Heart Internet - anybody tried their paid hosting service?

[Azam.net]

Am considering signing up for hosting with Heart Internet, for the Business Professional account but just wanted to ask how reliable they are in terms of uptime, customer support etc. They don't offer telephone, live chat or forum support, which worries me. It means we are dependent on how promptly they bother to respond to emails.

Anybody tried 'em and what has your experience been?

Thanks.

[dancey]

Heres the link to the user group forum:
http://www.pcmaczone.co.uk/modules.p...viewforum&f=31

And they've been discussed on here previously:
http://www.a4uforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31118

They do have a phone number and it does connect to the same people who answer the support tickets, however they get quite ****ty when you call it, even if it is to tell them there servers are down!

[Azam.net]

I was wondering I could get some advice from the 'hosting experts'.

The plan was not to user Heart Internet to host our webpages. We run a movie portal on which we have a lot of trailers. The trailer links currently send people to other sites. Those links often go dead after a few years and we constantly have to keep an eye on them, change the trailer links etc.

We thought that instead of referring people to trailers on other sites, we'd store them on Heart Internet 'unlimited' account. That way we wouldn't be dependent on other sites keeping the trailers up for years.

Obviously trailers use up a lot of bandwidth and storage.

Our actual webpages, scripts etc. would be stored on a more reliable host which has telephone support etc.

Of course, it would be exhorbitant to store trailers on one of the premium web hosts.

What is the best way to handle things in such a scenario?

Thank you.

[Fraser]

I think it's a good way to approach things Nadeem and I did consider something similar for images when I had a particularly busy site.

I know that Hostroute have a cut down offering

http://www.myqth.co.uk/

that was supposed to be offering lots of space and bandwidth but maybe it's nowhere near what you need.

[dancey]

Originally Posted by Azam.com I was wondering I could get some advice from the 'hosting experts'. The plan was not to user Heart Internet to host our webpages. We run a movie portal on which we have a lot of trailers. The trailer links currently send people to other sites. Those links often go dead after a few years and we constantly have to keep an eye on them, change the trailer links etc.

From there T&C's

23.2 Web hosting accounts that are prohibited from hosting file distribution websites, adult content orientated websites, hosting banners, graphics or cgi scripts for other websites, storing pages, files or data as a repository for other websites, giving away web space under a domain, sub domain or directory.

not sure if that could affect your plans?

[Azam.net]

Thanks for that Fraser - Hostroute looks good.

Simon - thanks for digging that out. If I set up a naff looking page at Heart Internet linking to the trailers, they can't then say it's a repository for other sites LOL No, seriously, I'll email them just to get their go-ahead.

[DomainsUnlimited]

Hey Nadeem
How did you get on with Heart Internet?

[3wdl]

I use Heart Internet for about 50 of my domains (although not all are active). I have found them very helpful and reliable - I've raised a number of support tickets and been helped on every one of them.

One thing I would say though is that dynamic pages do sometimes go quite slow on there, however after running a new bands website and having used a few gigs in a very short period of time i've not been told off just yet

[Azam.net]

Heart Internet told me I couldn't use their service for mainly hosting trailers.

Even if they had, my experience of their customer support has not been a positive one. As James says they do respond to support tickets but, out of 30 phone calls I've made to them, they've only picked up the phone twice. And their online chat has not been available 95% of the time I've tried. I don't know why companies have such features if they don't invest in manning them.

[Wardy]

Nadeem have you found anotehr hosting company that you are planning on using for this. If so I'd be intereseted to hear who you have opted to go with in the end?

Cheers
Wardy

[Azam.net]

Opted to go with Hostway in the end, Wardy. They are pricey compared to other webhosts, but their service is second-to-none. Whether you ring them at 4 in the afternoon or in the night they pick up the phone (normal rate unlike other hosts) within a few seconds. They have responded to every email within a few hours.

Also had a good experience with Clook, who also provide excellent customer service; they are slightly cheaper than Hostway.