How do I voice my complaint with regard to the email service?

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This conversation is no longer open for comments or replies and is no longer visible to community members. The community moderator provided the following reason for archiving: This topic is being closed as it has covered too many different issues, that are largely resolved. It has grown to the point that valid information has become too difficult to locate. Feel free to post a new question if necessary.

If you would like your voice to be heard you are welcome to voice your complaint here. If you do have questions on our email service or other products feel free to post to the relevant threads.

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Posted 6 years ago

6 years ago

Karen5787

1,322 Points

Someone from Homestead, can you tell us if it's true that Homestead is going through another buyout?? If so, who has bought it this time? Does this have anything to do with this taking WAY too long to take care of this latest problem?

We're all being lied to enough by our government.. Think you could offer some down home honesty to your customers, PLEASE....

I've been with homestead for over 10 years, and when it was sold to Intuit, I was very afraid that it was the beginning of the end.. This just seems crazy to me that you can't fix a problem with spam/email problems faster than this? It's been almost 2 weeks now..

View previous…

2013-10-02T16:38:31+00:00

Debbie7026

162 Points

Why did you guys do this conversion before having a final company lined up? Doesn't make much sense does it? Were you forced off the previous company before you wanted to be?

2013-10-02T18:43:23+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Hi Debbie7026, I hope to have those details at some point but as of now, I don't have those answers. I do know that they have been planning updates to the email system (and there are still more to come), but this current issue was not part of the planned update and is one reason it's taking longer to resolve.

2013-10-02T19:57:41+00:00

twiggy

2,470 Points

Sorry Karen, 2 weeks and your frustrated....We have been going through this BS for a month!! Imagine how I feel when I have clients emailing my personal facebook account to tell me that emails are bouncing back from my business emails!! That only confirms my worse nightmare...We are loosing clients due to they think we are not responding due to them not being important enough to them....that is just great for business, now isn't it Homestead! As one that has been with Homestead for many years, over 10 like Karen, this is a one off...HOWEVER, when a large company like Homestead has a server down for over 4 weeks now is completely unacceptable! I have been in the telco industry for many many years and I have never in my life ever seen a company do things like this. You ALWAYS have a back up plan for servers maybe going down, especially when they are the host for many companies, regardless of size. Then to also state that the software they use to reduce the spam is also being changed at the same time....really...Someone needs to loose their job! Or pay me the thousands of dollars I am now out from lost clients, lost wages and so forth.

2013-10-03T16:48:02+00:00

Juan Manuel7455

60 Points

I could not agree more I am a IT Exec and can tell you this is not acceptable. We need a roadmap of planned system updates. The is called customer service.

2013-10-04T03:08:19+00:00

Raymond1374

174 Points

It has become worse for me over the last few days. So, this morning in less than 30 minutes I switched to GOOGLE - NO cost 30 day trial - Cheap after that.

1. Sign up with Google, create admin account
2. Create users with aliases
3. Use CNAME verification method to get verified - minutes not days!
4. Change MX record - add 5 for Google , delete old record(s)
5. Change CNAME records for smtp and mail

I was up an running so fast its unbelievable.

Don't lose business or credibility.

6 years ago

computare

326 Points

The sorry truth is that Homestead is still using the ill-conceived Spamhaus filter (couldn't tell spam from roast beef!) which is causing all of this damage to the email service. From earlier correspondence with Homestead I was given the impression that, along with new servers, a new spam filter would be put in place.

I would point the finger at Spamhaus as it blocks perfectly normal emails from well know recognised providers yet allows all manner of rubbish through to my email account.

Homestead must ditch Spamhaus at the earliest opportunity and get yourself back on track otherwise face a ruined reputation. All business services face the possibility of disruption but it is the manner in which normal service is restored that is the telling point. This problem has been with us since Friday 20th September!

2013-10-02T16:07:31+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Hi computare, See my previous post above. Spamhaus is just an interim solution. We definitely don't intend to use them long term.

2013-10-02T23:52:08+00:00

Kathy Wildman

3,278 Points

Spamhaus cannot be considered a "solution" since it is not working

6 years ago

Carol9158

142 Points

We too are getting disgusting spam at the email with our domain name. I called and was told to get a stronger password. Utter fail. Every day over 100 emails. Yet nothing is being done to resolve this. If this is not resolved soon, we are switching to another provider. I fear our domain name is compromised no matter where we go now.

2013-10-01T14:17:26+00:00

Dee Dee0596

3,106 Points

At least your email is working. I cannot delete, move, send or receive most email.

2013-10-01T15:10:17+00:00

Barbara9750

552 Points

I was getting the horrible spam emails too..Now, however, i have been upgraded to absolutely NO email!!! leaving homestead today! This is completely unacceptable.

2013-10-04T03:09:40+00:00

Raymond1374

174 Points

6 years ago

Matt9047

114 Points

It's almost like my morning ritual. Grab a cup of coffee and start deleting all the penis enlargement ads I've received overnight. Nothing is being done to fix all of this. (So, I'm going over to angieslist and others...and telling the world how bad homestead is...)

2013-10-04T03:10:06+00:00

Raymond1374

174 Points

t has become worse for me over the last few days. So, this morning in less than 30 minutes I switched to GOOGLE - NO cost 30 day trial - Cheap after that.

1. Sign up with Google, create admin account
2. Create users with aliases
3. Use CNAME verification method to get verified - minutes not days!
4. Change MX record - add 5 for Google , delete old record(s)
5. Change CNAME records for smtp and mail

I was up an running so fast its unbelievable.

Don't lose business or credibility

6 years ago

Rodney4071

430 Points

I'm looking for a favor from anyone in the community. I took the admin's advice and moved some of my emails to Domain.com. Now my current Homestead emails get a reject message every time I try to send an email to the new Domain.com emails. Can someone simply send a quick test email to rodney@yourbusinessignited.com and let me know if you get a reject message that it can't be delivered. I'm trying to see if it is just my emails or all Homestead based emails. All other email provider emails seem to be getting through just fine. Thanks for your help!

View previous…

2013-10-01T23:14:04+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

You can use any other email service provider that you wish. Domain.com is just one suggestion, or we've found that the setup process is a bit easier with Zoho mail. https://community.homestead.com/homes...

I sent an email and did not get back an undeliverable response.

2013-10-02T01:14:07+00:00

Rodney4071

430 Points

Mike, You keep sending me test emails from your gmail account. That isn't helping me. Can you please send me a test email from a Homestead email to rodney@yourbusinessignited.com to see if it bounces back? PLEASE!!!!!

2013-10-02T16:10:14+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

I can send you an email but it won't verify what you are trying to test. Our internal corporate email come from an exchange server which is on a completely different IP address. It's not the same as sending it from an Hmail account.

2013-10-02T17:02:47+00:00

Rodney4071

430 Points

Mike,

I finally found someone, other than me, to send me an email from an Hmail account to my new rodney@yourbusinessignited.com at Domain.com. They got the same instant reject message I've received. So does that mean that Domain.com has blacklisted our Homestead emails or is the challenge with Homestead. Here is the message we get when we try to send an email from a Homestead Hmail account to any of my Domain.com emails (which were formerly Homestead addresses). Eg: rodney@yourbusinessignited.com or clientservices@yourbusinessignited.com PLEASE GIVE ME SOME GUIDANCE ON WHO TO TALK TO TO FIX THIS.
______________________________
This is the mail system at host smtp1.homesteadmail.com.

I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.

For further assistance, please send mail to postmaster.

If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
delete your own text from the attached returned message.

The mail system

: yourbusinessignited.com

2013-10-02T18:32:38+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Hi Rodney, This does not necessarily mean that domain.com has blacklisted Homestead. You can check with them to verify if you wish, but more than likely it's a different blacklist causing the error. Our admins are still working on clearing up all of the blacklists. This is something they have to handle on this end. Unfortunately this is beyond what you or I have access to. They are working on it.

6 years ago

Dee Dee0596

3,106 Points

Well, another day of spam and email that does not work. It just took 5 tries and 2 minutes to delete one email. I've tried 4 times to send an email and only get server errors. One of my clients just called to say she is still getting bounce notices on email sent to my business account. I cannot begin to quantify the wasted time dealing with this, much less the business I am losing and the damage to the customer relationships.

6 years ago

christopher0744

92 Points

That must be a typo in their latest status announcement. They can't possibly mean that this problem will continue to go unaddressed until Oct. 7. I'm sure they meant to say that it would be resolved today. No responsible company would tell their paying customers that they just have to suck it up for another week.

2013-10-01T14:31:13+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Sorry, Christopher, but that is indeed Monday or Tuesday next week.

2013-10-01T15:11:32+00:00

Barbara9750

552 Points

That was my first thought too Christopher! This has been weeks of what looks like utter confusion. I cannot believe we have to pay for this.

2013-10-04T03:10:48+00:00

Raymond1374

174 Points

6 years ago

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

Once again we are very sorry for how long it is taking to get the email service restored. We have been notified that it will still be a few more days, but the email admins expect to have the new solution in place by Monday or Tuesday (Oct. 7 or 8).

Mike

2013-10-01T15:40:17+00:00

Kat5836

274 Points

a few more days! that's another week hombre! It will be nearly a MONTH by the time this is all over. Assuming that one day it will be all over. I know it is not your fault Mike, but I'm sure since you are the one hearing all the complaints you, that you think this is an outrageous amount of time as well.

2013-10-01T19:09:48+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

I agree that this is an excessive amount of time. I am not directly involved with the upgrades but I do no that there are many complexities, and licensing issues being dealt with so it does take time.

2013-10-01T19:16:22+00:00

Debbie7026

162 Points

Mike, I do feel sorry for you. But didn't you guys test this thing before implementing it? That is a standard part of Project Management. The complexities are to be worked out before going live! I can understand a few problems, but not a month. Heads should roll on this fubar.

2013-10-01T19:41:55+00:00

Stephen4624

1,112 Points

I totally agree! We're not upgrading a friends computer here, we're talking about email servers that thousands of businesses rely on daily! Uptime is critical and should be a part of responsible business practice for homestead.

2013-10-01T20:49:51+00:00

Dee Dee0596

3,106 Points

Mike, that does not sound like a solution to me. A solution would have been days ago! I am sorry you are catching hell, but didn't Homestead have any back up plans for this kind of disaster? No emergency implementaton plans? No backup servers? They had to order them? Man, I cannot tell you the loss of productivity this is causing me and these other business owners. All I am doing is putting out fires caused by Homestead's email issues. Some of my clients went elsewhere because they thought I ignored their email. I missed a deadline because the work product was sent but not received - and I didn't even know it bounced. This just sucks, Mike.....

6 years ago

Sherri0631

144 Points

I guess I would not be so upset if I just used my email account for personal emails but ALAS I use it for BUSINESS.

I have had my website with Homestead since 2000. That is 13 years. I've been satisfied but these past 2 weeks have really made me think about cancelling my website and account.

I do haunted tours and this month is my CRAZY month. Now I am having hundreds of people buying spots on my tours and using my homestead email for confrmations which i CANNOT confirm. I have been able to get a few emails opened today to at least read them....but forget about replying. I get error messages and bounces.

As soon as I get a new website provider. I am moving. 10 years and this is what I get? "maybe it will be fixed by Oct 7th or 8th"?? NO thank you. I will be cancelling soon.

Unhappy Ghost Tour Owner

2013-10-01T20:09:06+00:00

KC9NRN

332 Points

I hope you're able to get the confirmations! If allowed post a link to your site, I'd like to check it out.

Erik

2013-10-02T14:35:40+00:00

Sherri0631

144 Points

www.hauntedhistory.net

2013-10-04T03:11:24+00:00

Raymond1374

174 Points

6 years ago

Barbara9750

552 Points

I too, have been a customer since I opened my shop in 2005. That makes 8 years for me.

I already began the process to move. This is not a workable situation for a business owner.

And the communication (until they threw poor mike out here to listen to us all) has been horrible.

What company in America today takes nearly a month to resolve an email problem when customers are at stake?

really pitiful...

2013-10-01T20:09:45+00:00

KC9NRN

332 Points

Agreed, Mike is getting the brunt of this... can't be easy.

6 years ago

KC9NRN

332 Points

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
I have to mirror a few comments,.

I have to mirror a few comments, I am not going to set up another email account which makes me look to my customers like I don't know what I'm doing. I contract to companies to fix their technical problems, having them email me at another address looks like I can't handle my own issues let alone theirs.

I have been a customer I think 11 years now, 2 companies I do work for can't receive my emails because I have... no correction... your SMTP server was blacklisted which makes me blacklisted.

If Comcast goes out, they don't ask me to go to DirecTV until it's resolved. I understand replacing a system is tedious and complex. What I don't understand is how I have to find out about it, no notification of the problems, I had to find out by chat box.

You want to retain customers? TALK TO THEM! I shouldn't have to find out I'm blacklisted because of work you guys are doing from SpamCop.

I have stuck with this company, it seems you'd be more than happy to see customers leave, I'm tempted to do so.

Note: This topic was created from a reply on the Do you need another alternative to Hmail? topic.

6 years ago

Debbie7026

162 Points

I just got an email from Mike F replying to a previous post. Yet I cannot get any other emails. What???????? How does this happen?

6 years ago

Martin

5,960 Points

I just set up a paid account using gmail that has my domain name as the suffix. It was sort of complicated but I figured it out. Keep in mind you will have to add a meta tag in the header of your site to prove that you control it.

Glad to be done with the Zimbra crap. It was a real pain from the git go (2007). This fiasco was the end.

May be the end of Homestead also.....

6 years ago

KC9NRN

332 Points

I have had Homestead for 11 years, in that time I rarely if ever got spam. Now it's almost the only email that gets through, I can't even email my wife without getting the blacklist notice and a bounce.

I have told my clients to please call me due to HOSTED email issues out of my control. Endurance International Group now supposedly owns Homestead, something I was unaware of which might explain the billing errors I had last November.

I digress, right now the only good email I have received this afternoon is from this forum... I'm hoping who ever is in charge gets it working before the 8th because I'm not sure I can wait that long. I could have my entire website and email moved to a new company by that time, something to think about.

6 years ago

Dennis0820

70 Points

24 hours. You have until Wednesday, October 2nd at noon to fix this or I am moving everything I have with you elsewhere. Enough is enough.

6 years ago

Barbara9750

552 Points

Good luck with a move. I just tried that and Homestead has proprietary rights on their code (our code). Could not be migrated. Must rebuild....ugggg

6 years ago

Dee Dee0596

3,106 Points

Homestead says: The second part which should fix receiving problems is scheduled to be implemented over Monday Oct. 7.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!! I still cannot get my email to work. I cannot delete, move to spam, use autofill, send, and what is sent is still bouncing to many as of 3:40pm. And Homestead doesn't expect a fix for almost a week?!?!?!?!?

6 years ago

Dee Dee0596

3,106 Points

Oh great!!!! Now I can't even open the existing email in the sent or received boxes. Homestead, can ya'll think of anything else to make not work?

2013-10-02T02:06:38+00:00

Charmagne9970

400 Points

Your complaints seem completely different from other complaints. Most people can still get into their email, delete move, create rules, etc. I wonder if you have something else going on?

6 years ago

Dennis0820

70 Points

I'm rebuilding. I can't afford this any longer.

6 years ago

jeff4021

112 Points

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
Are you kidding me? Another week? Are you refunding your customers for this major downtime and headache?.

Are you kidding me? Another week? Are you refunding your customers for this major downtime and headache?

2013-10-01T21:48:46+00:00

Mike F., Alum

184,678 Points

We will have to handle all refunds one at a time. Our contact information is at the top of this thread in the 2nd response.

6 years ago

Forest4174

394 Points

This has now gone one for over 10 days. Homestead is supposedly working on it. The last ETA was another week.

Spam gets through, but an email from my secretary takes 5 hours. My internal communications have switched to gmail (a reliable provider). However, I cannot calculate the number of clients and potential clients who are running into problems accessing my business.

We will need refunds, at a minimum. In addition, we are looking at a potential class-action.

In any case, my law firm is moving our web-presence elsewhere.

6 years ago

Patricia1200

196 Points

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
Never saw the promised update on the SPAM issue..

Yesterday someone posted that there would be an update on the SPAM issue. Did I miss the update, one were we blown off again? BTW, my head will explode if anyone else thanks me for my patience. My patience was used up days ago. Right now, it is more like rage!

6 years ago

Martin

5,960 Points

You all will never be able to compensate us for the problems this has cost our reputation I promimse!

I deal with $100,000K deals everyday thanks to the way Homestead used to work.

That is right, Homestead, the way it used to work has made our company a bunch of money!

The Sitebuilder Plus crap and this email issue has for sure pushed us over the edge!

We switched our email to gmail today, plan on building a new site and hope for the best...

Wish you all the best of luck, hope you can survive.

Martin Blaney

http://www.customautosbytim.com

1 person likes this

6 years ago

Martin

5,960 Points

Hell, raise the price of your service if that is what it takes?

I don't know what I spend per year at Homestead....

Wait, I do know what I spend per year because I just logged in to see! Around $400 per year! CHICKEN FEED!

Please fix this mess!

Martin Blaney

Guthrie, Oklahoma

Not hiding behind a screen with some fake BS user name that cannot identify who I am.

Martin Blaney

Guthrie, Oklahoma

6 years ago

Charmagne9970

400 Points

I thought this would be a good place to get updated information, but I can longer stand to follow this thread. I am SICK of you people. NOT Homestead, but the customers of Homestead that can't stop whining. YES it's a huge horrible ordeal. I agree. It's a pain in the &*^ for me too, but good God, whining about it isn't going to make it better. I'm especially sick of the people that post every five minutes with complaints that don't even sound like they have anything to do with the issue at hand.

There are 57 people here. Fifty Seven. I have no idea how many customers Homestead has, but I'm going to guess that fifty seven is peanuts. Good luck with your class action.

If you are a normal person who wants a good place to check for updates without having to sift through all this pettiness, save this URL to your favorites: https://community.homestead.com/homes...

Mike - you are a saint.

Goodbye.

2013-10-04T16:39:53+00:00

Karen5787

1,322 Points

Charmagne9970... It's unfortunate that when people are so frustrated and stressed by a situation out of their control, that people like you feel the need to attack them verbally... You say there are ONLY 57 people here (by the way, it's growing), but do you not realize that many, MANY customers probably have not realized this is a Homestead problem.. they probably think they clicked on something that put them on a spam list or have a virus attacking their email, and they're trying to figure out how to get rid of it.. That's what I thought when it first happened.. Now people are figuring out it's a Homestead problem and they're coming here to try to find out what's going on.. Homestead is telling us to come here and voice our concerns, feelings and problems.. We shouldn't have to put up with someone attacking us and calling us whiners... This is a HUGE problem for all of us who have online business's..

If Homestead had sent out a message letting all it's customers know there was a problem with the email, you can bet there'd be a lot more "whiners" participating on this forum.. Have a little compassion...We are all simply very frustrated customers who are not getting satisfactory answers.. That is not to imply Mike or Drew are not doing what they can.. It's simply saying this is really unacceptable for a company as big as Homestead to not fix this problem a whole lot faster than this.

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