NB: Hosting problems

rpm

rpm

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Hi Folks

I have just received some shocking news from Webonline. Although I have paid only R 365-00 for hosting every month up to now, they have just send me a bill of R 5126.10 for this month’s hosting because of traffic usage (no warning of excess usage etc.). This is obviously problematic since I did not even have access to website stats, but they refused to lower the charges and maintained that it is fair that I pay this amount. I will obviously have to move the site and will keep you informed about any progress. If anybody had a similar experience please let me know.

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
 
Are they refusing to give you access to your usage logs?

Bandwidth is not fee. If you used it then surely you have to pay for it?

Their bandwidth seems great as you have a super fast forum.
 
Hi Rabbi

I did not have access to logs up to the only a few days ago. I assumed my usage was within the limit since I only paid the normal fees every month and did not receive any warning. I think it is quite unfair not to warn somebody about such problems and then simply send them a bill for R 5000-00. Simply not on.

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
 
Dude ... such is life.... i agree with the rabbi ... the forum is super fast and bandwidth isnt free in this lovely country of ours.... you get what you pay for .... or is that not the case ?

I think if your looking for cheap bandwith then you have to go international..... but what would that do to the forum ?
 
A very long time ago, when webonline was still small, they did this to the company where I worked...

The hosting package that my company subscribed to was advertised as having "unlimited bandwidth" - what this meant was that there was a 2Gb limit per month (tho this wasn't stated in any fine print) which we were only told about after the damage had been done.

Aswell, the surprise bill of thousands (can't remember exact numbers) of Rands was a severe shock to the system. They claimed that if the site used that much bandwidth it should be generating enough income to cover the hosting costs...

Needless to say, the bill was payed and the site was moved to a more "friendly" provider.

It seems as though their methods have not changed.

I will mention however, that besides this, their service was very good.
 
Hi Candykiller

I would have gladly paid this amount if I knew what was coming. I had no warning of such a tremendous bill and had no access to such information. Why not send a warning about excess usage? This is certainly a service that is of value to users…

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
 
I also have a few of my own servers and I'm surprised that you refer to traffic as a "problem." Most popular sites have lots of visitors and they use lost of traffic - that is the whole point of creating a site after all.

Their bandwidth seems good, so why don't you ask them to sponsor you or why don't you sell some advertising on your site.

How many GIGs do you push a month and what would you like to pay for bandwidth?
 
RPM, I for one don't mind kicking in a few bucks to help you carry the cost - I'm sure if we took round a collection from forum regulars you would get your R5000 quick [:)]

<font color="blue">Telkom needs a leash, ICASA needs some guts, and the </font id="blue"><font color="red">SA consumer</font id="red"><font color="blue"> needs to make it happen</font id="blue">
 
Hi lewstherin,

Sounds great. I'll chip in to, but adverts or sponsors will work to ;)
 
I will donate R500.00 to RPM.

<b><hr noshade size="1"></b><font size="2"><font color="red"><b>You can take Telkom out of the Post Office but you can't take the Post Office out of Telkom.</b></font id="red"></font id="size2">
 
Gladly donate something

CONSPIRACYTHEORY ON

Telkom had a hand in your bandwidth useage

/CONSPIRACYTHEORY OFF
 
Hi Lewistherin, BTTB and others

It is always a pleasure to see that others believe in this forum as much as I do. Although I did not budget for an additional R 5000-00 this month I feel very uncomfortable to ask members for anything. It is great to have such an open discussion area and a place where we can coordinate consumer action where members can feel safe from junkmail, popups or being pestered for money all the time. I feel that Webonline should have warned me about this excess usage or at least have given me access to stats… I hope a solution avails itself soon :-)

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
 
Maybe Steve White and friends will be will to sponsor![:D]

Telkom is anyway smiling - they supplied all the bandwidth!

South Africa needs World Class Broadband at World Competitive Prices.
 
I also hate spam/popups etc, and am happy with the forum as it stands. RPM if you can make available some kind of sticky account details, then ppl can donate as they feel - it doesn't have to be in anyone's face. Also you can take the sticky off when you've got enough to pay the account...

<font color="blue">Telkom needs a leash, ICASA needs some guts, and the </font id="blue"><font color="red">SA consumer</font id="red"><font color="blue"> needs to make it happen</font id="blue">
 
Hi RPM,

I don't think that you can blame them for not warning you. Telkom, CellC, MTN and Vodacom don't warn users about usage. They simply bill you at the end of the month.

I have two servers at UUNET and IS and they don't warn me about bandwidth. They simply bill me once a month for what I have used.

The same happens with my water and lights. No warning, they simply bill.
 
I think the point trying to be made here is that YOU use your cellular phone, your electricity, your water, etc... If you called overseas, filled up your swimming pool and left on all your eelctrical appliances for the whole month you would EXPECT high bills.

With bandwidth you are not directly responsible for the usage, which means that you should be able to monitor it more closely and take appropriate action when things start getting out of hand.
 
Yip, our ISP always informs us when we've gone over our limit. I assumed it was standard practise.
 
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