Interesting read

[GarethG]

http://www.cable.co.uk/news/fibrestream-boss-slams-hull-broadband-bundle-decision-800108800/

I am on Guy's side with this one, even though the Ofcom regulators say "the decision will potentially lead to better value packages for consumers in the area" that isn't the only way to get better value packages. Allowing more competetition into the area will force KC to be competetive with their packages.

This is quite a norrow minded decision by Ofcom and to be honest seems quite conspicious. Why is KC been defended by ofcom just because it is a smaller company? You don't see small grocery stores etc been defended from the big companies such as Tesco or Asda etc.

Please post your views on this

[Scotty]

I think that KC will have realised that maybe, they cannot keep Hull to itself forever, and that eventually new companies will be coming into the city, a long with the new technologies been used.

These bundles will ensure that the majority of customers will stay with KC, for at least another contract length, and will make coming into Hull even more unattractive for other companies, its a good move in a business sense for KC, and doesn't really do us, as customers, any harm either, as long as the bundles are similar to what's available elsewhere in the country.

[richardmyers]

Ofcom are right, it will lead to better value packages for people in Hull. But it will not lead to competition.

Edit - Thanks for posting this by the way, interesting indeed.

[stormy]

Please post your views on this

This was discussed in the threads about KC allowed to bundle. To me I agree with Ofcom, KC has been a PLC for a hell of a long time now, and the area has been open to competition for many of those years if one of the big players (and unfortunately I don't count Fibrestream as one) actually WANTED to set an example and provide fixed line services in Hull they could have and would have, but it would probably have cost a chunk of money, and I am not sure what the return would be.

A few have looked and then thought nah, the one which most pricked my ears were the Entanet resellers, it looked really promising, they did the figures. It did not compute.

We are dreaming and have been for many years that some giant fixed line telco was going to come to our rescue when we are at best a population of around 350k and with what 80k broadband users in Hull and East Yorks its just not worth the bother for the national players.

So I think this is the right decision, no fixed line *real* competition is coming, so lets get the best deal we can with what we have.

Mike

[dylan]

I've heard the argument that we are too small to bother with quite a few times. I'm not sure I agree with it though. Look at the Isle of Man for instance, 80,000 population but still has a choice of Internet providers....

[stormy]

I've heard the argument that we are too small to bother with quite a few times. I'm not sure I agree with it though. Look at the Isle of Man for instance, 80,000 population but still has a choice of Internet providers....

One example of where we compare. The problem with Hull is the telco belonged to the council for far, far, far too long and as a result we ended up where we did today. I am no expert on the IoM but a quick 5 minute look at Wiki doesnt seem to suggest they have a great deal of choice either but due to the history of their telecoms network got lucky having links with both BT and Cable and Wireless. We unfortunately drew the short straw here when the council took over the GPO network.

I think comparing the IoM directly with Hull is misleading personally, and id love to be prooved wrong with the fact that someone is going to bother coming here but I seriously doubt it. I will be the first to hold my hand up and say I was wrong if BT (or anyone with some clout really) trucks descend on Hull to save us from KC.

Do any of you really think that someone would not have done it by now if they were going to?

[GarethG]

We are dreaming and have been for many years

That is very true, although what would happen if people stopped dreaming

It's an odd one realy, it must be that big companies realy aren't interested in the KC area because of the wholesale prices KC are making them pay. Thus leading to a non-profitable situation. The reason I think this is because, for any large company it would be a really bad business idea to NOT want to expand their services to more people and increase profit. What else is stopping a business from expanding into an area? From information available to the public, it still boils down to KC having a monopoly on the area. But also if people argue that it's not a monopoly because any provider can come in any time they like, to me that is totaly untrue. It is still a monopoly if you charge extortionate prices for them to use your lines and there is no way around this.

Another reason possibly why companies don't want to use KC lines are that they are too laclustre for what the companies want to run through them, although I don't think this is the case as it is probably true for the rest of Britains POTS network.

This is all my point of view ofcourse

[GarethG]

This is an older post but I thought it would be a good addition to this post, some of you may or may not have read it;

http://www.fibrestream.co.uk/2010/10/10/ofcom-unfit-for-purpose/

[stormy]

[It's an odd one realy, it must be that big companies realy aren't interested in the KC area because of the wholesale prices KC are making them pay. Thus leading to a non-profitable situation. The reason I think this is because, for any large company it would be a really bad business idea to NOT want to expand their services to more people and increase profit. What else is stopping a business from expanding into an area? From information available to the public, it still boils down to KC having a monopoly on the area. But also if people argue that it's not a monopoly because any provider can come in any time they like, to me that is totaly untrue. It is still a monopoly if you charge extortionate prices for them to use your lines and there is no way around this.

I am sure LLU and access prices for KC are pretty much in line with BT but again (and not to sound like a broken record) Hull is not worth the trouble, when you can get whole loads of areas in BT for less work. I also read that KC have many many more exchanges for the size of area where as BT exchanges generally serve bigger areas. This is another reason KC lines a (generally) better than BT lines and have shorter line lengths due to the exchanges.

If KC charge more than BT and the prices are not fair, then I really can't understand why Ofcom are not doing sth about that.

[GarethG]

Just out of interest, is there a way to find out where the KC exchanges are and which one you are connected to?

[bobthebuilder]

you can probbly guest where they are from the karoo speedtest map

[stormy]

Just out of interest, is there a way to find out where the KC exchanges are and which one you are connected to?

Not sure, a map was posted here once or google map type links but KCOM took offence I believe. I know where my exchange is in Brough, I am about 1-1.5km from it. (near the Total garrage on Welton Road)

[bobthebuilder]

if i remember right one is on queens roads west hull
and i think there is one near albert ave

[richardmyers]

When I was a customer they talked about the closest exchanges to me being Newland and Greenwood.

[stormy]

There is also one on the corner of Maybury Road / Holderness road if I remember correctly.

PS: I want your connection Richard So wish NextGenus came to Brough.