Latest news with #KCOM
BBC News
31-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hull telecoms firm KCOM offers broadband infrastructure to rivals
Telecoms firm KCOM has announced a "long-overdue" deal allowing other companies to share its underground full-fibre network in a move that could increase consumer choice in Hull and parts of East Yorkshire. From Friday, a Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product will allow other providers to apply to use KCOM's infrastructure to roll out their own fibre managing director Jan Collins said Hull now had a "thriving broadband sector" and that the deal would lead to broadband being delivered "efficiently and without undue disruption to residents".MPs had previously raised residents' concerns over competitors putting up new poles to carry broadband fibre to homes and businesses, and other street disruption. KCOM said the deal marked "a long-term solution" to "develop a practical and effective way" to share its infrastructure "on fair and reasonable terms".However, Connexin CEO Furqan Alamgir said the region had long been "dominated by a broadband monopoly" and that his firm had invested in a new full-fibre network "because the option to use KCOM's existing infrastructure simply did not exist in practice, despite what was often claimed".Guy Miller, chief executive of MS3 Networks, described the KCOM deal as a "long-overdue development"."MS3 is reviewing whether the commercial variations to the national PIA product provided by Openreach are too significant to overcome, or whether this product will be sufficient to avoid future infrastructure overbuild, something we all hope is the case," he added. Last January, a meeting held by MPs called for broadband companies in East Yorkshire including KCOM, MS3 and Connexin to work together after residents were upset about poles put up near their can install poles without having to apply to councils for planning permission, following a change to the law in April 2022. Emma Hardy, MP for Hull West and Haltemprice, said the deal was "a positive step forward for our city"."This could help to reduce the need for duplicate poles and street disruption while opening the door to greater competition and choice for consumers," she David Davis, MP for Goole and Pocklington, added: "All MPs across the area have worked together to apply pressure, resulting in today's announcement of a collaborative, sensible approach to infrastructure sharing." Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
BBC News
25-07-2025
- BBC News
Free outdoor wi-fi available in 13 East Yorkshire town centres
Free outdoor wi-fi is now available in 13 town centres across East Yorkshire. Residents and visitors in areas such as Cottingham, Driffield, Hessle and Snaith can now access the network while out and service, launched by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, is also accessible at more than 60 venues including libraries, leisure centres and care council leader David Tucker said: "This is a great initiative to increase digital connectivity across our region." Since its launch in outdoor spaces in 2023, the scheme has attracted about 2,000 daily users, the local authority initiative was first rolled out in Beverley, Bridlington, Goole, Hedon, Hornsea, Howden, Pocklington and its success the network, provide by KCOM, was introduced in Cottingham, Driffield, Hessle, Snaith and Bridlington Old Town.A council spokesperson said the service had boosted connectivity in areas with poor mobile signal and enabled market traders to adopt contactless payments. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Broadband firm brings tech support home from South Africa
EAST Yorkshire broadband company Quickline Communications, which serves settlements across York and North Yorkshire, has brought its technical support operations in-house. A newly formed, 15-strong team of first-line support agents is now based at Quickline's East Yorkshire headquarters west of Hull, replacing a former outsourcing deal with a firm in South Africa. Quickline says the change is the latest in a series of strategic moves to further enhance its customer experience, following the launch earlier this year of its Customer Excellence Hub and the appointment of Frank Stone as Chief Marketing and Information Officer. Quickline CEO, Sean Royce, said: 'This is a big moment for Quickline and for our customers. RECOMMENDED READING: York: Quickline revise village broadband installation plan Quickline wins more Project Gigabit work in North Yorkshire Quickline to bring 'Broadband for £1' to rural communities Quickline helps 6,000 homes in Project Gigabit rollout "Having a locally based technical support team means when our customers need help, they're talking to someone who understands their community, not just the technology. "We're proud to be employing more people here in Yorkshire, right in the heart of where we deliver our broadband services. It's all part of our promise to offer a uniquely northern, truly local service that goes beyond just connectivity.' The in-house team will sit alongside Quickline's Customer Service and Sales teams, under a new structure led by Michelle Simpson. Michelle has been appointed as Director of Sales and Service Operations, a brand-new role that brings all core customer-facing teams together to help deliver a seamless, end-to-end experience for customers. Michelle, who has been with Quickline for three years as Head of Sales, brings deep industry knowledge and leadership experience having held senior positions in sales, customer services and technical support during a nine-year career at KCOM. She said: 'I'm excited to take on this new role, uniting many of our customer-facing teams to ensure a truly seamless and personal experience at every touchpoint. "We are absolutely committed to keeping our customers front and centre of everything we do, and I'll be driving that focus forward across the business.' Sean added: 'Michelle's leadership, energy and deep understanding of our customers and the region in which we operate, will be crucial as we continue to deliver on our customer first commitment.' Quickline says it's customer-first approach is central to its mission to connect rural communities to fast, reliable broadband, enabling them to access the digital services they need to thrive.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Broadband boss not expecting more masts after deal
The boss of a broadband company says he is not expecting more telegraph poles to be installed in East Yorkshire. Furqan Alamgir, chief executive of Connexin, spoke to the BBC after his business was acquired by CityFibre - one of the UK's largest network providers. He said: "We don't expect there to be more poles. CityFibre have traditionally been trench diggers but it will come down to what their build plans are in the future." Connexin has previously been urged by campaigners and MPs to share infrastructure with KCOM, which owns the majority of the area's underground network. Mr Alamgir said talks with KCOM about sharing its network infrastructure were "ongoing" and the acquisition by CityFibre would not stop it from "progressing". He said: "I'd hate to have poles outside my own house and it's silly how this has played out. "We've paused our builds over the last few months. We've been working with KCOM and had a lot of support from local politicians. "We'll be working to firm up agreements and we absolutely want to share infrastructure to build our network." However, residents in Beverley, East Yorkshire, who saw poles installed near the homes, said they are "worried" by the CityFibre-Connexin deal. Paul Brayford, from the Beverley and Molescroft Against Broadband Poles campaign group, said: "We're worried the streets where Connexin couldn't install poles will get them and the streets that did will now see fibre optic cables strung across. "It's really frustrating, we don't want clutter and it could get worse." Mr Alamgir said the agreement between Connexin and CityFibre would give households and businesses a wider range of options for internet services. He said: "Hull and East Yorkshire should have the same offering as any other place in the UK and we've always wanted to bring more choice to the area. "CityFibre have plans to reach 8m homes over the next couple of years and we'll be able to offer more services on the back of their investment. "It should bring more competition, improve speeds and driver better products. It's a really exciting deal." Under the deal, CityFibre will also take on the Connexin contract for Project Gigabit, a government scheme to roll out high-speed broadband to over 34,000 premises in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Call to speed up broadband infrastructure sharing Broadband firm pauses pole installations KCOM announces plan to end telegraph pole row MPs meet broadband CEOs about telephone poles Connexin CityFibre
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Connexin boss 'doesn't expect' more telegraph poles after CityFibre deal
The boss of a broadband company says he "doesn't expect" more telegraph poles to be installed in East Alamgir, chief executive of Connexin, spoke to the BBC after his business was acquired by CityFibre - one of the UK's largest network said: "We don't expect there to be more poles. CityFibre have traditionally been trench diggers but it will come down to what their build plans are in the future."Connexin has previously been urged by campaigners and MPs to share infrastructure with KCOM, which owns the majority of the area's underground network. Mr Alamgir said talks with KCOM about sharing its network infrastructure were "ongoing" and the acquisition by CityFibre would not stop it from "progressing".He said: "I'd hate to have poles outside my own house and it's silly how this has played out."We've paused our builds over the last few months. We've been working with KCOM and had a lot of support from local politicians. "We'll be working to firm up agreements and we absolutely want to share infrastructure to build our network."However, residents in Beverley, East Yorkshire, who saw poles installed near the homes, said they are "worried" by the CityFibre-Connexin Brayford, from the Beverley and Molescroft Against Broadband Poles campaign group, said: "We're worried the streets where Connexin couldn't install poles will get them and the streets that did will now see fibre optic cables strung across."It's really frustrating, we don't want clutter and it could get worse." 'More choice' Mr Alamgir said the agreement between Connexin and CityFibre would give households and businesses a wider range of options for internet said: "Hull and East Yorkshire should have the same offering as any other place in the UK and we've always wanted to bring more choice to the area."CityFibre have plans to reach 8m homes over the next couple of years and we'll be able to offer more services on the back of their investment."It should bring more competition, improve speeds and driver better products. It's a really exciting deal."Under the deal, CityFibre will also take on the Connexin contract for Project Gigabit, a government scheme to roll out high-speed broadband to over 34,000 premises in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
