KCOM Group
KCOM Group is a Hull-based UK telecommunications and IT-services provider known for operating the area's historically distinct fixed-line network.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
KCOM Group, formerly known as Kingston Communications, is a telecommunications and information-technology services provider headquartered in Kingston upon Hull, England. Its principal consumer and local-business activity is concentrated in Hull and parts of East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, where the company operates a fixed-line network that developed separately from the national BT system. For historical reasons, Hull is the only UK locality whose traditional fixed telephone network was not absorbed into the Post Office Telephone service and subsequently British Telecom. KCOM therefore became the incumbent communications provider for a distinctive regional market in which most homes and many businesses historically obtained fixed-line services from the same local operator. The business originated as a municipal telephone undertaking. Hull Corporation received authorization to operate a telephone system in 1902 and opened its first exchange in November 1904. Unlike almost every other municipal telephone operator in Britain, Hull retained its independence rather than being absorbed by the Post Office. The council later acquired the local infrastructure of the National Telephone Company as a condition of renewing its licence, helping establish the long-term foundations of the Hull network. The company’s local identity was reinforced by its cream-coloured telephone boxes and by the city’s unusual telephone numbering and infrastructure arrangements. Technologically, the organization moved from manual and electromechanical exchanges to automatic systems, installing rotary equipment in the 1920s, Strowger exchanges from the 1930s, and a fully digital network by 1989. Its regional position also encouraged experimentation with consumer internet services. Kingston Communications established the Karoo internet service provider in the 1990s, offering relatively inexpensive untimed dial-up access within its local calling area before expanding into broadband. The company later developed ADSL, VDSL, video-on-demand and digital television services. Its Kingston Interactive TV service was discontinued in 2006, while the Karoo and KC brands were eventually consolidated. KCOM became a public company in 1999, when it was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Hull City Council initially retained a substantial shareholding but sold its remaining stake in 2007. That year, Kingston Communications adopted the KCOM Group name, reflecting an effort to present the business as a broader communications and technology group rather than solely as a municipal telephone operator. In April 2016, the group brought its customer-facing operations under the single KCOM brand. The company’s most important infrastructure program has been the conversion of its local network to fibre. Its Lightstream service uses fibre-to-the-premises technology, with optical network equipment installed at customer premises. KCOM reported that its fibre network covered approximately 97 percent of its footprint by March 2019, and Hull became the first UK city reported to have full-fibre availability for all residents in October of that year. The company subsequently extended fibre construction beyond its traditional Hull base into additional communities in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. KCOM’s local dominance has also generated regulatory and competitive scrutiny. Rivals and policymakers have questioned wholesale access, pricing and the practical difficulty of competing in a relatively small market where KCOM owns the established fixed-line infrastructure. Ofcom reviews did not conclude that KCOM was improperly excluding rivals, and some providers later obtained wholesale access or developed wireless alternatives. More recent controversy has concerned rival operators’ use of telegraph poles and access to KCOM’s underground network. In 2019, KCOM was acquired by MEIF 6 Fibre Ltd, a Macquarie Group business, and it subsequently sold its national ICT business to Nasstar…
History
KCOM's history begins with Hull Corporation's decision to establish a municipal telephone service. The corporation received a licence under the Telegraph Act 1899 on 22 August 1902 and opened its first exchange at the former Trippett Street Baths on 28 November 1904. During the early twentieth century, many municipal telephone systems were taken over by the Post Office Telephone department, the predecessor of British Telecom. Hull was the major exception. When its licence came up for renewal in 1914, the council accepted a condition requiring the purchase of the National Telephone Company's Hull infrastructure for £192,000, preserving the municipality's control over the local system. The network progressed through several generations of switching technology. An automatic rotary exchange opened in 1922, Strowger equipment was introduced from 1934, and the remaining electromechanical systems were progressively replaced. Rotary and Strowger exchanges continued in operation into the 1970s and 1980s, while the network became fully digital in 1989 using Marconi System X equipment. Hull's separate network produced visible local features, including cream-coloured telephone boxes, and gave the city a communications identity distinct from most of the United Kingdom. Kingston Communications developed beyond traditional telephony during the 1990s. It formed the Karoo internet service provider in 1996, initially building on local dial-up demand and the area's flat-rate local calling arrangements. Karoo became associated with untimed internet access and later offered broadband services. Kingston also experimented with advanced consumer services, including ADSL, video on demand and digital television. The Kingston Interactive TV service was withdrawn in 2006, as the company concentrated on more commercially sustainable connectivity products. The company entered the public markets in 1999 through a London Stock Exchange listing. Hull City Council retained a significant minority interest for several years, but sold its remaining 30.6 percent stake in 2007. Kingston Communications changed its corporate name to KCOM Group during the same year. In 2016, the group unified its consumer and business brands under KCOM, ending the previous use of Karoo and KC as principal customer brands. Broadband infrastructure became the central strategic priority. KCOM trialled 100 Mbit/s fibre service in Woodmansey in 2011 and expanded fibre coverage through East Yorkshire. Its Lightstream product uses fibre-to-the-premises connections, with a fibre cable extending to an optical network terminal at the customer's premises. By March 2019, fibre covered approximately 97 percent of the company's network footprint. In October 2019, Hull was described as the first UK city with full-fibre broadband available to all residents. KCOM continued expansion into surrounding communities, including a 2022 plan covering an additional 50,000 premises in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. The company's local infrastructure position has repeatedly attracted scrutiny. Because KCOM historically operated the fixed network serving nearly all Hull households, competitors argued that wholesale access and pricing could make market entry difficult. Complaints to Ofcom and a European Commission referral followed, although Ofcom's 2008 market review concluded that KCOM was not acting to exclude competitors and that its wholesale pricing and local-loop access arrangements were within the relevant market range. Alternative providers subsequently used wholesale arrangements, wireless links and other infrastructure to compete. KCOM's corporate profile changed again after financial pressure became visible in 2018, when it issued a profit warning, reduced its dividend and reported higher debt. MEIF 6 Fibre Ltd, associated with Macquarie Group, acquired the company in August 2019, ending its period as a listed business. In 2021, KCOM sold its national ICT business to Nasstar. The remaining business is primarily a regional connectivity operator focused on fibre broadband, telephone services, business connectivity and management of the Hull-area network.
- 2022
Regional FTTP expansion announced
[1]KCOM announced planned fibre expansion to 50,000 additional premises in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
- 2021
National ICT business sold to Nasstar
[1]KCOM completed the disposal of its national ICT business to Nasstar.
- 2019
Hull reaches citywide full-fibre availability
[1]Hull was reported as the first UK city where full-fibre broadband was available to all residents.
- 2019
KCOM is acquired by Macquarie Group
[1]MEIF 6 Fibre Ltd completed its acquisition of KCOM, taking the company private.
- 2016
Customer brands are consolidated under KCOM
[1]The group moved its operations and brands under the single KCOM identity.
- 2011
100 Mbit/s fibre trial begins
[1]KCOM began a six-month high-speed fibre trial involving homes in Woodmansey, East Yorkshire.
- 2007
Corporate name changes to KCOM Group
[1]The company changed its name from Kingston Communications to KCOM Group after Hull City Council sold its remaining stake.
- 2006
Kingston Interactive TV is discontinued
[1]The company announced the closure of its video-on-demand and digital television service.
- 1999
KCOM enters the London Stock Exchange
[1]Kingston Communications became a publicly listed company.
- 1996
Karoo internet service is established
[1]Kingston Communications created the Karoo ISP for consumers in Hull and surrounding areas.
Products and positioning
A regional, infrastructure-led communications provider with a strong Hull identity, emphasizing full-fibre connectivity, local network ownership and service to homes and businesses in its historic operating area.
Fibre broadband
Lightstream
KCOM's fibre-to-the-premises broadband service. Lightstream connects customer premises directly to the fibre network and terminates at an optical network terminal inside the property. The service was central to KCOM's effort to replace legacy copper-based access in Hull and extend high-speed connectivity across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
Consumer internet service · 1996
Karoo
A consumer internet brand established by Kingston Communications in the 1990s. Karoo became known for untimed dial-up access in Hull before developing into a broadband service. Its activities formed part of KCOM's earlier consumer portfolio and were later absorbed into the unified KCOM brand.
Digital television and video on demand
Kingston Interactive TV
An early multimedia service combining video-on-demand and digital television. The service represented KCOM's attempt to expand beyond fixed telephony and internet access, but the company announced in 2006 that it would cease operations.
Business internet
Eclipse Internet
A KCOM subsidiary and business connectivity operation providing internet services for organizations. It formed part of the group's business communications portfolio before KCOM sold its national ICT business to Nasstar in 2021.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Craven Park naming-rights sponsorship
Hull
KCOM held naming rights to Craven Park, the home ground of Hull Kingston Rovers rugby league club.
Outcome. The sponsorship ended in 2019.
- 2002MKM Stadium naming-rights sponsorship
Hull
KCOM held naming rights to Hull's principal football and rugby league stadium, which hosted Hull City A.F.C. and Hull F.C. matches.
Outcome. The naming-rights arrangement continued until 2021.
Brand decisions
2022
Expand the FTTP network beyond HullGeneration changeBackground
KCOM had built a substantial full-fibre footprint in Hull and planned to extend coverage into neighboring regional communities.
Action taken
The company announced an expansion intended to reach a further 50,000 premises across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
Aftermath
The expansion increased direct competition with Openreach-based providers and other full-fibre network operators.
2021
Sell national ICT business to NasstarM&ABackground
KCOM operated both regional connectivity infrastructure and a broader national ICT business.
Action taken
The national ICT business was sold to managed-services provider Nasstar.
Aftermath
The transaction reinforced KCOM's concentration on its regional network and connectivity operations.
2019
Accept acquisition by MEIF 6 FibreM&ABackground
KCOM faced financial pressure after a 2018 profit warning and remained a listed regional infrastructure operator.
Action taken
MEIF 6 Fibre Ltd, a Macquarie Group business, acquired KCOM in August 2019 at 120.3 pence per share.
Aftermath
KCOM became privately owned and continued its focus on regional fibre and communications infrastructure.
Acquisition price per share. 120.3 pence (August 2019)
2016
Unify operating brands under KCOMStrategyBackground
The group had previously marketed services through names including Karoo and KC.
Action taken
KCOM moved its brands and operations under a single KCOM identity.
Aftermath
The unified brand became the principal public identity for the company's residential and business connectivity services.
2006
Withdraw from video-on-demand and digital televisionStrategyBackground
Kingston Communications had operated Kingston Interactive TV as part of an attempt to broaden its communications offering.
Action taken
The company announced that the video-on-demand and digital television services would cease on 1 April 2006.
Aftermath
The business concentrated more heavily on internet access, telephony and later fibre infrastructure.
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