“Why is Hull a Broadband Blackhole?”

November 23, 2008 · Filed Under Web

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It’s a very good questions isn’t it? And one which is starting to irritate me more and more.

My friend James was kind enough to send me a link to the article on the Guardian Website, entitled exactly that.

“We are missing out on super deals offered by companies such as Orange and Sky,” say the 3,222 signatories of a petition lodged on the No 10 website earlier this year. “Scrap the monopoly that Kingston Communications hold in Hull for broadband users.”

The fact is, that Kingston Communications and not BT own the phonelines, so that means we, the residents only get one choice of ISP, Karoo. So, a monopoly. This is denied by KC, but the fact that a) no companies are offering alternative services and b) they charge very high prices for anyone showing an interest to providing a new service, means that nothing is going to change.

What makes me laugh is that Karoo is emblazoned on the Hull Football Team’s shirts, seen around the country on TV and in the national media. What is the point of advertising a service which is only available in Hull to people who don’t want it? I really do question their marketing, and whoever is doing the job of brand manager needs to have a plan in place

As to WiFi, which is the other thing the article mentions:

Wi-Fi access in the city is also notoriously tricky to find. While neighbours in Leeds and Sheffield can sip and surf in their Starbucks, forget it in Hull. And its Wetherspoons remain the company’s only pubs in Britain without wireless internet. Paul Burman, area chairman for Hull’s chamber of commerce, says Hull needs a “good, core Wi-Fi area in the two square miles across the city centre”. It is left to McDonald’s, in a city with startling obesity levels, to install free Wi-Fi in all its branches.

it is non-existent. When will Hull and to be fair, the rest of the Uk realise that online connectivity at decent speeds is the way forward. Hull is never going to dig itself out of a business wilderness unless it invests in broadband (same for the rest of the Uk as well!).

KC COULD, and it is a big COULD, really take the lead and install fibre to the home for the whole of the area served by Karoo – great publicity, raises the city profile and means that businesses may find it a little more attractive.

Come on KC, pull you finger out and do us all a BIG favour.

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