Neil Gits Full Fibre

At the end of May, I decided to upgrade my broadband internet, not because I felt a need to move with the times (anyone who knows me will tell you that is just NOT my style !!) but simply because my two year contract ran out in June and my provider (no names mentioned…) was going to make a huge increase to my monthly payments if I simply renewed and carried on. This has become a regular bi-annual scenario and they usually find a way to adjust that increase to a much smaller, more bearable one, but this time it was different …

Apparently, “everybody is switching to full fibre” and they could give me a good deal if I switched over too, plus it would be faster and better than my existing service (not that I had any issue whatsoever with my previous internet performance) but what tempted me was that it would actually work out £5 a month cheaper, so I said “why not?” and agreed to proceed. All that would happen was that a little work needed to be done by an engineer who would visit my house in a week or so …

Well, indeed a cheerful chappy (an ex-DJ!) came along, drilled a hole in my wall, fixed up a couple of new plastic boxes in the corner of my front room and put a shiny new futuristic-looking router on the table nearby. So far so good. However, when it came to attaching the wires to the network underground outside my house, he hit a snag – the duct was blocked solid and he didn’t have the equipment on him to unblock it !Someone else would have to complete the work – no worries, my existing broadband was still connected and working fine …

Engineer No:2 arrived a week or so later, pushed a tiny camera on a wire down the duct, lifted up a panel in the pavement that I never even knew was there, and concluded that even his equipment would not shift the blockage ! It seemed the channel had completely collapsed over the years, requiring a civil engineer to dig up the pavement & completely re-construct it ! So, more time passed and finally Engineers No:3 & No:4 pitched up (a two man job now, such was the size of it !) closing off the pavement outisde with red and white plastic fencing and warning signs, almost sealing off the road I live on ! But after two days work, it was all repaired and ready to use – subject to confirmation by email …

The trouble now was that this lengthy process had gone past my June payment date and the automated system didn’t have the capability of understanding my situation, so assumed I had decided to stick rather than twist, taking £58 out of my bank account in the process ! Ok, so engineer No:5 appeared soon after No:s 3 & 4 and was very helpful, switching my router on connecting the relevant lead and double checking that my new broadband was working as it should. In fact he said my speed was remarkably high, well above the minumum promised, so that was nice. Shame I was now overdrawn at the bank as a result !!

Along the way, I must have made a dozen calls to my provider (no names mentioned…) all dealt with by very friendly & helpful operatives, but when I asked for the unecessary excess £30 back, the aforementioned automated system couldn’t deal with that either and with three days to go until my July payment date, I am still waiting nervously for reimbursement somehow someway. But hey ! I have “full fibre” now and do you know what ? I have not noticed a scrap of difference using my PC or my TV Firestick despite my “remarkably high speed” so after nearly two months of mucking about, nothing has actually changed except my bank balance … and not in the direction I had expected !

Thankfully other things in my life are change resistant and you can be assured of the usual high standard of soul, jazz-funk & disco tunes coming through your radio speakers this Monday when my next live show airs on Gateway. Here are the ones played last week …

The Tunes – Monday 15th July 2024

Ritchie Family – Best Disco In Town
Smokey Robinson – Tell Me Tomorrow
Groove Association ft Georgie B – Games
The Exportations – Find Another Day
The Exportations – I Want You
Dave Mascall ft Harry Cambridge – We’ll Be Together
Roy Ayers – Searching
Light Of The World – Slow Down
Taste Of Honey – Do It Good
Heatwave – Jitterbuggin
Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel (Full Length Version)
AP Connection – Sky Odyssey
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes ft David Ebo – Prayin’
Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon – Breakin’ Down The Walls Of Heartache
The Tams – Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy
Diana Ross – Getting’ Ready For Love
Crossroads feat Cler – You’re My Occupation
Luther feat Diane Sumler – I’ll Get Along Fine
Mica Paris & Will Downing – Where Is The Love
Slave – Snap Shot
Jim Manns – I Got To Have Your Love
Intruders – (Win Place Or Show) She’s A Winner
Incognito – Back On The Beach

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock and available nationally via the Radio Player at Sky TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !