If you live in Hull, KCOM will be your go-to for a broadband service. But if you’re outside of Hull and in a town that is covered by KCOM, is it the right broadband for you? Our KCOM broadband guide will help you answer the questions you might have about its service, reviews and how to get in touch with this broadband provider. Keep reading to see if you should sign up to KCOM.
Who Is KCOM?
KCOM has been around since 1904, starting out in the Hull Municipal Corporation as the telephone department. Since then, they’ve gone on to become one of the longest-established telecommunications companies in the UK and now exclusively supply Hull and the surrounding areas with its own Lightstream full fibre broadband.
KCOM is currently owned by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA), the world’s largest infrastructure manager which bought KCOM for £629 million in 2019. It is dedicated to helping both business and residential customers in Hull access better internet and in April 2022 appointed Tim Shaw as CEO to help the business with its expansion plans.
Where Is KCOM Broadband Available?
Presently, KCOM broadband is only available in the Hull region, but they have expanded as far out as Goole, Hornsea, Pocklington, and even parts of Bridlington. According to its website availability tracker, KCOM broadband is ‘on the way’ to other towns such as:
Longer term plans are to expand the KCOM network into the rest of East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Why Is KCOM The Only Provider In Hull?
Before BT was founded, the Post Office was responsible for telecommunication services in the UK. Before that, it was the local council who maintained its network infrastructure. When the UK telecom sector was nationalised, Hull City Council refused to give up control and decided to remain independent and remain in control of its own network.
Also, if you visit Hull you won’t find any red telephone boxes. Instead, Hull has cream-coloured phone boxes.
That being said, by law KCOM, as an independent network operator, must open up its network to other companies in the same way that BT Openreach is required to do so. However, other companies are reluctant to invest in KCOM infrastructure due to the relatively small size of Hull and the return on ivestment.
In recent years, other broadband providers have begun to install their own networks in some parts of the region providing competition to KCOM, but coverage is still scattered.
The main alternative to KCOM would be opting for satellite broadband, such as Starlink - which can be very expensive. Or, by choosing an unlimited mobile deal and using a 4G/5G router. A plan with a 5G connection can offer comparable speeds to a fibre connection.
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KCOM Packages
If KCOM is available to your property, you will probably want to know how much a KCOM package will set you back. So let’s take a look at what KCOM packages consist of.
Are KCOM Packages affordable? KCOM is far from the cheapest broadband provider in the UK. So if you’re price-conscious, and are not restricted to choosing KCOM, then you might want to compare other broadband providers over KCOM. However, it is one of the fastest broadband networks in the UK - so if price is not a problem and you’re looking for ultra-fast broadband then keep reading.
There are five KCOM packages available at the time of writing and all offer:
- Unlimited data/downloads
- Minimum 18 month contract
- £24.99 connection fee
- CPI + 3.9% annual price increase (each March)
What’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) mean?
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a way to measure the increase in the cost of goods and services. The CPI recently rose to 6.2% in February 2022, which means a KCOM package would have increased by more than 10%.
Broadband providers will often link its deals to the CPI and pass on the rise in costs to its customers, it's important to read the terms and conditions of any broadband deal to see how the CPI cost is factored in. Some broadband providers such as Direct Save Telecom or italk offer fixed prices without a mid-contract rise.
When choosing the best KCOM package for you, you will need to consider how many people will be using the internet to decide which speed option to choose.
In the table below, you can compare KCOM packages to find the one that fits your needs.
| KCOM Packages | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download Speed | 30 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 400 Mbps | 900 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 5 Mbps | 15 Mbps | 30 Mbps | 80 Mbps | 180 Mbps |
| Minimum Contract | 18 Months | 18 Months | 18 Months | 18 Months | 18 Months |
| Router Included | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Set up fee | £24.99 | £24.99 | £24.99 | £24.99 | £24.99 |
| Monthly Price | £29.99 | £34.99 | £39.99 | £54.99 | £69.99 |
Last updated 10/05/2022
How Much Does KCOM Cost To Install? Not all broadband providers charge a set up fee, but KCOM does. At the time of writing, all KCOM packages have a £24.99 connection fee.
Does KCOM Offer A TV Service?
No, unfortunately KCOM does not offer a TV option to bundle with its broadband packages. This means customers who have KCOM broadband will need to sign up to a traditional pay TV service such as Sky TV or NOW TV.
Alternatively you might want to consider a streaming service such as Netgem TV, which for £10 a month gives you access to:
- 210+ live channels including Freeview!
- 35+ apps
- Premier Sports included (worth £12.99/month)
- 40,000 hours of on-demand content
- Choice of add-ons (BT Sport, Rakuten TV, BritBox, hayu, etc)
- Unlimited Mobile TV
- 4K TV box included (worth £149)
And you don’t need to be a KCOM broadband customer to enjoy the benefits of Netgem TV. You can sign up directly with Selectra without switching your broadband provider. But remember, if you’re watching live TV you will need a TV Licence.
How Fast Is KCOM Broadband?
KCOM broadband is one of the fastest networks in the UK, offering speeds of up to 900 Mbps. Speed-wise, it’s only matched by Virgin Media and London based Community Fibre.
KCOM Broadband Review
According to Trustpilot, the consumer review portal, KCOM is rated as Average with just 3 out of 5 stars. However, as this provider is regionally based there are only 486 KCOM reviews at the time of writing.
Unfortunately for KCOM, the majority of its reviews are from dissatisfied customers which make up 64% of the reviews. The main gripe appears to be from KCOM being unable to fulfil its promises that its sales team make.
| Excellent | Great | Average | Poor | Bad | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 58% | /5 ★★★☆☆ |
Out of 486 KCOM reviews on 15/05/2022
One star because the ads... you cannot trust. In the ads, it is very good, but in real life... NOT AT ALL. Yes, I'm looking at you, lightstream! Sad that it is the only one in Hull. :(
I have been with BT for over 15 years, when Kcom laid fibre in my area they had some good deals so I decided to go with them, Kcom informed BT of the date I would be switching over, however Kcom could not provide the service on that date, so my BT account was cancelled and Kcom could not give me a date when they could provide a service, so I am now left with no internet and I am having to sort it out needless to say I have cancelled my contract with Kcom I will not be using there service and I would not recommend them to anyone either.
Promised everything on the phone during the sales, but kcom can't be arsed to fulfill their side of the contract
Kcom came with a good speed and price offer, so decided to change my provider. When they finely installed everything I got Internet that losing connection every 2 minutes. In my browser I see more error with DNS server then Web sites I check. After engineer visit still to changes. If I ask when it will be fixed answer is "we don't know".
The 32% of positive KCOM reviews do go on to praise the KCOM customer service team who are polite, helpful and professional. KCOM also reaches out to customers who leave a positive review to thank them for the review - most other providers tend to only reply to negative reviews. In our opinion, this is a nice touch from KCOM.
Everything went to plan, workers arrived on time and day. Very polite and helpful.
Shaun in sales was great, very helpful and spoke to me like a human being!
New customer - recently had broadband installed. Efficient service, good communication and very happy with broadband following installation.
Very friendly had answers to all question. Told me how to go about switching how to do it properly
Contact KCOM
If you’ve got a problem with your connection and need to Contact KCOM, you can do so in the following ways:
- Telephone
- Live chat
- Web form
- BSL Interpreters
- In-person at the office in Hull
KCOM customer service options are some of the most comprehensive of all broadband providers who usually only have one or two contact methods.
To contact KCOM by phone you will need to use the KCOM contact number that’s best for your situation. In the table below, you will find all the contact numbers for KCOM and the opening hours.
| KCOM Customer Service Department | Phone Number | Opening Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Customer services and Sales | 01482 602555 | Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 8am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 4pm |
| Technical Support | 01482 606101 | Mon to Fri 7am to 10pm, Sat 7am to 6pm, Sun 8am to 6pm |
| Landline Faults | 01482 602151 or 151 from your KCOM landline | 24/7/365 |
| Account Enquires | 01482 604706 | 24/7/365 |
| Vulnerable Customers and NHS Employees | 01482 602168 | Mon to Fri 7am to 10pm, Sat 7am to 6pm, Sun 8am to 6pm |
Last updated 10/05/2022
KCOM Login
If you’re a KCOM customer, you will probably want to be able to manage your account with as little fuss as possible. With a KCOM login, you can manage your account and your KCOM router online easily and quickly. With a KCOM login you will be able to:
- Manage your KCOM account
- Monitor your bills and payments
- View your outstanding balance
- Upgrade your services
- View and update your personal details
- Change Direct Debit information
- See your data usage
KCOM Login problems
If you’re having problems with your KCOM login, you can easily reset your password by entering the email address you use for your KCOM login and pressing the forgotten password. KCOM will send you an email with a link to reset your password.
If you forget your email address, you will need to get in touch with KCOM customer service who will be able to help you further. However, you will need to have your KCOM account number handy when you call. This can be found on one of your bills.
KCOM Webmail
KCOM offers a webmail service to all its customers, and you don’t only get emails, with KCOM webmail you also have a handy way to save your contacts and a calendar to manage your schedule.
You will receive details on how to access your KCOM webmail, such as your new KCOM webmail email address and password when you sign up to KCOM but here are some features you can look forward to:
- Modern look KCOM webmail portal
- Accessible via any web browser
- Customisable calendars
- Unlimited contact storage
- Add contacts into groups
- 16mb email attachment limit
- Send emails in plain text or HTML
Read more articles about KCOM
How to reach KCOM Contact: Phone, Email & Live Chat
