123-Reg are they really serious or just a joke?

[missionary]

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I appreciate that the subject line seems extreme but I just can’t believe their treatment of us as new customers is real. I know this is my first posting here, but I have come here not just to let off steam about these people (the UK’s largest hosting company !) but to see if this is typical for 123-reg; or just that I need to find someone who can hold my hand and lead me through the minefield that they seem to be laying before me. Unfortunately there appears to be no forum for 123-reg customers for mutual assistance.

We decided to move our dot info domain from an international hosting company with several locations whose bad service we had tolerated for five years. It seemed right to choose to switch to a UK based company, so we thought the Pipex parent company would give some sort of security.

First we had to sign-up to the 123-reg members account. They said they would send a password which would then let us into the system and organise the domain transfer. Sending passwords – as you all know – usually takes about 5 minutes. Well, 90 minutes later I wrote to their support pages asking why there was no password. Another 90 minutes later I called their support number to be given a message that the wait time was 25 minutes. I rang off. I then made three other account applications with different user names hoping that there was just a blip in the system caused by an error I had made. By that night, there was no password for any of the 4 applications. I tried phoning them several times and each time I was again told there was a 25 minute wait – up to 9.00pm!

I called them at 9.00am next day and got the message there was a 5 minute wait. I got through and a lady emailed me a password immediately, she could not explain why I had a problem the previous day. So I got into the system and instigated the domain transfer – which strangely did not ask me for the auth code or admin email address of the registrant (we had already secured these from the registrar). When I entered the credit card detail it was rejected, I was given a code and told to contact ‘support’ again. I lodged this on a ticket on the support pages, again with no response. I tried calling them, and once again got the message that there was a 25 minute wait on the line. I knew this card had no problem but decided to enter another card number to try and get on with this, by now, tedious process.

The new card was accepted and I was told that the domain was being registered – but they still had not asked for the auth code etc. They do say that there can be a day’s delay in the domain transfer as they use tucows as registrar. But that is now stretching credibility.

Now, 6 days from starting this process the control screen still tells me the domain transfer is ‘in progress’ but yet not asked for the auth code etc. The question on the support pages over the first card’s security query is still unanswered. I have still not been sent passwords for the other three accounts that I applied for. Irrelevant now, but these could be 3 more new customers.

The support pages seem to rely on pre-prepared stock answers listed by the page, not by a real person answering queries in real time. Perhaps I am being unfair, there may be one man and his dog on duty, when they are not out for walkies.

The domain transfer appears to be handled by old gents in stiff collars sitting with quill pens at upright desks, perhaps sending mail by carrier pigeon.

So are these people real, do they have labour problems, are they going bust, or I am I expecting too much?

I have a domain that is down and deleted from the web, we are losing business and I thought that signing-up with the UK’s premier hosting company (allegedly) would be swift and effortless. Am I expecting too much?

Can someone please hold my hand ?

TIA

mish

[Jack Russell]

Sad story missionary. But cant find the reason how come 123-reg had such problems. They are good domain registrars and also good hosting provider.

[kylah16]

I'm sorry I can't help but if if it's any consolation you're not the only one. I signed up to webfusion (also pipex) for a resellers account on Friday 4th, I sent them an email on Sunday 6th and I'm still waiting for a response! I'm actually going to cancel my account with them if I can work out how as they obviously don't value their customers.
I've also had problems with not receiving emails on several occassions too with both webfusion and 123-reg!

[sgpratley]

I've heard much the same from other people.
They are great for domain registrations, but I wouldn't touch their hosting plans.

[Donk]

I have used 123-reg for quite a while.

There were a few teething problems when they were taken over by pipex but they have settled down now and I find it an excellent service.

Perhaps the problem is with your old registrar not "letting go" of your domain or the admin email adress being wrong or possibly pointing the domain being transferred.

[missionary]

Well, thank you, I appear to have found four new friends !

DONK first.
Sorry but you appear to have mis-read my explanation, for which I am sorry if I was not clear enough.

I hold the registration in my own name at our business address, the admin, technical and account email addresses are all one and the same and are a personal address that I have with AOL - well, that should never be lost ! (Its all there on Whois).

I have unlocked access to the domain, and I have nominated my own AUTH code. So any movement by 123-reg on managing the domain should turn-up on my screen. So I do know what they are doing, and so far it is nil !

Kylah and SGP you seem to be thinking what I am thinking, but its not right that they should give such a poor impression is it ? I can't run my business by ignoring my clients, especially new ones, after all ,they provide my bread and butter. Perhaps they get their major income from Pipex broadband and are not really bothered with the domain hosting etc, despite their claims.

Jack, I am pleased you have some faith in them, even though your PM suggests that you are a competitor. For the time being I am locked into these people as the process has - allegedly - started and I cannot afford to have any more downtime. I'll get back to you if nothing happens after I call 123-Reg today.

You have all shown care and concern for which I am grateful, thank you.

best

mish

[Donk]

I'm sorry there isn't any more solid advice that can be offered than just sit and wait.

Perhaps all the help-line staff are gearing up for the new promotion.

It doesn't bode well if they can't even look after their current customers.

[Donk]

I know it's no consolation but Fraser seems to be having problems too.

[3wdl]

Yup - I had the same problem as Fraser - used to like their service and have a hundred or so domains on there, but will think twice about using them again.

[leec]

I had a problem last month with a .co.uk & again last week. Took about 40 mins for it to be sorted out via the phone. (Thank god they got shot of the 50p a min number!)

Tempted to get my own Nominet tag!

[missionary]

YES THEY ARE A JOKE - CAN I MAKE IT OFFICIAL ?

Capitals intended by the way, just in case any of their staff read this.

A month on and I still have no email working. My small business is suffering.

The domain transfer problem was sorted when I had yet another expensive phone call and was told that my registration entry was doubled-up and the auto application for transfer was looping through the old registrant. As it is an automatic system there was no human supervision of the process - until I get them to look at it. But I had to be very persistent to get someone to look into it.

Next, to register email addresses to their system is very complicated and difficult to understand as it appears to me more oriented to their webmail. However -

Next, they have not made a clean connection to their server, therefore all my mails are going to my old hosting company and their spam filter is rejecting them - this is plainly seen on the error message returned. I have sent a copy of this to 123-reg and they have no answer, well, they don't answer, and I put another plea for help on their alleged 'support' page every day.

So what can I d now with a comany who don't even want to talk to their customers?

mish

[cmrule]

eugh would never use them again after they messed me about last time.
I also had problems with them registering domains. On 2 occassions they have said they have registered a domain and taken the money from my account... and when I check the whois a couple of days later I find out that the domain has been registered to someone else.
Very annoying!

[john924]

I have never had a problem with them personally and have always found them to be good. I guess you must have just had some bad luck. I also know others who say they are good.

[stu foster]

123 reg are troublesome when you are moving domain names away from them. in fact troublesome is being too nice. I found them to be completely inadequate on a number of occasions.

Stu