Authorize.net transaction error notification issue

[redbank199]

We are using authorize.net module. Since the beginning of November, we have been getting "Transaction Error Notification" emails from authorize.net when a customer checks out. This happens regardless of whether the transaction is authorized or not. The email tells us that our script times out while they were trying to post transaction results to us. But for a valid credit transaction, the order does show up in

osCommerce's orders screen. For customer, instead of seeing a "thank you" page from us,

they would see the folloing page generated from authorize.net:

 

----------

An error occurred while trying to report this transaction to the Merchant. An e-mail has been sent to the merchant informing them of the error. The following is the result of the attempt to charge your credit card.

 

This transaction has been approved.

 

It is advisable for you to contact the merchant to verify that you will receive the product or service.

 

----------

My ISP claimed that this is because ahtorize.net could not handle too many simultaneous transactions.

Authorize.net claimed that our script timed out too soon (within 10 seconds).

 

I suspect this is an authorize.net problem, since when I tested the problem, the above error

message came back quickly, definitly less than 10 seconds.

 

Authorize.net support suggested that we change our script to write some thing like "Being procssed .."

to avoid this problem. I am not sure I can trust this ...

 

So my problem has not been resolved. I am inclined to think this is authorize.net problem since we

did not have this issue prior to November.

 

My questions are:

 

1. Has anyone encountered this problem too ?

2. What is the solution that really works ? (I am not sure I can trust authorize.net support ...)

3. If I do not get this resolved, I think I a going to walk away from authoriz.net pretty soon. In that case,

what gateway and merchant account would you recommend ?

 

Thanks

 

redbank199