more cutting edge, eg lots of static IPs, IPv6, VoiP
etc they are good.

--
Tim Watts

chris wrote:
Dear All
I am paying £250 a year for an ISP on which I put all my websites
(about 5) and all my mail ( a huge file) for two email addresses with
various alternatives. this firm serves businesses. Lately, its service
has gone to seed and it failed to provide a back up for an email site
that I had accidentally deleted. I use a CMS (Typo 3) to run my
websites
I know very little about this sort of thing and am merely a follower
of a recipe operator rather than an original cook.
My adviser has told me to go onto Google Apps for all my email and
look for a server that can host my various websites.
Question. Has anyone on this august body of experience and
intelligence got any suggestions as to whom to go? Happy to pay for a
service where I can pick up the phone and speak to a person who can
speak English rather than Geek Computerese.

Chris


Some of the replies here are suggesting ISP's (who don't really do
hosting) and some are suggesting hosting services (who don't provide
internet service).

I would (and do) split hosting and ISP. This means I can change one
without affecting the other.

As far as ISPs go, Zen and Andrews and Arnold both get my vote.

As far as hosting goes, I would steer clear of 1&1 and Fasthosts who get
a lot of criticism (Google for the name of your proposed provider and
"problems" e.g. Google for "1&1 problems".

I use Hostgator, which is based in the USA and with which I am very
happy. However, if you have mission-critical e-commerce sites and you
end up with a co-located server, then ultimately, the ability to jump in
the car and visit a data centre may be something you want to consider.

If you're anywhere near the Thames Valley, then poundhost in Maidenhead
has a good reputation (although I haven't used them for a few years and
they've grown considerably and gone upmarket in the interim).


HTH