I12.com, part of Net Access Ltd (who ever they are), is or was a highly reliable email provider to small businesses.  Appearing before 2001 when I first came upon them, they have been providing free email accounts, initially using i12 sub domains and 800Mb of web space when most other companies charged through the nose.  Thinking of that why does dircon.co.uk still charge its customers over £100 a year for a simple pop email address?

So with 100’s or thousands of email accounts, web sites and the occasional paying customer, i12.com plodded along offering a reliable internet service.  Until Tuesday the 3^rd of March.

Since then everyone who has an email account with i12 have had emails rejected and their accounts suspended, not that they would know as no one from i12 had a chance to inform their customers.  Increasing the worry, all the web sites they hosted have also disappeared.  A travesty for small businesses struggling with the recession who no longer have a web presence.

Now having to find an alternate email and web host takes only a few minutes, a bit of cash and a few crossed fingers.  What can’t be calculated is the loss of business and the sheer hassle of changing user names, passwords, informing friends and customers and generally getting business and life back in order.

I12 based its business on dial up revenue share, so it’s amazing that it kept going this long, but who will the next ISP to go bust, tiscali I suppose, and when that happens it won’t be a few thousand customers affected, but 100’s of thousands.  Oh the pain.