KCOM Monopoly

misuel1955

It would be nice to take advantage of all the various Broadband packages out there but I reside in a KCOM area where they have a monopoly.

pmduk

Don't forget the decades where Hull Telecom customers get cheap phone calls from GPO technology without contributing.

misuel1955

If I could get a full Sky package I would still pay less than I do for my currentr KCOM broadband and my TV would be included

onomatopoeia99

Kingston Communications' monopoly position is a legacy from the protected status it enjoyed as the sole remaining council owned and operated telephone company after nationalization. It should be made to open up its lines to wholesale access on the same basis that BT do.

Seeper

KCOM has an interesting statement on this issue on its website. It states that, just as BT in other areas, OFCOM require KCOM to offer its infrastructure to other broadband providers, and so it offers its rental at the same price that BT charges in other areas.

So whilst it is a legacy situation, the issue isn't necessarily KCOM's, rather other providers are not choosing to providing their services to Hull and the surrounding area.

KCOM reckon its an issue of economics, theorizing it will cost these other providers far too much to link up to what is geographically a relatively small area. I can understand this. I'm not in the Hull area and find myself astonished at the blatant profiteering going on across other broadband providers, essentially making pure profit from broadband charges over and above line rental with very little in the way of support. If they were to try to link into the City their costs would be greater and so their charges would equally have to be greater than KCOM's - it stands to reason that they can't expect much custom in return - only those bitterly disappointed in KCOM's offer would consider a switch.

All that said, KCOM shouldn't get complacent. Alternative technologies will continue to develop and some alternative provider may eventually be in a position to have the City as a loss leader, pricing its broadband at a loss to stimulate other more profitable services. Can't see it happening any time soon though...

[Deleted User]

Seeper wrote: »

KCOM shouldn't get complacent

You do realise that KCOM's area is going to be the only area in the country that will have a minimum speed of 10Mbps by 2020 (the Government's USO speed)
And that KCOM are rolling out FTTP across the area.
They aren't complacent but actually spending money on making the broadband in your area the best in the country.
And that costs money so the consumer has to pay for it.
Just as I pay for my Openreach FTTP and don't get any of those cheap or free broadband deals.
It is expensive to implement and so the charges to the consumer have to be such that they can get the money back and make a profit for future investment.

rtho782

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

It should be made to open up its lines to wholesale access on the same basis that BT do.

KCOM do allow other providers to access their network on a wholesale basis, but nobody has any interest in taking them up on it because, why build a whole separate product portfolio for one city.

Blame Sky, Talktalk, etc, not KCOM.

The same situation happens with BT GEA-FTTP. Other providers are free to provide FTTP lines, but very few of them bother.

onomatopoeia99

rtho782 wrote: »

KCOM do allow other providers to access their network on a wholesale basis, but nobody has any interest in taking them up on it because, why build a whole separate product portfolio for one city.

Blame Sky, Talktalk, etc, not KCOM.

Fair enough - had not realised that the other providers were being useless.