Hostonce.com

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Posted by freddieb, 05-02-2002, 01:31 AM
I wish I'd come to this forum before signing up with Hostonce.com What a nightmare! They took my first month's money and took 14 days to set up my space. The mail server didn't work, the control panel didn't work properly, they took 5 days to reply in support, the mail still didn't work after they told me it did. I cancelled my account after reading about them on this server. Thanks all you guys for doing a great job!
Posted by 21inchguns, 05-02-2002, 01:37 AM
I have heard they were bad, but didnt realise that they were that bad.... good luck in finding someone much better
Posted by arfarf, 05-02-2002, 01:42 AM
It's not likely that you'll use them again - thus the name, hostonce.
Posted by Mans, 05-02-2002, 05:47 AM
They are even worst than that!! I've been with them for about 6 months!!!! I cannot even tell the horror stories I've with them! Slow servers! Email is always down! Helpdesk tickets take days! HostOnce Never Again!
Posted by Mans, 05-02-2002, 05:52 AM
Ohhh! I was about to forget my money! I paid them one full year because they do not accept monthly payment! I do not know how to get my money back. HostOnce Never Again
Posted by Yahooo, 05-02-2002, 06:30 AM
If you fell they don't live up to the agreement.. why not chargeback? Then it's up to them to take action if they feel it was unfair.
Posted by roly, 05-02-2002, 07:21 AM
thier 'free domains' are registered in thier name
Posted by 311, 05-02-2002, 07:44 AM
it's amazing there still around, I would have thought that Fasthosts would have cancelled their re-seller account by now...
Posted by grandad, 05-02-2002, 07:53 AM
I made them give me access to the name I registered with them so that I could change nameservers - after the 60 days I was able to transfer to my registrar.
Posted by arfarf, 05-02-2002, 08:23 AM
I don't know what to say. There are hosts out there who would die for your business and give you the domain, service and responses. Although this sounds condescending, I don't mean it that way, I really want to know. What is it that attracted you to them in the first place?
Posted by grandad, 05-02-2002, 03:25 PM
How about Unlimited everything for $4.95 a month! Yep we all fell for it but onlyonce.com
Posted by Kurt Komoda, 05-24-2002, 09:45 PM
freddie- how did you 'cancel your account?' grandad- how did you 'make them' give you your domain name? See- I've been with HostOnce since 07APR02. This past week, I've had no ftp or virtual control panel access. No response to 3 e-mails or 3 helpdesk "calls." If I can just get them to give me that domain name(a Stu Ferris said that it would take 2 weeks), then I can grab it and run. My site is just a personal homepage and online portfolio- some of you out there have lost a lot more! Kurt Komoda http://www.agonyagogo.com
Posted by Aussie Bob, 05-25-2002, 02:13 AM
and you put up with all that for 6mths?? You're one patient client indeed!!
Posted by Aussie Bob, 05-25-2002, 02:16 AM
if I've said it once, I've said it a 1000 times - never buy a domain name as part of a "package" with a host. But if you do buy your domain name from your host [maybe they're a domain reseller or something], then make sure you have full control over the DNS and ownership.
Posted by Kurt Komoda, 05-25-2002, 11:31 AM
Hey! Today, a SteveF replied to all 3 of my WonderDesk Help Desk calls- and I DO have ftp access. They didn't explain why I haven't had access this past week, but the problem was solved. SteveF also informed me that I should submit a request for domain ownership transfer via the DNS Changes area in the HelpDesk- which I have just done. I'll let you all know what happens. Whoever it was that told me to wait longer, you were right.
Posted by rex01, 05-25-2002, 03:53 PM
I have host once and they suck...big time!!!!! After I uploaded all my files to their servers one week later the site went down and they lost all my files..hours of uploading gone.. Then for unknown reasons ftp and control panel access goes down from time to time e-mail servers are slow. Joined them in january and its may now and my site is still not fully transfered over because of all the Bull S*!$. I paid for the whole year so I'm screwed but hence their name I'll only Hostonce with them!
Posted by andrewnoble, 05-27-2002, 05:17 AM
They operate out of Australia and the government here, takes a very dim view of scam operations. Please complete the complaint form at ACCC(Australia Competition & Consumer Commission) http://www.accc.gov.au/ecomm/access1b.htm If enough complaints are received the government will shut them down and save countless others from losing their money!http://www.accc.gov.au/ecomm/access1b.htm
Posted by grandad, 05-27-2002, 06:35 AM
Sorry - somehow I missed that question! I emailed them (try moore@hostonce.com) and told them that their service had failed to provide and I wanted my domain (I agreed to a refund for failed service less the cost of the domain). They gave me access to the registrar page to change the nameservers and after 60 days I was able to transfer it to my registrar of choice.
Posted by Kurt Komoda, 05-27-2002, 11:41 AM
I'm not sure what exactly this means, but if you go to http://www.hostonce.com/cgi-bin/whoi...agogo&tld=.com , it now shows me as the "registrant," with the info I gave them in the last HelpDesk call. So, at least, they *are* responding to the HelpDesk calls. Now, I need to go and find out what this "Registrar" and "Registrant" business is.
Posted by wolvesfanuk, 06-01-2002, 07:56 AM
correct BUT....when you bulk register domains it is easier to register them quickly in one name and then transfer them individually to the owner on request....get facts straight first
Posted by unilay, 06-26-2002, 01:38 PM
I am very curious on how can people pay 6-12 and even more months before testing the system and without a valid money back guarantee! >Please choose hosts that offer "monthly" billing... >Do not tolerate those who advertises annually-paid fee as if it is monthly-paid. Otherwise you will be choosing the liars from the beginning...
Posted by rex01, 06-26-2002, 05:59 PM
Easy @ $5 a month you only lose 60 bucks if things don't work out, $60 for a year of hosting is peanuts and I like other peeps figure why not try it.... the first 4-5 months was crap but for the past month things have been alot better hope it stays this way
Posted by Kustud, 06-30-2002, 01:54 PM
Hi guys, Ive been with hostonce and I don't mean to put a dampener on them but I wouldn't reccomend them. Firstly my site also lost all files after they 'moved servers' - that took them 2 months and then they offered me a 1 month free hosting as compensation . Secondly Hostonce is not a 'they' more than a He. It is only run by one man, his income is around $500,000 a year and he gets around 60 signups a day! Thats pretty much why the servers are so unreliable. With so many its hard to keep the standards great. I canceled my account and I also dont think many users stay for longer than one year with hostonce. I wouldn't reccomend Hostonce for hosting or reselling. My mate tried the reselling package and he had troubles with them from the start. Im not saying this happens all the time its just i dont trust them Anyway, Thats my experience Dave
Posted by Gras Ydognlo, 07-09-2002, 07:14 AM
Someone I know (who shall be nameless) had her site "yanked" from her were her words and Hostonce refused to release their hold on it, even after she found a new host. Hostonce gave no reason whatsoever for doing this, and threatened to put the law on me when I emailed a complaint. Fortunately I have never used Hostonce but I have heard enough Hostonce horror stories to know how bad they are. There's one example above -- their complaints desk can't even handle complaints! Which says a good deal about what their hosting service might be like
Posted by Gras Ydognlo, 07-09-2002, 07:29 AM
Hmm, when he said he had passed my email onto OUR legal team, his use of the word "our" kind of implies he is more than a sole trader, so I'm not sure whether to agree with what you have just said
Posted by 311, 07-09-2002, 07:42 AM
Hostonce isn't actually that big. They may have lots of customers but IMO their service sucks because the whole operation is run by 1 or 2 people. I'm betting that they were lying to you, they probably don't even have a legal team at all...
Posted by arielle, 07-18-2002, 12:43 PM
I have to say, Hostonce is a huge disappointment. I had done searches and comparisons at "top web hosts" sites and at the time Hostonce "seemed" to be a good choice. Oh, how I wish I had found this forum then!!! I needed a low cost host that allowed a large amount of storage (I wasn't really worried about bandwidth) because I am building and maintaining a web site (out of my pocket) for my daughters' school and drama group. The drama group's pages require a good deal of storage as there are hundreds of pictures from various productions. Anyway... last week I also had no access through FTP or browser to the web site and the drama subdomain. The trouble ticket was answered fairly promptly last week and the main web site was "fixed" (without access to CGI and my guest book) but the subdomain remained unreachable through browser. The ticket I submitted earlier this week has still not been replied to. If a company cannot even REPLY to a trouble ticket within one business day, they must be overwhelmed with problems. My husband has offered to set up a web site on his Linux box, and I will be taking advantage of that this weekend. Hopefully I can get access to my domain name and trasfer it to this new site which *I* will control. I know this is not an option for most people, and if I could not host my own site on my own computer, I would probably go with myacen.com. They have gotten very good reviews from what I have seen and offer their services at reasonable costs.
Posted by ukBill, 07-19-2002, 12:33 PM
I also have incurred the horror that is HostOnce.com, but, fortunatley, I'm quite wise and quick-witted so when they started blind-siding me with a load of flase claims of 'illegal content', and monopolizing resources (did I not hear them say 'unlimited'?), I started preaching clever-sounding threats to them of how they were falsely advertising. Especially after they transferred my service from a Unix server to a Windows server against my will, saying that they had to as I was using too much bandwidth. The thing is, when I pay for an 'unlimited' Unix account, I expect and unlimited Unix account. I don't expect an 'unlimited' Unix account to last only 2 weeks before transferring me to a Windows server where my PHP-based site is useless. And, I'm not even going to start on the tech support, among other things.. In conclusion, don't even consider hostonce's services, they are so notorius, someone has even gone to the trouble of registering the domain name 'hostoncesucks.com' in which he's to fill the site with everyone's angst against the company. I regret the day I ever signed with them, and I'm sure everyone else who's posted in this section has too..