Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Gradwell to Pickaweb - now to Hostek?
88 views
Skip to first unread message
Jim Crowther
Feb 10, 2021, 7:30:15 PM2/10/21
to
It came as a surprise to me to suddenly get invoices from a new company
- Hostek - that turned out to have taken over Pickaweb (who took over
Gradwell's hosting).
That wouldn't matter so much, but they don't support Direct Debits -
only cards (credit or debit). This has been a PITA for me to set up.
Not happy. :(
--
Jim Crowther
- Hostek - that turned out to have taken over Pickaweb (who took over
Gradwell's hosting).
That wouldn't matter so much, but they don't support Direct Debits -
only cards (credit or debit). This has been a PITA for me to set up.
Not happy. :(
--
Jim Crowther
Molly Mockford
Feb 11, 2021, 1:35:21 AM2/11/21
to
at the time. Unfortunately they have gone steadily downhill over the
last couple of years. I left them at the end of last year and am
currently with JustHostMe, who seem OK so far.
--
Molly Mockford
I do not speak on behalf of the Committee.
If and when I do, I will say so explicitly.
Alan Woodford
Feb 11, 2021, 4:06:44 AM2/11/21
to
was a scam...
I get that companies are bought and sold all the time, but would it have been
that tricky to let the customers know?
Alan Woodford
The Greying Lensman
John Hall
Feb 11, 2021, 4:44:38 AM2/11/21
to
In message <cPVgNHJD...@nospam.at.my.choice.of.UID.invalid>, Jim
Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
That /is/ annoying. One would have hoped to have at least received a
notification from Pickaweb that this was happening. It seems like ISPs
nowadays are playing a game of "pass the parcel" with their customers.
Fortunately it's a good long time before my next payment to
Pickaweb/Hostek is due. Does it only affect payment, or are there some
changes to the services that one was getting from Pickaweb?
--
John Hall "Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always
pays off now." Anon
Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
notification from Pickaweb that this was happening. It seems like ISPs
nowadays are playing a game of "pass the parcel" with their customers.
Fortunately it's a good long time before my next payment to
Pickaweb/Hostek is due. Does it only affect payment, or are there some
changes to the services that one was getting from Pickaweb?
--
John Hall "Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always
pays off now." Anon
John Hall
Feb 11, 2021, 4:54:40 AM2/11/21
to
In message <$t9C8MCMuPJgFwGP@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>, John Hall
<john_...@jhall.co.uk> writes
Looks like it happened in early January, judging by the datelines on the
news stories that I found about the take-over, one of which is:
https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2021/01/11/294224/miss-group-acquires-pickaweb
No mention of it on Pickaweb's own website as yet.
<john_...@jhall.co.uk> writes
news stories that I found about the take-over, one of which is:
https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2021/01/11/294224/miss-group-acquires-pickaweb
No mention of it on Pickaweb's own website as yet.
Robin Somes
Feb 11, 2021, 7:31:06 AM2/11/21
to
On Thursday, 11 February 2021 at 09:54:40 UTC, John Hall wrote:
<snippery>
Result, one failed domain renewal this morning, and some frantic scrabbling around to find passwords and enter card details. To add a little extra spice, they then raised a separate invoice for the same sum, for the same item, and claimed that was still unpaid.
To be fair to them, having sent them a stroppy email complaining about the lack of warning, they've replied within minutes, and cancelled the duplicate invoice. But it's one to watch out for.
Cheers,
R
<snippery>
> >That /is/ annoying. One would have hoped to have at least received a
> >notification from Pickaweb that this was happening. It seems like ISPs
> >nowadays are playing a game of "pass the parcel" with their customers.
<snippety>
> >notification from Pickaweb that this was happening. It seems like ISPs
> >nowadays are playing a game of "pass the parcel" with their customers.
> No mention of it on Pickaweb's own website as yet.
Unsurprisingly, I've seen exactly the same in the last couple of days. No warning whatsoever of the take-over, and no credit card data retained (in fact, *just* like when Gradwell sold out to Pickaweb).
Result, one failed domain renewal this morning, and some frantic scrabbling around to find passwords and enter card details. To add a little extra spice, they then raised a separate invoice for the same sum, for the same item, and claimed that was still unpaid.
To be fair to them, having sent them a stroppy email complaining about the lack of warning, they've replied within minutes, and cancelled the duplicate invoice. But it's one to watch out for.
Cheers,
R
Jim Crowther
Feb 11, 2021, 10:17:31 AM2/11/21
to
In uk.net.providers.gradwell, on Thu, 11 Feb 2021 09:40:28, John Hall
wrote:
The only other change seems to be for the customer portal, which is now
branded Hostek. Note when they write 'Credit card' for a payment method
they mean *any* card, credit, debit or charge card. They do not accept
paypal, though that is an option in the drop-down menu when paying an
invoice. I found a credit card and entered its details in the customer
portal, and made it the default payment method. Then set up a DD to pay
off the CC every month. However, apparently invoices already issued
will have to be individually paid.
The cPanel login remains the same. All databases, sql stuff etc seems
to be untouched. So unlike the Gradwell move, it seems there hasn't
been a wholesale change of servers etc, just a financial take-over.
I've been told by a Hostek rep on their 'chat' interface that an email
was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
--
Jim Crowther
wrote:
branded Hostek. Note when they write 'Credit card' for a payment method
they mean *any* card, credit, debit or charge card. They do not accept
paypal, though that is an option in the drop-down menu when paying an
invoice. I found a credit card and entered its details in the customer
portal, and made it the default payment method. Then set up a DD to pay
off the CC every month. However, apparently invoices already issued
will have to be individually paid.
The cPanel login remains the same. All databases, sql stuff etc seems
to be untouched. So unlike the Gradwell move, it seems there hasn't
been a wholesale change of servers etc, just a financial take-over.
I've been told by a Hostek rep on their 'chat' interface that an email
was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
--
Jim Crowther
John Hall
Feb 11, 2021, 2:05:00 PM2/11/21
to
In message <ncue5ZKv...@nospam.at.my.choice.of.UID.invalid>, Jim
Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
their own, as I don't reject anything at this end..
Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
>I've been told by a Hostek rep on their 'chat' interface that an email
>was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
>straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
>incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
In my case, the only spam trap it could have fallen into would have been
>was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
>straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
>incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
their own, as I don't reject anything at this end..
Alan Woodford
Feb 11, 2021, 2:45:31 PM2/11/21
to
On Thu, 11 Feb 2021 18:59:17 +0000, John Hall <john_...@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>In message <ncue5ZKv...@nospam.at.my.choice.of.UID.invalid>, Jim
>Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
>>I've been told by a Hostek rep on their 'chat' interface that an email
>>was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
>>straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
>>incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
>
>In my case, the only spam trap it could have fallen into would have been
>their own, as I don't reject anything at this end..
Same here, and I didn't get any notification email, either.
>In message <ncue5ZKv...@nospam.at.my.choice.of.UID.invalid>, Jim
>Crowther <Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> writes
>>I've been told by a Hostek rep on their 'chat' interface that an email
>>was sent out in January, but it seems most of those must have fallen
>>straight into spam traps. I wished him 'Good luck' for the probable
>>incoming flurry of complaints and queries. ;)
>
>In my case, the only spam trap it could have fallen into would have been
>their own, as I don't reject anything at this end..
Technology, don't you just love it...
John Hall
Feb 11, 2021, 3:15:00 PM2/11/21
to
In message <762b2gpm1mblkfmsp...@4ax.com>, Alan Woodford
<al...@thewoodfords.uk> writes
I've just logged in on Pickaweb's home page, which now takes me to my
account set-up with Hostek. That has my name and address at the top left
of the page. but just beneath that is a button for setting up contact
information. I've now clicked on that and filled in my details,
including my email address (the one formerly hosted by Pickaweb and now
by them, of course) and which types of emails I want to receive from
them (announcements, invoices, etc). My guess is that I didn't get their
January email because that information wasn't filled in, and of course I
hadn't filled it in because I had had no inkling that anything had
changed. How stupid is that?
<al...@thewoodfords.uk> writes
account set-up with Hostek. That has my name and address at the top left
of the page. but just beneath that is a button for setting up contact
information. I've now clicked on that and filled in my details,
including my email address (the one formerly hosted by Pickaweb and now
by them, of course) and which types of emails I want to receive from
them (announcements, invoices, etc). My guess is that I didn't get their
January email because that information wasn't filled in, and of course I
hadn't filled it in because I had had no inkling that anything had
changed. How stupid is that?
Roland Perry
Feb 12, 2021, 2:58:20 AM2/12/21
to
In message <cPVgNHJD...@nospam.at.my.choice.of.UID.invalid>, at
16:29:55 on Wed, 10 Feb 2021, Jim Crowther
<Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> remarked:
I've suddenly had a flurry of threatening emails about failed payments
for Pickaweb services which have been going through automatically for
years now.
If the idea is to scare all their customers away, this is spot on.
--
Roland Perry
16:29:55 on Wed, 10 Feb 2021, Jim Crowther
<Don't_bo...@blackhole.do-not-spam.me.uk> remarked:
for Pickaweb services which have been going through automatically for
years now.
If the idea is to scare all their customers away, this is spot on.
--
Roland Perry
Alan Woodford
Feb 12, 2021, 4:11:03 AM2/12/21
to
On Thu, 11 Feb 2021 20:09:58 +0000, John Hall <john_...@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>In message <762b2gpm1mblkfmsp...@4ax.com>, Alan Woodford
><al...@thewoodfords.uk> writes
---snip---
>In message <762b2gpm1mblkfmsp...@4ax.com>, Alan Woodford
><al...@thewoodfords.uk> writes
>>
>>Technology, don't you just love it...
>
>I've just logged in on Pickaweb's home page, which now takes me to my
>account set-up with Hostek. That has my name and address at the top left
>of the page. but just beneath that is a button for setting up contact
>information. I've now clicked on that and filled in my details,
>including my email address (the one formerly hosted by Pickaweb and now
>by them, of course) and which types of emails I want to receive from
>them (announcements, invoices, etc). My guess is that I didn't get their
>January email because that information wasn't filled in, and of course I
>hadn't filled it in because I had had no inkling that anything had
>changed. How stupid is that?
Ta fir the heads up!
>>Technology, don't you just love it...
>
>I've just logged in on Pickaweb's home page, which now takes me to my
>account set-up with Hostek. That has my name and address at the top left
>of the page. but just beneath that is a button for setting up contact
>information. I've now clicked on that and filled in my details,
>including my email address (the one formerly hosted by Pickaweb and now
>by them, of course) and which types of emails I want to receive from
>them (announcements, invoices, etc). My guess is that I didn't get their
>January email because that information wasn't filled in, and of course I
>hadn't filled it in because I had had no inkling that anything had
>changed. How stupid is that?
Most of my details had carried across, and the email boxes were ticked, but I
didn't have a backup email set up.
Filled that in, hit save, and it complained I hadn't confirmed my primary
email, which hadn't changed...
What do they teach kids about UI design these days? :-)
Charles Lindsey
Feb 14, 2021, 12:58:52 PM2/14/21
to
February 6th (just 2 days before they implemented it).
===
We are excited to announce on January 1, 2021 Pickaweb joined Hostek, a Miss
Group Limited company!!
With Pickaweb joining Hostek, you will benefit from all the additional resources
offered by Hostek:
Multiple Data Center Locations, Enfield (UK) and Reading (UK).
Access to the latest hardware technology, along with new OS/application
offerings.
Extended platform experts.
Access to the products and services offered by Hostek, adapted to the needs
of any type of customer and profile.
More possibilities to scale your service for whatever stage you are in with
your customer journey.
A custom Windows Control Panel for Windows services.
Proactive advanced 24/7 monitoring options.
Your current Pickaweb support team will be integrated into the Hostek team. So
not only can you continue working with your current support team, but you will
also have the members of the Hostek team available.
Things you need to know:
At the level of the Client Area, we plan to unify with Hostek’s systems,
allowing you to take advantage of other services and get the collaboration of
the support team of Hostek as well. It will look a little different but if you
need assistance in navigating the new Client Area, our team is here to help. You
may also visit www.hostek.co.uk and click on Self Help at the bottom of the page
and search for Client Area.
The Client Area URL within the Pickaweb website will redirect to
cp.hostek.co.uk, but the credentials, products and domains will be respected as
they were in the origin.
If you visit the Pickaweb website, when you click to check out, you will be
redirected to Hostek’s checkout page, but you can still order the same Pickaweb
products.
Our Implementation Team plans to have the above completed by 8 February 2021.
No server or site migrations will take place.
There will be a payment change on your next raised invoice. You will now see
Miss Group Limited on your invoices with the Hostek and Pickaweb brands listed.
The new banking details and additional information will be listed on the invoice.
You will need to login to update your credit card information after the Client
Area change takes place. For security purposes, this information cannot have
transferred over.
About Hostek:
Hostek is a leading provider of managed server solutions for businesses ranging
from small to enterprise, since 1998. Hostek specializes in providing services
to help a customer on their hosting journey.
Terms of Service and/or GDPR:
https://hostek.co.uk/tos.html
===
I must say they are pretty prompt about responding to emails. This particular
one came from
Kimberly from Powered by Hostek
<kimberly...@powered-by-hostek.intercom-mail.com>
who appears to be higher up the management tree that the guy who first responded
to me.
It might be a good idea if everyone here who received no such notification to
email that man, just so he knows how great a bollocks he has created.
However, apart from the Direct Debit issue, they do seem to have made a good job
of the handover.
--
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At my New Home, still doing my own thing-----------
Tel: +44 161 488 1845 Web: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl
Email: c...@clerew.man.ac.uk Snail: 40 SK8 5BF, U.K.
PGP: 2C15F1A9 Fingerprint: 73 6D C2 51 93 A0 01 E7 65 E8 64 7E 14 A4 AB A5
John Hall
Feb 14, 2021, 1:30:09 PM2/14/21
to
In message <i8t6mq...@mid.individual.net>, Charles Lindsey
<c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
<snip>
name to me.
>
>However, apart from the Direct Debit issue, they do seem to have made a
>good job of the handover.
Thanks for copying her the email you received.
<c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
<snip>
>I must say they are pretty prompt about responding to emails. This
>particular one came from
>
>Kimberly from Powered by Hostek
><kimberly...@powered-by-hostek.intercom-mail.com>
>
>who appears to be higher up the management tree that the guy who first
>responded to me.
>
>It might be a good idea if everyone here who received no such
>notification to email that man, just so he knows how great a bollocks
>he has created.
I'll do that. Are we sure it's a man? "Kimberly" looks like a female
>particular one came from
>
>Kimberly from Powered by Hostek
><kimberly...@powered-by-hostek.intercom-mail.com>
>
>who appears to be higher up the management tree that the guy who first
>responded to me.
>
>It might be a good idea if everyone here who received no such
>notification to email that man, just so he knows how great a bollocks
>he has created.
name to me.
>
>However, apart from the Direct Debit issue, they do seem to have made a
>good job of the handover.
John Hall
Feb 14, 2021, 1:40:08 PM2/14/21
to
In message <JttQmJCXtWKgFwo3@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>, John Hall
<john_...@jhall.co.uk> writes
<john_...@jhall.co.uk> writes
>In message <i8t6mq...@mid.individual.net>, Charles Lindsey
><c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
><snip>
>>
><c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
><snip>
>>
>>However, apart from the Direct Debit issue, they do seem to have made
>>a good job of the handover.
>
>Thanks for copying her the email you received.
"Her" was meant to be "here".
>>a good job of the handover.
>
>Thanks for copying her the email you received.
John Hall
Feb 14, 2021, 2:10:09 PM2/14/21
to
>In message <i8t6mq...@mid.individual.net>, Charles Lindsey
><c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
><snip>
>>I must say they are pretty prompt about responding to emails. This
>>particular one came from
>>
>>Kimberly from Powered by Hostek
>><kimberly...@powered-by-hostek.intercom-mail.com>
>>
>>who appears to be higher up the management tree that the guy who first
>>responded to me.
>>
>>It might be a good idea if everyone here who received no such
>>notification to email that man, just so he knows how great a bollocks
><c...@clerew.man.ac.uk> writes
><snip>
>>I must say they are pretty prompt about responding to emails. This
>>particular one came from
>>
>>Kimberly from Powered by Hostek
>><kimberly...@powered-by-hostek.intercom-mail.com>
>>
>>who appears to be higher up the management tree that the guy who first
>>responded to me.
>>
>>It might be a good idea if everyone here who received no such
>>notification to email that man, just so he knows how great a bollocks
>>has created.
>
>I'll do that. Are we sure it's a man? "Kimberly" looks like a female
>name to me.
I sent an email to kimberly.burdick, and immediately got a reply from
>
>I'll do that. Are we sure it's a man? "Kimberly" looks like a female
>name to me.
"samuel" that at a quick glance seems to be identically worded to the
one that you've quoted. I imagine it's the one that we were all supposed
to have been sent originally.
0 new messages