KCTV

[The Snowman]

Is there any news on KC's TV service they're launching soon?

[DarkJester]

No idea they had plans to revive KITT? 

KITT has been dead and buried for years now hasn't it?

[Project Novo]

If they do TV it will be a re-badged BT Vision service. BT are looking at wholesaling its Vision service to other CP's and KCOM nationally have commited to only purchase Wholesale services from BT.

Basically KC are now just another reseller of services on a network that is fully managed by BT of which includes all the KC System X exchanges in Hull. Even KC's local engineers are now paid by BT.   

[TJ]

If they do TV it will be a re-badged BT Vision service. BT are looking at wholesaling its Vision service to other CP's and KCOM nationally have commited to only purchase Wholesale services from BT.

Hope they do this just to watch the re-action from Sky.

[DarkJester]

Project Novo - I too have heard that BT has a great deal to do with KC sub contracting and management these days, one of the reasons why customer service has improved I think.

[TJ]

Project Novo - I too have heard that BT has a great deal to do with KC sub contracting and management these days, one of the reasons why customer service has improved I think.

Please don't use the words BT & customer service in the same sentence....it disturbs me.

[TJ]

Basically KC are now just another reseller of services on a network that is fully managed by BT of which includes all the KC System X exchanges in Hull. Even KC's local engineers are now paid by BT

Do you have proof to back this statement......or is this another smear campaign to encourage KC customers to change to your service.

[Adrian]

BT do manage the exchanges and some of the infrastructure, and the majority of KC engineers were TUPEd over to BT.

[TJ]

It was mainly the reseller bit that was a pack of lies.
This seemed to indicate that KC did not own and run the network and services.....which I think was the intention.
KC do own and run the network.

Yes KC do use many contractors, some of whom are BTMSL ( Part of the BT Group ).

The "local engineers" would indicate to me the ones that come to your property and I have checked and they are not contractors but are employed directly by KC.

[The Snowman]

I know they've been testing out some systems and I've since heard they're going to be part of the You View scheme http://www.youview.com Be interesting to know when it'll be launched and how much it'll cost.

I wonder what implications it could have for Sky and will it force them to enter the Hull market.

[Project Novo]

All KC's network management staff were tupied to BT. KC's network management team were previously tupied to Nortel but Nortel networks went out of business.

KCOM leased all their exchanges to BT (BTMSL) in order to save substantial money and significantly reduce operating costs and overall debt. The deal was structured over 10 years and involves KCOM committing to only purchase Wholesale services from BT nationally including call termination.   This means that all the network configuartion work for all 01482 PSTN, ISDN and Centrex phone line services in Hull is performed by BT Operate based in Worthing on behalf of KC.

Effectively, this makes KC a lines and calls "Reseller" on a network managed by BT, like the rest of the UK whereby Openreach provide the line rental service to the communication provider. The difference here is that to retain the KC brand, KC may still continue to pay and manage the equivalent of Openreach engineering staff in Hull.  

In terms of broadband connectivity for Karoo customers it is unclear if the agreement also includes the provision of the equivalent of BT Wholesale's "Wholesale Broadband Connect" for KC wherby BT MSL also take control and management of the ADSL DSLAM module in the KC exchange. If it is the case then this makes it very easy for other provider's to provide wholesale lines, calls and broadband services in Hull in direct competition with KC as this simply extends the wholesale services provided by the BT Group in the rest of the UK into Hull.

This is probably why the precise details of the agreement are shrouded in mystery from both a BT and KC perspective.      

          

[TJ]

Effectively, this makes KC a lines and calls "Reseller" on a network managed by BT, like the rest of the UK whereby Openreach provide the line rental service to the communication provider.

So you are saying that KC do not own their network ?

[Project Novo]

KCOM's System X Exchange network and management tools including those in Hull are effectively owned and managed by BT MSL having been leased to them.

The copper wires (the equivelent of Openreach) (the network from the customer premises to the exchange) is still, I believe, owned and managed by KC unless anyone else knows different !  

[TJ]

KCOM's System X Exchange network and management tools including those in Hull are effectively owned and managed by BT MSL having been leased to them.

Do BT own them or do KC own them....a straight answer would be nice.

[Adrian]

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/22/kcom_bt_deal