I rented a server from united 2 months ago , the network wasn't that bad , and I didn't need service so I was ok. But , I wasn't using as much bw as I excepted so I wanted to change plans or change host , here's what happened from there :

(Note that these emails have been modified to remove my email and the ip of my server )
(read from below to top)

----------------------------------------
Ok good

Thanks

Antoine

On February 6, 2003 01:53 am, you wrote:
> Hi Antoine,
>
> This would be you would be billed again on February 19. Per your request,
> the cancellation date will be effective March 19, 2003.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Customer Support Team
> United Colocation Group
> www.unitedcolo.com
>

Ok then, make it the 19 of March

is this possible ?

I regret your lack of flexibility :(

Best Regards,

Antoine

On February 5, 2003 11:59 pm, you wrote:
> Hi Antoine,
>
> Your server billing date is on the 19th day of each month. The server was
> activated on January 19, 2003 so this means the next invoice date is due on
> February 19, 2003. We provide a three days payment period to settle the
> balance. Otherwise, the server will be disconnected at that time.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Customer Support Team
> United Colocation Group
> www.unitedcolo.com
>
> At 11:47 PM 2/5/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >Excuse me but this is NOT what I said!!
> >
> >I tought I made I clear with the *** and CAPS!
> >It needs to be : *** the 5 March 2003 ****
> >
> >I can't move it before !!!!
> >
> >Please advise and correct the problem
> >
> >Email me back
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >Antoine Tremblay


On February 5, 2003 11:19 pm, you wrote:
> Dear Antoine,
>
> Per your request, we will cancel your account and server effective February
> 19, 2003. Please save all files before this date.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Customer Support Team
> United Colocation Group
> www.unitedcolo.com
>
> At 09:20 PM 2/5/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >I will change to rackshack in 30 days then
> >
> > I'm sorry we couldn't agree :(
> >
> >So, i'm giving my cancellation notice now to be effective in 30 days:
> >
> > *** the 5 March 2003 ****
> >
> > ***Don't unplug me before that date or before confirming with
> > me!!! ***
> > ** EMAIL ME 48 Hours before doing ANYTHING ***
> > ** Thanks **
> >
> >
> >Tell me if you change your mind , i'd really like to stay with unitedcoloc
> > :(
> >
> >Please tell me how you proceed exactly regarding cancellation... (I really
> >don't want to lose my data accidently)
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >Antoine Tremblay
> >
> >On February 5, 2003 07:25 pm, you wrote:
> > > Hi Antoine,
> > >
> > > Sorry, but changing to the enterprise package will require a change of
> > > server. Please let us know when you want to proceed.
> > >
> > >
> > > Best Regards,
> > >
> > >
> > > Customer Support Team
> > > United Colocation Group
> > > www.unitedcolo.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "hexa" <hexa00@videotron.ca>
> > > To: <info@unitedcolo.com>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 2:48 PM
> > > Subject: Information about change of server
> > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > > I currently have a corporate server at 200$/month with 2TB of
> > > > transfers,
> > >
> > > but
> > >
> > > > i'm not using as much bandwidth as I tought and I would like to
> > > > change to
> > >
> > > the
> > >
> > > > Enterprise plan at 99$/month
> > > >
> > > > The thing is i'm very busy and moving all my stuff (about 150 domains
> > > > etc) scripts etc would take me too long :( (and I would probably move
> > > > to
> > >
> > > rackshack
> > >
> > > > if i'm forced to move :( , I like unitedcolo)
> > > >
> > > > Would it be possible to change my plan to the enterprise edition
> > > > while keeping the same server ?
> > > >
> > > > I wouldn't mind paying something like 125$ to compensate for the
> > > > better hardware..
> > > >
> > > > Can we work something out ?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks


Now guess what ? They deleted my server the 19 of Feb!!! I lost evreything !!! :((

And there's more !! after I saw that my server was down , I sent 6 emails 25 phone calls
I got 1 awnser on the phone , with a very speedy talking man that would only say to me that he had to check with the techs

3 Days now , still no email from them !!!!


It's interesting to note how I did made it very clear in my emails like :
> > ***Don't unplug me before that date or before confirming with
> > me!!! ***
> > ** EMAIL ME 48 Hours before doing ANYTHING ***

and they still unpluged me before the date and did not send me any email to confirm first

I just want to smash something now (*@$@(*$@


Conclusion of this story , never make biz with them they will screw you like you never would have tought it was possible

Thanks

hexa

Could you have not made a backup of everything before they turned you off?

I could and I should have , but i've been busy with my mid terms exams and it completlly slipped my mind :(((

I have my part of reponsability is this drama that's true but man I really tought I was very clear and I mean it seemed impossible to me that they could do such a thing!

it's like basic thinking to send a confirm email before deleting a client

As soon as they mentioned deleting your box I would have been backing everything up. They should have checked with you to make sure that you had everything backed up first though beforing deleting it. From everything I can read on here they aren't a good company at all.

Were you running a webhosting business since it was so many sites?

If I were I really would have backups!! hehe

but i'm in the adult biz , it's all my sites :(

but yeah I should have made backups but my connection is slow and my university cuts you without warning when you d/l too much ... and backuping 60 gigs ....

Ho well serves me right I guess but geez I wonder how they work up there !!

Conclusion of this story , never make biz with them they will screw you like you never would have tought it was possible or is it?

Don't turn your business over to a kid still in school who lacks the time to properly support you or may get distracted, fails to do backups, and fails to plan and execute a server move correctly. (Or were these all your sites? If so, just a lesson to you.)

I feel badly for you and wouldn't personally have cut you off without a clearer understanding. However, I would advise any and all to never give a future disconnect date without being fully protected. Also, had you made your Feb 19 payment? (don't know how you were making payments to them).

Humm 1st i'm not a kid , those were all my sites
and I could not backup them since 60 gig to backup is too much for me

I would have lost my net access

For the payment I have to verify , it was on my cc
so I guess it wasn't made... i'm checking now, thx for the reminder

and we were required by the tos to give a 30 day notification to cancel,.... I did that the 5 of feb for the 5 of march , but they said they could only cancel on my renew date , the 19 of feb... wich was less then 30 days .. I really never tought they would cancel a customer early ?

I mean what kind of a biz loses a client before he wants to leave ?

Anyways, seems like i need a cheap box to make backups :(

Hexa,
obviously you lacked flexibility as well and after reading their reply, you should have requested that your cancelation date be March 19th, not March 5th.

Humm that's what I did :

>Ok then, make it the 19 of March

>is this possible ?

Is the only reason people have trouble with these guys is because almost everybody can afford their service. Hell, if it was more expensive most problems would cease to exist.

Well there's 2 big problems with them that would be even worse if their prices were higher

1. Lack of commucation
2. They do not do what they say they will

Heh, isn't it unmanaged, and plus like others said it's a tough market, they are probably doing the best they can.

this type of thing is why you never tell a company you're cancelling until you're already gone...

60 GB of backup is too much to handle?

Despite my sour attitudes towards United Colo, I dont pity you for a second.

Here is what a smart person would do:

1) Upon realizing there is a problem, find and talk with a new host.

2) Setup your services on the new host

3) Move everything over

4) After ensuring that it works, drop the bomb on UC.

What costs more in the end? Your loss of 60GB of data or the 2 extra weeks you would be paying for 2 servers?

So, the only problems people have with UnitedColo are dishonesty and support? Is their network good? I'm thinking about putting some non-critical sites over there.....

I'm thinking of putting a game server there, not sure if I should thou.

Originally posted by innova
60 GB of backup is too much to handle?

Despite my sour attitudes towards United Colo, I dont pity you for a second.

Here is what a smart person would do:

1) Upon realizing there is a problem, find and talk with a new host.

2) Setup your services on the new host

3) Move everything over

4) After ensuring that it works, drop the bomb on UC.

What costs more in the end? Your loss of 60GB of data or the 2 extra weeks you would be paying for 2 servers?

yeah well that was my intention , there was a problem , so I was changing hosts but I since I needed to say I would cancel 30 days before I said hey ok cancel the 5 of march wich is 30 days before my 1st email the 5of feb

So if then they decided it was the 19 of feb you see , even if I had it changed to the 19 of march...

so how was I too know that it was only the 19 of each month that I could cancel ? And have them not to cancel while I transfer to a new host

also I didn't have Any time before the 5 .. if I had I would have changed already !!!

anyways it's all a chain of events and bad luck
what I really didn't like is that they don't return any of my emails ... 4 days now still no email

nothing no explanation nothing @*$

with this kind of support they might as well cut you accidently , still charge you and never awnser your emails or phone calls

Originally posted by innova
60 GB of backup is too much to handle?

Despite my sour attitudes towards United Colo, I dont pity you for a second.

Here is what a smart person would do:

1) Upon realizing there is a problem, find and talk with a new host.

2) Setup your services on the new host

3) Move everything over

4) After ensuring that it works, drop the bomb on UC.

What costs more in the end? Your loss of 60GB of data or the 2 extra weeks you would be paying for 2 servers?

In an ideal world, everyone would have plenty of resources to have two options for everything so they wouldn't have to depend on anything and would never be let down (two cars, two printers, a backup job ready and waiting in case the first falls short, insurance on everything and insurance in case the first insurance company doesn't do the right thing...) but we're not all that lucky.

From the email he posted Ok good

Thanks

Antoine

On February 6, 2003 01:53 am, you wrote:
> Hi Antoine,
>
> This would be you would be billed again on February 19. Per your request,
> the cancellation date will be effective March 19, 2003.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Customer Support Team
> United Colocation Group
> www.unitedcolo.com
>

Ok then, make it the 19 of March

is this possible ?

where UnitedColo says This would be you would be billed again on February 19. Per your request, the cancellation date will be effective March 19, 2003. I don't see why he should have expected UnitedColo to disconnect his server on Februrary 19th. If UnitedColo did this they are clearly in the wrong and not a company I would want to deal with at all.

The overwhelming majority of hosts on this forum would have handled this situtation gracefully - delivering what the customer agrees to pay for and then if the customer is not under further contract, if the payments are all in good standing, letting the customer go when he says 'cancel' and not a full month before the date the customer set and that the customer is paying for. To 'stick it to the customer' like this is childish, unprofessional, or just very poor bookkeeping.

Was this paid on 19th Feb , If so then it shouldnt have been cancelled. If not they have said that they provide 3 days time.

If this was not paid for i dont see how UC is at fault.

I do have a test machine at uc and have no problems with flexiblity with them, One time they could not charge my cc , i provided them an alternate one which worked for them.

I had a harddisk failure, few bad clusters on hdd, Was working but a few bad blocks. when i asked them they reloaded the Os on a fresh hdd and put this one as secondary hdd for me to copy my data for 2 days. I thought it was good gesture on their part.

I also have a wd 80 gb instead of seagate baracuda 60 gb which is good , but does not actually matter for a backup server.

Network is ok, uptime is still over 99.5% according to the monitors, but does not matter much as long as i can ftp data to and fro.

Regards,

mpkapadia : No It was not paid on the 19 since they charge my cc and the server was cancelled

thx for an exelent post panopticon :)