How much do KC charge for use of their lines? Is it in line with what BT charge, because if it is I can't see why others wouldn't be offering services here.

I'm sure you are very happy with KC if you are getting fiber. I would be too. But I can't get fiber. I won't be getting it next week. Or next month. Probably not for several years. We are in a ridiculous situation where the largest population centre has the slowest speeds while the outlying areas are on fiber. We are trying to sell ourselves as a futuristic city and the capitol of renewable energy, yet our communications system is stuck in the dark ages. Again, netindex show Hull as 826 out of 954 for home broadband, and 316 of 321 for mobile broadband rlhttp://explorer.netindex.com/mapsrl Try putting Beverley or Brough into the search and then see if you are happy with broadband in Hull. Bristol you say? Averaging 35.43 Mbps, 235 of 954. Much better than hull.

Sorry, but KC's prices are not a little higher than Virgin, they're nowhere near. The prices I quoted earlier for Virgin (£25.99 for first 12 months and £31.49 after) include line rental. And that's for fiber speeds and unlimited downloads. KC are asking £32 for slow cable broadband with a 35GB limit, and it keeps going up in price! Lightstream is better value, but still no comparison to Virgin.

KC may not technically hold a monopoly, but as someone trying hard to find an alternative, it sure feels like one. Whisper don't cover my area and EE's 4G is shocking. My ONLY alternative is Pure, and they can't install till next year

Yes. Exactly the same in fact, its regulated. They were investigated a few years ago by Ofcom. Hull is a small, low income market.

So £11 p/m cheaper for the first year, and after that you could switch provider ( If those figures don't show Hull, ranked about 30th in population in the UK, to be anything other than left behind, I don't know what does. There are very few in Hull that can get Lightstream. KC seem to be doing the surrounding villages and towns first. This leaves the ludicrous situation where the main population centre and businesses therein are left behind places like Beverley and Brough. I'm sorry, but if you live outside the main city, you shouldn't expect to be first line when a new technology arrives. Yes I know they suffer slow speeds, but that is the price of living in these places. You don't see EE introducing 4G+ in Hull where their network is shocking, you see it in London, the largest population centre. Lightstream should be in Hull first and then extended to rural areas.

Quote: Bal "OFCOM can't regulate KC into an unfair condition, by making it cheaper to provide internet in Hull than via the BT network, whereas I believe Virgin have exclusive access to their network(?).'"

I'm not asking for KC to be treat unfairly, I'm asking for KC to be fair to it's customers. The HDM article today compares KC to "the vast majority of the Uk", and we are paying 60% more than we should be. And that's comparing 35GB to unlimited usage too. Virgin may have exclusive rights to their network, but how many places in the UK don't have access to an alternative provider. Not the same situation.

Quote: Bal "Incidently, I don't know if you have had a look at the complaints regarding Virgin? However many complain the service is at time irritating to say the least, as Virgin apply hourly fair use thresholds. Some as low as 1250mb per two hours apparently. Meaning that they ramped your speed down after that limit for 2 hours. Meaning downloading a HD movie takes a lot longer than it should.'"

Quote: Bal "We've got great news for all customers on our broadband tiers of 30Mb and above. After listening to your feedback, we've decided to stop applying our traffic management policy to download speeds. So now you can download as much as you like without worrying about traffic management slowing you down.'"

Seems Virgin actually listen to their customer complaints.

Ah, good old blame culture. Surely somebody is too blame?!

KC are a business FCBen, they don't owe you anything, and don't ultimately care about what your thoughts of what is fair providing they have a solid customer base. They are a public listed company operating in an efficient market. They've deemed that's what they can charge, and looking at their share price over the last few years, it looks like their right. The Telegraph recently tipped KCOM as a hot investment choice.

As I said earlier, I fully support measures to introduce competition in Hull for internet. It just shouldn't be done by putting unfair measures on a local business. Given the importance of being connected these days to local business, perhaps subsidies to help ISPs with the set up costs are in order. By the way, I gather the reason it is unappealing for ISPs is the costs are exactly the same as BT for set up but for a much smaller market.

Good to see Virgin have resolved their throttling issues.

Nice move, blame it on the blame culture.

Another article in the mail today, this time about mobile coverage and internet speeds.

This looks fantastic, maybe we will be getting some competition in Hull at last. Seems to have affected KC's share price. Definately one to watch.

As I said earlier in the thread, none of the wireless providers cover me in West Hull, except Pure. And they can't install till next year.

I'm currently tethering with a Giffgaff (O2) mobile phone. It's painfully slow in the evening, and I only have 3GB of usage, but at least I am being charged accordingly. I'm hoping this fibre supply to the masts will improve three and EE's service, and that in turn will be competition for KC. That can only be a good thing for consumers in Hull. If and when their prices are more realistic, I may consider going back to KC.

Sorry never saw that about not being able to get wireless in your area (KC now do a wireless service as well but it is a business package at the minute www.kcbusiness.co.uk/products/co ... stream-air) There was some good information a couple of years back on the karooforums karooforums.net/index.php?topic=2359.0 about why other suppliers are reluctant to come to Hull.

Sorry never saw that about not being able to get wireless in your area (KC now do a wireless service as well but it is a business package at the minute www.kcbusiness.co.uk/products/co ... stream-air) There was some good information a couple of years back on the karooforums karooforums.net/index.php?topic=2359.0 about why other suppliers are reluctant to come to Hull.

Wow think yourselves lucky, I cant even get a phone line fitted never mind broadband ha ha