Sprint Billing Errors

This doesn't have anything to do with Pleasanton or Web Design, but I'm posting it because if it has happened to me, chances are it has happened to someone else. Maybe I can save someone a call or two.

I received a bill from Sprint last week for $17.54. The problem is that I haven't had a Sprint account for over 5 years, maybe longer. There was an account number, but no phone number listed on the bill, so I had no idea what it was for.

I called the customer service number on the bill. They couldn't find any record of my account number. They transferred me to the cellular division, they also could find no record of that account number. Finally they spilled the beans, and told me they had outsourced the upgrade of their billing system to another company. They transferred me, and an annoyed-sounding man with a heavy hispanic accent again told me there was no record of my account number. Off the hook? I could only be so lucky.

Knowing that a company like Sprint isn't going to let an outstanding charge just fade away, I called back a week later. This time, my account number was on file. It was for a phone number that was disconnected in 2002. When questioned about what the charges were for, the customer service person told my that they were for service on that phone number for January and February of this year. "So you don't want to pay this?" he asked. "No" I replied. 15 minutes later the charge was removed and the account was closed.

Midphase Hosting - FTP Support Documentation Wrong

Just started some work for a new client who purchased a hosting account from AN Hosting, which was recently purchased by Midphase hosting. In attempting to establish an FTP connection, I first tried using the instructions in Cpanel, but to no avail. They instructed me to be sure to connect using "ftp.mydomain.com" and then with the exact username for the ftp account listed, and enter the /htpdocs/ directory. It didn't work.

Next stop, the support documentation. This told me to use "mydomain.com" as the host, and the ftp login information in the "welcome" email. The "welcome" email didn't have any ftp account information, so I again tried the info listed in cPanel. Still no luck.

Finally I searched community help on the Midphase website, which instructed me to use "mydomain.com" and my cPanel login and to leave the directory blank. Success!! I've used enough webhosting companies to know that this isn't a sign of good things to come. Completely wrong and inconsitent support documentation means that they aren't even close to having their poop together.

php.ini and more 1&1 Internet Support Fun

In trying to resolve my problem with getting a Disk quota exceeded (122) error on MYSQL Database apps, I received the following email from 1&1 Internet support (in my spam folder, as usual):

Thank you for contacting us.

This case needs to be escalated since we dont root access on our server.

As a temporary workaround, you can create a php.ini file on folder where
your script is running. The file should have like this.

session.save_path = physical path of the temporary folder where you want to save the seesion on your webspace

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

I have nearly 20 database aps and don't really want to do this for each one as a temporary workaround, so I waited for the permanent fix. Unfortunately, this is the next email I received:

We are always glad to assist you in a timely manner as possible.
We see since you've opted to change a file to a .Ini, this has resolved
the issue.
Your disk quota is fine from our end and all looks good from here.

Please clarify if you need any additional assistance regarding this
issue.

Thanks for your patience and for choosing 1&1.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

I didn't opt to do anything. I am waiting for them to fix it, so looks like time for some more emails! This is the typical 1&1 support approach. Classic. That's why I don't have any client sites on 1&1 Internet. Right now I am recommending WestHost.

1&1 Internet: Disk quota exceeded (122) error on MYSQL Database apps

I just started receiving the the following errors on all my websites hosted on 1&1 internet that have MYSQL databases.

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: open(/tmp/sess_x, O_RDWR) failed: Disk quota exceeded (122) in /path/page.php on line 20

The result is that no session is created, so things that require a session don't work too well.

Since I am nowhere near my allocated storage capacity, I'm not sure why this is occuring, and feel pretty confident that 1&1 support won't tell me, even if they know. The support people that I've talked to so far don't even have root access to the server, so I hope they fix it sometime soon. The temporary workaround is just to point the session.save_path somewhere else.

Luckily I use 1&1 for development only, as they are not reliable enough to host client websites, so no customers are effected.

Bass Fishing Super Site Launched

I just launched this bass fishing Website aimed at a Japanese audience. Text is entirely in Japanese and features videos, pictures, articles and blogs covering big bass fishing around the world. Also featured are lessons, articles, videos and an interview with legendary bass videographer, Glen Lau.


Deka Bass Dake

With sections like Big Bass University, Tournament Corner, Big Bass Hotspots, and the World Record section, there is plenty of information and media to keep the bass fishing enthusiast entertained for hours.