Exchange Email Hosting?

Constant_Change

I'm responsible for my company's IT and looking to upgrade our current POP3-based Email system to something based on Exchange (so we can share calendars, sync with smartphones etc.). This is based more on time than cost - servers are cheap and we get free Microsoft software for internal use.

Rather than setting up our own server for this I noticed that some hosting companies offer this service. Does anybody have experience of these?

There are around ten of us and we all have Outlook 2007 if that helps.

kevsan

We use rackspace for our hosted exchange, and they are excellent. Have not had any outages and service level is excellent. The control panel is relatively straightforward, and you can assign administrators and maintain a decent level of control.
The other advantage is that having it hosted, means that you can access through a web interface as well as a normal outlook client if the need arises.

Took about a day to setup and we haven't looked back.

Constant_Change

Thanks - I've been looking at their website and it looks a really good package. Any idea of cost per user per month?

kevsan

I think it depends on numbers but for us it is around £15 a month per mail box.

Reaper

If you decided you want both Hosted Exchange and linked Blackberry server the company I work for have started offering both for £49.99pm

I don't know if you're into Blackberry. It means your mobiles synch email,contacts,calanders etc from your exchange server.

Their web site is https://www.2circles.com though I must admit I've just looked and can't see mention of the Blackberry part. I guess they haven't updated the blurb as they only just started doing it. Best give them a call if you are interested, or PM me.

Here endeth the advert.

Constant_Change

Thanks Reaper. At the moment the techies have Windows phones and the commercial side have Blackberries so it is of interest.

d900

i can offer you hosted exchange 2007 as well not sure on costs it all depends on how big the mailbox is but your looking at around £7-8 a month per user.

msg me if interested
BB enterprise and a host of other options are available as well.

Doublespresso

1and1 has a good MS Exchange package
http://order.1and1.co.uk/xml/order/MailExchange

isofa

Personally I'd not touch 1 and 1 for this, but each to their own.

Have a look a smaller quality companies, such as Kingston, who can offer a better service - they've been around for years and we use them for some hosted services.

d900

id avoid 1 and 1 as well.

i spent a good two month picking my email host lots of stuff to compare.

Constant_Change

I did once go for a dedicated server with 1&1 but then found I had no control over the SQL Server bit. The "cheap" option would be a US-based company.