I am interested in finding a host that can give me great support and personalized service. I want to resell and am new to the business so I need someone who will be there for me when I need them.

Since I am located in Japan, my daytime is nighttime in the U.S. I need to be able to call on the phone and actually get someone in the middle of the night - even Sunday at 3:00am. Not just in an emergency but when I need an answer to a question or problem.

It would be nice if I could start off with a "private virtual server" type of plan and then eventually move up into a dedicated server. But I want my own "brand" and would want the host to remain seamlessly in the background. It would be nice if they even had reseller training but I know I can't have everything.

I want a host that is well established and well-known. I don't want to have to pay an arm and a leg (after all ... this is a competitive business, right). I want my sites up at least 99.5% (preferably more) of the time. I want an agreement that is liberal and doesn't say that they can shut me down whenever they damn please. But most important, I don't want to get screwed!

http://www.fasthosts.com - Uk based, 24/7 technical support via email and phone. There reseller account is good if u want nt.

I heard fast hosts was horrible...

They where now they have more staff they are fantastic

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Advertising is not allowed!!! Read the forum rules please!!

Kunal
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As I am located in Japan, there are advantages and disadvantages to working with hosting companies in countries other than the U.S.

Advantages could be time zone. If I call the UK at around 4pm my time, I can usually get someone as it is morning there. A better place for me would be Australia or New Zealand as they are in the same time zone as myself. Also, in most countries other than the U.S., people actually answer the phone!

However, it is hard to find Internet related services that are as competitive as they are in the U.S. I have been living in and doing business in Japan for more than 20 years and I can say the U.S. is a powerful business partner that I can't seem to live without. However, for the most part, service stinks and most people living outside of the U.S. feel especially neglected. If you think it is hard getting service from a US company while living within the U.S., try it from overseas!

As to the UK company, I will check it out.

I don't think it's so much competition among the hosts in the US as it is competition among the resellers myself. Generally similarly-featured. plans are within $1-2 a month (under $20), $5 a month ($20-$100) and $20-$30 a month (over $100 of each other. It seems (on the surface at least) that hosts set their prices off against each other and resellers use the host's price structure, or something close to it. Now this is not coming from a reseller so correct me if I'm wrong.

Now as far as your request goes, you're looking for 24/7 tech support from the sound of it, so as Mr. Dalladay has pointed out, whether you go US, UK, Australia, Taiwan, Awfulbania, Lower Slobovia, Slimia (you might not wanna look those last few countries up in your atlas), it's immaterial.

A thought that might help your decision; at what times (for the most part) will you need the tech support? You might find a cheaper match among hosts that offer, say 9-9 tech support in their time zone that would work in yours as well.

Another factor you may wish to consider, if you haven't already done so, is working on the project at night. Having just used the Windows Date/Time feature to compare time zones (I actually found a use for Windows!) it appears that you are 14 hours ahead of me, me being in the Eastern Time Zone. So, again, a 9-9 tech support idea might work if at your end, you worked 11 p.m-11 a.m. on your web projects.

I realize this is a pretty long ramble but there is a point to it. Somewhere. I think. Heck, I dunno. :)

Hope this helps.

Dear Spider John,

It is funny you should mention this. I made a call to Burlee at 11 am my time which was 9pm their time and someone answered the phone - without any voice mail, etc. I called just to find out what would happen. I was surprized to get a real human being - and she answered the phone. However, I still have to look over their plans and get quotes.

Their phones are open 9 to 9 so I can get them in the morning or evening my time (but not in between). They say they have 24/7 email tech support and I am sending some messages to them to see how they respond.

In one email they say: Burlee, unlike any other host, will beat any valid, third party offer for comparable
hosting services!

I have seen other companies that use that approach and although I don't like that way of doing business, it may work to my advantage. That is if I really decide to use them.

Keep in mind that you're not a customer yet, so you'll probably find that email response will be more prompt (in an effort to get you as a new customer) than it would be if you were one. Mind you, Burlee, from what I've dealt with and seen, is pretty straight up so it'll probably be close to what you get. And I haven't yet been put on hold either by them and I've called them 3 times, once as a potential customer, twice with questions. (Good thing too, I hate crappy hold music.) :)

Wondering why you don't like a company saying a host will beat a competitor's price for comparable hosting services. This gives you an opportunity to play two or more ends against the middle and get what is truly the lowest possible price. I can only see it as a plus myself.