[sclug] [OT] Recommendations for email hosting?

[Ian Park]

Hello all

I recall seeing several threads on the subject of ISPs and web hosting
providers, but my need is a bit different. I have a domain
(chalmers-park.name) hosted by 1and1.co.uk, with email service only (no
web hosting) for email addresses which our family use. Recently I've had
some grief when I tried to use 1and1's SMTP server to send email to
addresses on a particular domain (st-nicolas-newbury.org) - that's the
domain for our local church, and I'm secretary of the PCC.

After much repeated explanation to the "technical support" people at
1and1, it emerged that 1and1 are excessively picky about checking the
mapping between domain name and IP address for mail servers with which
they're asked to interwork - they pray in aid RFC2181 section 10.3. The
advice from the operator of the mail servers for st-nicolas-newbury.org
is that although 1and1 are correct that RFC2181 requires this behaviour,
the RFC is unreasonably strict, and 1and1 are the only operator which
does this check.

Which brings me to my question: based on your experiences with different
email hosts, can you recommend an outfit to switch to when my contract
comes up for renewal in February next year? I pay 1and1 around ?20 a
year for the domain name registration and email hosting, and I'd prefer
not to see a steep increase...

Thanks in advance for any advice

Ian
-- 
Ian Park
17 Pyle Hill
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 7JJ
Tel: +44 (0)1635 821420
GSM: +44 (0)7785 300290
email: ian at chalmers-park.name
--