Personal website

[to123]

Why is the personal website service being discontinued and how will bell be compensating users for the lose of a currently included feature?

[fkae · Accepted solution]

I would assume it's discontinued because it likely receives very little usage. The webserver hosting the personal websites under the sympatico.ca domain is running Apache 1.3.36 (released in 2006) so it seems that there has been a lot of neglect in maintaining that service and Bell is unwilling to dedicate resources to bringing it up to speed for the few users that still use the service. So decommissioning the service makes sense from a business perspective, I suppose.

Your remedy as per Bell's Terms of Service is to cancel the service/the agreement if you disagree with these changes.

For your convenience here is the relevant section of the ToS:

We may change the Services and any term of the Agreement, including increasing the Charges (see Section 11). If
required, we will give you notice of these changes in writing, at least 30 days (60 days for certain changes related to
Internet Services) before the effective date, using a reasonable method to bring it to your attention, for example by
posting it on bell.ca, by including it on or with your bill, by mail, email or text message.

Where required by applicable law:
• the notice of the change will describe the new or amended clause and the former version of the clause, the
effective date of the amendment, as well as your rights if you do not agree with the amendment; and
• if the change increases your obligations or reduces ours, you may refuse the amendment and cancel the
Agreement without penalty, by notifying us no later than 30 days after the effective date of the amendment.

If you refuse the change, your remedy is to cancel the impacted Service or the Agreement (see Sections 55 and 56).
No other statements (written or verbal) will change the Agreement.

---

[Jonsson]

Do you have an active website ?

[dash]

I have been sent an email from Bell asking my to remove my website data from their servers. i have until February 1st to do so, or all my info will be lost forever. The problem is that Bell will not allow me into the site to accomplish this task. I'm using an FTP program(Cyberduck) which always works. I need to talk to a Level 2 tech support person to help walk me thru the process, as there appears to be a problem with either the port # or the password. Everytime I call the tech support department, the Level 1 techies can't help or don't understand the issue, and refuse to put me thru to the Level 2 techies. I'm getting really upset, as I need MY info from their servers, and am getting NO help from Bell. Please help...

[BellPatricia]

Hi there @dash. Thanks for your post, and welcome to the Bell Community.

We'd like an opportunity to assist, and have sent you a private message so we can gather more information. Please check your Messages within your profile avatar in the top right corner.

Unsure how to check or send a private message? See How to send a private message

- Patricia

[to123]

Yes. 

[RAYGUN-STUDIO]

I have just received the same cursory message also stating that my personal website which I've had with Bell for over 18 years is now going to be deactivated on February 1st, 2023. No reply or return address included, just the cursory email notice. It is only proper, decent and may I add ethical that Bell include a detailed written explanation to us all regarding this issue and maybe an apology on how they handled their communication. I've asked Bell to please explain to me in writing and in detail why they are not continuing with a service which we all have been provided with no acknowledgement or reply.

Nowhere does it say on my initial contract that I can see that our personal websites would ever be discontinued and that we would no longer have access to them. What are they going to do next, deactivate our phones and email services because somewhere buried in fine print it says they legally can do that also?

Not only was their cursory email notification unexpected but it was also a very big insult to all the many Bell customers who have been paying for this website service (it is not free) and have established, over many years, an important online presence and resource we rely on and never expected to be deactivated. This really is not good customer relations. And if they do deactivate and remove our websites we should at least expect some type of compensation for that major inconvenience and also a detailed written explanation.

[Jonsson]

For curiosity, do you still have the same Internet package that offered the Personal Web Site? Are you using the site for a commercial or personal purpose?
I received the message too and only uploaded trip photos in 2000 that are no longer needed on that web site.

[to123]

Yes same package, I’ve been a Sympatico customer from the start.
“Bell Employee”Jonsson why does it matter what I/we are using the bell personal website for. The question is why our/my personal website with Bell will be deactivated. 

[Canada73]

There is a thread on this topic which I cannot find.

I would like to relate my experience which may be of some help to others in the same boat as me.

About 25 years ago I learned some very basic HTML skills and created as small website on the 3 megs free space given with sympatico account.  http://www3.sympatico.ca/  I used it very effectively over the years.

When I received an email from bell recently that the webspace was being discontinued it created a real quandary.

I only wanted a small hosting space and did not need any tools to create a fancy website.

I tried 2 hosting companies for their free trial. I was overwhelmed and finally found a company that gave the web space for a modest fee. There were simple instructions on creating CPanel  and FTP link. I finally succeeded in reproducing the website I had with Sympatico.   The .ca domains are cheap.  My final choice is a hosting company is based in Canada (Vancouver and Montreal)

[Canada73]

My experience may be of help to you

You will need a FTP program

DSL user name  bqxxxx

Password   xxxx

I am using core FTP LE

Afer logging on you will see 2 windows

The window on the right will have you files in /public_html/

The left window will have a folder that you choose.

By double-clicking on the files on the right they will be copied to your folder on the left.

[Canada73]

My second reply with additional information

You will need  3 bits of information for your FTP program

1 Hostname or address 
www3.sympatico.ca

2 User Name
b1xxxxx

3 Password
xxxxxx    

[dks]

If you are like me, the original password may be over two decades old. If you have changed your password at any time, it may or may not work. And yes, you will need an FTP client to download your files.  

[Canada73]

About 3 years ago I upgraded to home hub 3000. The Bell technician changed my 25-year-old

password.  I wrote it on sticky label and pasted it on Home Hub.

[Youkali]

I received the same email. I want to access my files so I can download them all, but I can't seem to be able to login. I'm using Core FTP LE. I know my username (b1xxxxx), I'm using the password that usually works with my email (and also tried the older one, just in case), but the login authentication keeps failing.

Any lead?