KCOM marks 120th anniversary with company update

• Substantial progress announced against five-year Full Fibre Future strategy
• Company looks ahead to giving customers more power over their online lives
• 40 young people will celebrate with KCOM at their city centre HQ

November 28^th this year marks 120 years to the day since the Hull Corporation Telephone Department opened its first telephone exchange, paving the way for increased connectivity and the KCOM that exists today. Over the past century, the company has grown and evolved into the region’s leading internet provider. In 2019, KCOM enabled Hull to become the first full fibre broadband city in the UK when it completed its first fibre network rollout. 

Always drawing on its pioneering spirit, KCOM remains at the forefront of delivering fast, secure and reliable connectivity to the region. 

CEO Tim Shaw said: “Our strategy is underpinned by customer growth and service innovation. We obsess about our customers and work hard every day to provide the best service and online experience in the market. We empower our customers and communities to do more with their connectivity and this makes Hull and East Yorkshire a thriving place to live, work and play.  

“Through our dedication to improving the in-home and at-work experience for our customers, we’re redefining connectivity. The telecoms sector is evolving quickly across the UK: we’ve seen dozens of new entrants, moves towards consolidation and tougher economics. KCOM is well positioned to achieve sustained success for the long-term. Our focus on serving customers, our deeply engrained expertise and commitment to innovation will keep us at the forefront.” 

KCOM launched its current strategy ‘Full Fibre Future’ in 2022. This saw the business commit to expand its award-winning network, upgrade remaining communities without full fibre, begin replacing ageing copper phone lines in Hull with a full fibre voice network, and start upgrades to provide faster download speeds of up the 10Gbps. In 2023, KCOM committed to be Net Zero by 2040.  

As a response to the changing economic climate, KCOM is focused on customer growth and innovating in its existing footprint, and pausing network expansion activity. The business is constantly improving its customer offering and has recently announced collaborations with national and international brands. KCOM offers one of the most trusted customer experience in the industry, backed by its positive Trustpilot and tNPS scores in comparison to other leading and established telecoms providers. 

Against a significantly changed market backdrop, the business has made progress towards all those goals and more: 

• More than 305,000 premises on KCOM’s network which, for the first time in its history, straddles the Humber estuary across both East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. This expansion included 24 more towns and villages prior to the pause.
• Creation of two divisions serving 150,000 customers in ‘Consumer’ and ‘Enterprise’ to drive retail, business and wholesale growth across Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
• 40 per cent of copper voice customers migrated to fibre voice services so far, with particular care given to vulnerable customers in the region.
• First wave trial of infrastructure sharing (PIA) in Hull now successfully underway, working towards a long-term offering that is right for residents and the region.
• Launch of the Power is all Yours campaign in 2024 to promote KCOM’s fast, secure and resilient network which offers more personalisation, prioritisation and protection for customers’ online lives.
• International collaboration with eero, an Amazon company, that sees KCOM redefine the in-home broadband experience for customers.
• Bringing a national telecoms brand, Telecom Acquisitions Ltd, into the region as a partner and increasing the dynamism of the region’s broadband market through wholesale access.
• Underpinning the region’s public services, recently winning contracts as the partner of choice for Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Humber Fire and Rescue, and Hull University Teaching Hospitals.
• Reduction of more than 10 per cent in direct carbon emissions since the 2021 baseline.
• More than £30,000 in grants via the KCOM Foundation and 800 volunteer hours to support digital empowerment in Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire since 2021.

Jan Collins, Managing Director of Enterprise, commented that KCOM plays a vital role in the region’s economic vibrancy: “Thousands of businesses, charities and major public services rely on KCOM’s network and we’re proud to support them to achieve their goals. We aim to offer first-class partnership, innovation and experience in every interaction. On top of that, KCOM’s wholesale team brings dynamic new entrants into the region’s broadband market including, from this month, national operator Telecom Acquisitions.” 

Neil Bartholomew, Managing Director of Consumer, added that KCOM are pioneering a new online experience for customers in their homes: “New technology means that high quality broadband is about so much more than speed. Earlier this month we launched our collaboration with eero, an Amazon company, stepping up the in-home experience we can give customers. Over the coming years and decades we’ll see more power given to customers in the shape of personalisation, prioritisation and protection in their online lives. KCOM is our region’s trusted partner to deliver that.” 

KCOM has been recognised by the ‘Oscars of telecoms’ at the ISPA Awards this month, winning the first ever Best Sustainability Award for their commitment in this area. In 2023, the business won Best Integrated Communications Campaign for its work raising awareness in local communities and vulnerable groups of the copper to fibre switchover. 

The 120^th celebrations will see 40 young people from the Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University, one of KCOM’s three charities of the year, cut into a cake shaped as one of KCOM’s iconic cream-coloured k6 telephone boxes. They will be joined by current and former staff and local dignitaries including Cllr Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council.