No such luck: They want me to PAY FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR for which I did NOT receive service and then for the current (upcoming year). Sorry - I don't allow myself to be ripped off like that.
Hi John, this is actually a pretty common practice for service subscription models where the software and its components (spam filter rules in this case) are being continually updated. Essentially the way Barracuda sees it is that you bought the product and paid for a service contract for X period of time and they provided software and filter updates during that period. You chose not to renew, so they stopped providing updates. Now you want to renew again from today forward which means you're going to get the same benefits as customers who kept their contracts current (i.e. all the software upgrades and updated filters) without contributing to their development. Granted you didn't get them at the time they came out, but you're going to benefit NOW from work that was done at that time (the un-paid period) AND all the future updates that come out during your new renewal period. Basically, what they're saying is that if you want to get those benefits, you have to pay for them by renewing from the point where you lapsed. If a NEW customer signed on right now, they have to make an initial purchase which contributes both to the original development and potentially covers their service plan for some period as well. They're not trying to rip you off, they're just making sure everyone pays their share for those accrued benefits. You just have to look at it from the standpoint of whether it is cheaper for you to renew your service versus the initial purchase cost for a new customer with new service. Some companies won't let you renew your service at all if it's been expired for some period and force you to sign up as a new customer again, so at least they're giving you that option. Look at it from the provider's point of view and ask yourself how you would run the business and what you're trying to do will suddenly look like a potential loophole that could be abused and needs to be addressed. -Justin