1&1 dedicated servers

[Greg Rundlett]

On 10/22/05, Christopher Schmidt <crschmidt at crschmidt.net> wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 20, 2005 at 03:52:09PM -0400, Drew Van Zandt wrote:
> > Anyone have any personal experiences (good or bad) with 1&1 Internet
> > Inc. ?   I'm shopping and they look decent...
>
> http://www.livejournal.com/users/atrustheotaku/tag/1%261+internet
>
> The three entries there have made me not want to tocuh them.
>
> (Reverse chronological, and it doesn't apply to dedicated servers as
> much, I suppose, but I'm just not happy with what I've heard from him.)

As I recall, they switched contract terms (lengthened or started
cancellation periods) while I was a customer.  I had to point them to
the actual TOS that was in effect when I purchased the account in
order to get those terms from them.  I had problems cancelling, and
it's true that you really need to read the fine print to catch that
they will charge you on the way out.  At the time, a lot of their site
said (in big bold flashing neon) that you get a money-back guarantee
etc.  But the account that I had was not covered under that guarantee.
 Fine, whatever.  I guess having a root server means that I'm
responsible for my own guarantee.

In order to cancel, I had to visit the (hard-to-find)
cancel.1and1.com, search a different FAQ from the 'regular' one, print
a form, fill it out and fax it prior to my contract cycle in order to
start the cancellation process for the next cycle, with a certain
amount of advance notice required.  This really doesn't sound like a
responsive, internet service provider.  I could see having a faxed
signature for an important/expensive agreement--like buying a car. 
Why would a customer need to fax a cancellation request for hosting
service?  A hosting customer should be able to initiate a cancellation
from within their private customer control center and have it
processed e-lectronicly; no?