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Forum Index : Other Stuff : Why I do not recommend Webcentral.
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
I'm going to break a forum rule by posting this, but I'm the boss here and I can get away with it. No one else can, my rules, get over it. Many years ago I had several domains ( including this one ) registered with Webcentral, a internet domain register and hosting service. At the time I wasn't overly happy with the service, they were expensive compared to others, but I persevered. There was some significant down time on two occasions, a whole lot of clients including me were down for almost a week ( some old members may remember that ), and their backups were even older, so I lost a couple weeks of forum data, which I managed to restore from the email notifications I was getting when someone posted a message, took days to get it all back. Then a few days later they went down again, and restored from the same old backup! A year or so later I got a call from their marketing department, and through some rather shonky marketing practices and billing for services I didn't ask for, I decided enough was enough, time to leave Webcentral. I did try to get the matter sorted, but basically Webcentral were not interested in refunding my money for services I never got. So I moved everything to Netregistry, a friendly Australian company. And I was happy with them for several years. Then a couple years ago Webcentral bought out Netregistry. Within months I could see the service standards decline, so again have started to move domains to another provider ( Synergy ) as they come close to their expiry date on Web Central. Its only a hand full of domains these days, just TheBackShed and JAQ Software stuff. Few weeks ago I got a reminder to say one of my domains was coming up for auto renewal on the 6th of March, even though it wasn't due to expire until the 13th. I forgot. Then on the 6th I got a email to say the domain had been renewed, for 2 years. The auto renewal is on a year by year basis, and even the reminder letter said 1 year renewal. I am currently trying to get a refund, but have been told I wont have much luck. quote "Domain renewals and registration are non-refundable as the registries do not honour request once payment has been made. ". Well, that's not my problem, I'm not the one who registered the domain for 2 years instead of one. So currently in a battle with Webcentral, again! My recommendation, do not deal with Webcentral, ever. There are much better companies that offer better service and cheaper prices. Glenn Edited 2023-03-10 15:30 by Gizmo The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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TassyJim Guru  Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6096 |
I was happy with Net Virtue. They were bought out by VentraIP Price has doubled but most things have... Jim VK7JH MMedit MMBasic Help |
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| Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578 |
I have to concur with the displeasure of webcentral. I renewed a domain of mine with them because they had a good special. Should have known. I haven't used that domain really for a couple of years but now I want to and get back into things, I want to shift the name servers so I can put it with immotion that are hosting my other domains so they are all together. Had no problem with them at all and the one time I used their support they were basicly perfect in their speed and service. Been trying for 2 Frigging weeks to do a simple DNS change from webcentral to Immotion and their form says the process is underway but nothing happens. Messaged their support twice now and never get a response and the DNS hasn't Changed. Their idea of 24-48 hours for the DNS is a lot different to mine and another DNS change I did wirth someone else took minutes to effect so I think webcriminals are just trying to hold the domain so maybe I'll buy hosting off them. Certainly wouldn't recommend them either although I would recommend people stay the hell away from them! |
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| Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578 |
I have used Ventra and was happy with them. I have a friend that has several sites he runs and I just message him and say whom you hosting/ renewing domains with and whatever he says is whom I go with. Last time I renewed hosts I was talking to him on skype and asked him and I did what I had to with them and said OK, all done, with XXX and he said " Did you look into them or anyone else?" I said no, why? He said well they are all different. I said I know YOU looked into them all and have done your home work so no need for me to. Good enough for you, more than good enough for me. I find they all tend to move around on price and what they offer as well. Price maybe higher but Inclusions better than make them cheaper in the long run. I have a number of sites so I can host them all off one account which is a saving and easier to manage. Worth paying a bit more to host 4 sites at once than have 4 seperate hosting accounts. Selecting hosts is a bit like electricity " Plan" BS except with web host you have only 4 Plans that are pretty straightforward to understand unlike power crooks. |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Received a email back today..... "I regret to inform you that the refund request for the 1-year domain renewal has been declined by our Billing team. Based on our Terms and Conditions: Part 7, termination refunds are not available for domain names. https://webcentral.au/legals/ " I've told them this is not acceptable, as the reminder email stated it would be a 1 year renewal, but I was instead billed for 2 years. Try again. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
A good outcome. I received a email from Kevin from their Customer Advocacy team and they are going to refund the full amount. Plus they will look into why their renewal emails say one year and then I was billed 2 years. So happy with the result, thank you Kevin for you're understanding. It pays to persevere if you feel you have been done wrong. Its a matter of principle. Glenn PS. Reminds me of a time when I was getting the NBN installed. The installer came out, and realised his ladder wasn't tall enough. It was only a 2 story house. "Back tomorrow", but almost as soon as he left I got a sms message to say the install was delayed 6 weeks due to technical difficulties. Oh no it wasn't. I phoned NBN every day, I knew I was been done badly by. After a week they sent another installer and he completed the job within 30 minutes. He also said the "other guys was famous for avoiding height work". The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578 |
I have found this many times. It's not as ,much the company as whom you are dealing with at the time. There are a lot of lazy flucks out there that will duckshove and come up with BS all day long the minute something gets difficult. If you persevere and make yourself a pain in their side, you usually get someone who realises you are not going to be BS'ed and will try to help you. I had a problem with some Moron Tecchie last year. Came and worked on the pole over the road and next thing I had no net. Rang and they gave me a similar thing, couldn't send anyone out for a month. I said the dropkick was just here, send him back. Nup, have to be put in line. Took a few days pestering but I eventually got them to come back saying I had a monitor on my sick father that went through the net I had to watch and after that a guy was here within the hour. He was checking things on my house when I told him about the guy messing round on the pole out the front when my internet went out. He went over and found the problem and came back and said I saved him a lot of time telling him. Other twit had been there to fix neighbors net and pulled the wire out for mine. |
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