Dotable.com Oddities

I signed up with dotable about a year and a half ago. Initially, I used the simplest plan to put up a very small informational site for my son's one man business.

My primary reason for going with dotable in the first place was the excellent reputation enjoyed by the principal partner. I have followed his exploits in the world of web hosting for many years, and was always impressed with his product, knowledge, and attitude. Several months after I came onboard, he and his partner sold the company to the UK2 group.

Recently, both my wife and I retired. We want to play around with several online stores to see just what, if anything, works. With that in mind, I recently upgraded to the least expensive multi-domain plan. Dotable is the only host of which I'm aware that offers multiple dedicated IP addresses, free SSL, one free SSL certificate, and a cpanel for each domain along with reasonable space and transfer in a simple shared hosting package that is truly inexpensive(about $162 a year).

Now that I'm finally beginning to use this product in a somewhat aggressive manner, I've experienced a number of unusual things that in sum are somewhat disturbing.

As many of you know, dotable's web site is nothing more that a support forum. This is, I feel, a great idea. Unfortunately, it's of little benefit if it's unusable. I cannot search this forum. I'm always returned to the initial search page. Also, I am unable to register and log in. The site, therefore, is largely useless to me. I recently asked my residential broadband host if that company was in any way involved. I received a reply (copied in part below) indicating that the tech had the same issues using several different boxes and connections.

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Thank you for contacting EMBARQ High-Speed Internet Technical Support.

I am sorry for your recent troubles with the "dotable.com" website search feature. I can definitely give you some closure on this subject. I researched the website search page you are having trouble with and have tried it from several different computers using several different ISP connections, including Embarq and AT&T. In all instances there is the same results that you are having. The search page feature does not function but you simply remain on the same page with nothing having happened. This is not your computer at fault, and it is not the connection at fault either since these tests were done using different Internet backbones. The only possible cause of this issue is a problem with the actual website search feature itself. The website developers at "dotable.com" will need to fix their website functionality in order for you to have success with its search function.
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I did notify dotable of this problem (ticket #8256) a month or two ago. Dotable Billy's response was that he was unaware of the problem. He did request that I contact him using IM; however, I haven't done so, feeling that it was never really a problem with my box. Several days ago, I resubmitted the issue with the inclusion of embarq's comments as indicated above. So far, no feedback.

The support forum was a lively place when I first signed on. Peer support is a good thing; so, I was delighted to see such an active customer community. Over the last few months, forum activity has dwindled to almost nothing. This may be due to the forum issues I've discussed above and/or possibly to the generalized unhappiness that I've been seeing regarding customer support and product value.

I suppose that it's remotely possible that this non-functionality has been built in by the current owner. It is certainly one way of limiting angry posts with the possible benefit of being a reasonable excuse for eventually modifying the web site in the future. Having a support forum as your entire web site might be problematic for a typical owner. Appears ridiculous even as I type it; however, stranger things have happened.

When I switched plans back in early March, I discovered that I hadn't been billed for my second year on the original plan. I notified dotable of this discrepancy and was promptly billed. I seem to recall a post in some applicable forum indicating that this was not a one-off situation, apparently a number of customers hadn't been billed. Apparently, new ownership has had a very rocky start.

I'm still at a point where it would be relatively easy for me to transfer to a different host. Almost inevitably, I'll take a bit of a financial hit if I do so. As indicated above, dotable is unusual in what it currently offers for the price. Almost inevitably, I'll have to purchase additional dedicated IP addresses, SSL certificates, etc. if I make a move. With many hosts, my multiple domains will have to be installed as addons with no cpanel of their own.

Still, if this host is going to go through a prolonged period of adjustment and/or if it's going to evolve into a completely different animal over the next year or two, then I'd be well advised to go now. Moving three to five fully functioning shops months from now would probably be a major headache.