Madasafish Questions/answers (merged threads)

The_Bloodster

Just chanced my set up downstairs and see how it goes. My standard BT socket downstairs had a adaptar that had a socket for a phone and a modem style lead. I had a microfilter in the phone socket and a modem style lead in the other which was a long wire that leads upstairs ti create an extra phone line upstairs. In this I had the microfilter with the modem and phone connected to it.

I have now changed it downstairs so the adapter isnt there anymore. I now have a micorfilter filter coming directly out of the socket with a phone and the lead leading upstairs connected to it. I then have a microfilter connected to the other end with the modem and phone coming out of it. I'll see how that goes, I was sure that it was a wired extension downstairs. Hopefully the new system may resolve it but i just found it funny considering that the set up had been working ok for 10 months. Also swopped the microfilters - see how it goes now!!

Madasafish_Customer_Care

Hey Bloodster,

Your sync is actually really good for the throughput speed results that you're getting - currently your sync is at 5120 Kbps and this would mean that you should be getting around 4Mb when you run your speed tests.

From your post it sounds like there are a few things which aren't ideal to your set up which are probably causing the problem:

1. The phone extension running from downstairs to upstairs really isn't ideal. The quality of the service can deteriorate over phone extensions. Rather than having a phone extension running upstairs I would recommend that you either get a very long Ethernet cable or a wireless router. The 210 has an Ethernet port and I believe that you can pick up inexpensive Ethernet cables from places like ebuyer.

2. It also sounds like you're double microfiltering - Microfilters are very important to have in place but if you've got two in use from one socket then that can effect the quality of your service too.

I truly believe that if you replace the phone extension cable with an Ethernet cable or go the wireless route you'll get better speed results.

Kind regards,
Samara

daveybuk

An update on the situation regarding my bill...

I'm very happy to say that after reviewing the situation Madasafish have cancelled the forthcoming charge. Apparently, although the 28 day notice period is required, they would not normally charge a customer who has already migrated within that time to a new supplier. It seems the extra invoice was generated automatically by their computer. This also removes my concern about the lengthy wait customers may have faced before being able to join a new ISP.

I believe I've got the details right, and I'm sure Samara will clarify them if not.

Ultimately, I think Madasafish have handled this well, taking my complaint seriously, investigating it properly and apologising for the error. I must say that's in keeping with my previous experience with the company as a whole, who had been a very good provider. I would certainly use them again now.

So, overall, beware the need for 28 days notice (which is to cover their own costs imposed by BT apparently) but, that aside, I would have no hesitation recommending them.

cheghead

Still not gonna chance cancelling before my final day of the 12 month contract whatever anyone says. I received an e-mail response from their customer service about cancelling and it stated I would have to telephone (wont accept cancellation by e-mail) on my last day to avoid any costs and get a mac code. So it is a 13 month contract not 12!

The_Bloodster

Madasafish_Customer_Care wrote:

Hey Bloodster,

Your sync is actually really good for the throughput speed results that you're getting - currently your sync is at 5120 Kbps and this would mean that you should be getting around 4Mb when you run your speed tests.

From your post it sounds like there are a few things which aren't ideal to your set up which are probably causing the problem:

1. The phone extension running from downstairs to upstairs really isn't ideal. The quality of the service can deteriorate over phone extensions. Rather than having a phone extension running upstairs I would recommend that you either get a very long Ethernet cable or a wireless router. The 210 has an Ethernet port and I believe that you can pick up inexpensive Ethernet cables from places like ebuyer.

2. It also sounds like you're double microfiltering - Microfilters are very important to have in place but if you've got two in use from one socket then that can effect the quality of your service too.

I truly believe that if you replace the phone extension cable with an Ethernet cable or go the wireless route you'll get better speed results.

Kind regards,
Samara

The speed is usually ok when it is connected I think that one day was bad. The problem I'm having is that it keeps on disconnecting me and I don't understand why as it has been fine for 10 months with the same set up.

Should I take out the microfilter from downstairs then? I don't understand as I say it has been problem free for 10 months!! I did a few speed tests last night and when it was working I was getting around 2.5 mbps.

Quentin

cheghead wrote:

I received an e-mail response from their customer service about cancelling and it stated I would have to telephone (wont accept cancellation by e-mail) on my last day to avoid any costs and get a mac code. So it is a 13 month contract not 12!

Well they seem to have backed down on charging daveybuk the extra 2 weeks they threatened him with because his notice period stretched into a new billing period (in spite of MAAF saying their "clause was enforceable", when in fact no such clause exists), so maybe we can get them to honour their contract terms in your case.

The contract is definitely for a minimum period of 12 months.

Again, it definitely says in the contract that you can leave at the end of 12 months provided you give them 28 days notice.

Additionally, Madasafish Customer Care proudly posted on this forum on 26th January (post #744) regarding MACs:

We've been quite proud of our stance on MACs. We signed the OFCOM volunatary code ages ago and we will give a MAC to any customer who requests one. We do not charge for MACs (nor have we ever). We see them as a basic consumer right.

Yet according to your e-mail they now say they won't give you one until your minimum contract is up. So you would have to in effect pay a charge of another month's subscription (£17.99) to get a MAC!

This is quite wrong, and hopefully MAAF will backtrack on this as well.

You should be able to give them 28 days notice (to end on the day your minimum 12 months is up - that's what the contract says), and be given a MAC at the same time.

You could then pass the MAC to your new ISP to be completed during your notice period.

MAAF cannot say they champion consumers and give MACs as a basic right, then try and make their contracts 13 months long only for those that want a MAC. (Or at least they can say it, but they can't get away with it!)

daveybuk

cheghead wrote:

Still not gonna chance cancelling before my final day of the 12 month contract whatever anyone says. I received an e-mail response from their customer service about cancelling and it stated I would have to telephone (wont accept cancellation by e-mail) on my last day to avoid any costs and get a mac code. So it is a 13 month contract not 12!

If I interpret Samara's explanation correctly, you should be fine as long as you have switched to a new provider before the 13th billing date. Once you have transferred, they no longer incur the costs and therefore will not need to bill you again.

This does seem to make a bit of a nonsense of the 28 days notice, but that's why they waived my charge apparently - even if the message still doesn't seem to have got through to some of their operators, judging by what you've been told.

cheghead

daveybuk wrote:

If I interpret Samara's explanation correctly, you should be fine as long as you have switched to a new provider before the 13th billing date. Once you have transferred, they no longer incur the costs and therefore will not need to bill you again.

This does seem to make a bit of a nonsense of the 28 days notice, but that's why they waived my charge apparently - even if the message still doesn't seem to have got through to some of their operators, judging by what you've been told.

But surely if I am paying a month in advance (ie: my last day of 12 months is 13/03/07 and my invoice paid on the 13/02/07 covers up to that date) I should be able to give 28 days notice before the 13/03/07?

According to the e-mail I got from maff they say I have to call them on the 13/03/07 to give notice and then they would issue a mac code. I will then be charged another months payment on 13/03/07 which takes me up to 13/04/07 as the migration will take around 1 or 2 weeks. So this is a 13 month contract!

daveybuk

cheghead wrote:

But surely if I am paying a month in advance (ie: my last day of 12 months is 13/03/07 and my invoice paid on the 13/02/07 covers up to that date) I should be able to give 28 days notice before the 13/03/07?

According to the e-mail I got from maff they say I have to call them on the 13/03/07 to give notice and then they would issue a mac code. I will then be charged another months payment on 13/03/07 which takes me up to 13/04/07 as the migration will take around 1 or 2 weeks. So this is a 13 month contract!

That does sound wrong. Of course you should be able to cancel any time after your 12th payment - that's what I did.

Quentin

cheghead wrote:

According to the e-mail I got from maff they say I have to call them on the 13/03/07 to give notice and then they would issue a mac code. I will then be charged another months payment on 13/03/07 which takes me up to 13/04/07 as the migration will take around 1 or 2 weeks. So this is a 13 month contract!

Don't worry about what the e-mail says - it's not a legally binding document, whereas your contract with them is!

They even get in wrong in the e-mail when they say you "have" to telephone to give in your notice - the contract says you "may" phone them, and also:

11.6 Any notice or communication required to be sent pursuant to these Terms and Conditions should be sent to us at Madasafish, 9-10 Grafton Street, London, W1S 4EN

So you don't "have" to ring them at all. In fact from what we have learned from daveybuk's experience of ringing them it might be better to write (keeping a copy) so that you can prove you gave the notice and requested the MAC at the right time.

They seem to try it on with people wanting to leave, and presumably have been getting away with it as most just wouldn't bother arguing with them, just want to be away from them.

But this site is for MoneySavers!! Don't let them get away with it (If the boot was on the other foot, and you wanted to leave before the 12 months were up, they'd soon be quoting (correctly) that the contract requires you to pay a penalty for leaving early - but you are staying the whole 12 months!)