I need an Internet Attorney

Got a crappy host...I'm seeking damages

[slgdceo]

I have a host that I've been a reseller for for over 3 or 4 yrs. I've put in many trouble tickets (TT). Many times I couldn't get through to tech support. Many times my sites are down, I loose DB connectivity, the email doesn't work, the ftp doesn't work, Oh and hacking too! It takes sometimes 24 hours before something happens from a TT. I've built my business around them, upgrading almost every year to a bigger server. Why have I stayed with them? Well, it's costly to move 50 sites...who's going to pay for that? I tried to move once before...I moved 17 sites and that was a big mistake...I had to move them back and that cost me 6 weeks of work and over $1,000 to move back. Now, I've found a host that's dependable and I've started moving sites over one by one (how many TTs have I put in with the new host...? "zero" in a whole year...but now I have to move 23 sites over at once...I've got to move...I can't take the down time. It's scary when I start humming the onhold phone song to tech support. I keep tech supports passwords with me where ever I go. I've bookmarked tech support on all computers. Does anyone know of an Internet Attorney? I want to a free consultation to see if I can collect for damages. There's got to be a governing body to protect us.

[Marcia]

I have a host that I've been a reseller for for over 3 or 4 yrs. I've put in many trouble tickets (TT). Many times I couldn't get through to tech support. Many times my sites are down, I loose DB connectivity, the email doesn't work, the ftp doesn't work, Oh and hacking too! It takes sometimes 24 hours before something happens from a TT. I've built my business around them, upgrading almost every year to a bigger server.

Issue One: Building an entire business model around a third party, when there's no control over that third party.

Issue Two: Reseller status notwithstanding, were the sites on shared hosting for which they were responsible, or were they on dedicated boxes that you're responsible for?

Why have I stayed with them? Well, it's costly to move 50 sites...who's going to pay for that? I tried to move once before...I moved 17 sites and that was a big mistake...I had to move them back and that cost me 6 weeks of work and over $1,000 to move back.

What responsibility does a host have with any decision a customer makes about where to host or whether or not move their sites.

Why was it a mistake? What happened when you tried to move that made you have to move back?

Now, I've found a host that's dependable and I've started moving sites over one by one (how many TTs have I put in with the new host...? "zero" in a whole year...but now I have to move 23 sites over at once...I've got to move...I can't take the down time. It's scary when I start humming the onhold phone song to tech support. I keep tech supports passwords with me where ever I go. I've bookmarked tech support on all computers.

Are hosts responsible for downtime due to DNS changes? You might want to check out documentation on moving sites; I think either Google themselves (maybe on their blog) or Matt Cutts has recently done an article on procedures for when moving sites.

Does anyone know of an Internet Attorney? I want to a free consultation to see if I can collect for damages. There's got to be a governing body to protect us.

There would be a TOS issue with making any specific recommendations, but the more important question is whether anyone knows whether "attorney" and "free consulation" are compatible concepts, or mutually exclusive, except in the case of ambulance chasers who work on a contingency basis in PI cases.

[willybfriendly]

the more important question is whether anyone knows whether "attorney" and "free consulation" are compatible concepts, or mutually exclusive, except in the case of ambulance chasers who work on a contingency basis in PI cases.

In my experience, yes, first consultations with many professionals are "free".

In the case of attorneys, the consultation serves to determine if there is a case - i.e. can the attorney "help". If the answer is yes, then the consultation ends with some talk about fees.

Good attorneys won't take a case where there is none, and they won't charge for telling you that.

[aspdaddy]

Before speaking to an attorney, can you see anything specific in the SLA that has been breached? I doubt it, Iv used a few of the reseller hosts in the UK and they dont make any promises to deliver on the the issues you raised.

Even the good hosts that answer with MCSE's 24/7 within 3 rings and resolve within the hour, will not make make that contractual.

Im interested, you said its too costly to move- well whats the cost of staying put? It sounds like you are building your business OK despite poor service you get. Are you paying out damages to clients? if not how can you justify claiming damagaes from your host ?