KCOM to invest £100 million to expand full fibre network

Last year, KCOM accounted for around 200,000 of the UK’s three million homes that have received full fibre broadband, but the company is seeking to expand even faster.

 

The new investment will more than double the company’s investment in fibre-to-the-premises.

 

“Our investment in fibre-to-the-premises technology to date has made Hull the UK’s first full fibre city, with broadband speeds that are the envy of the rest of the UK,” said KCOM chief executive Dale Raneberg.

 

Hull is one of the first full fibre cities in the UK and local industry is seeing huge benefits from the networks benefits. A study by Innovation Observatory found the overall estimated cumulative economic impact was more than £469 million between 2012 and 2018.

 

“By investing to develop and expand our networks we hope to deliver benefits to residents through infrastructure that will also underpin growth and innovation across the region. Our full fibre infrastructure is contributing to the creation of a regional powerhouse,” said Raneberg.

 

KCOL came under new ownership after being purchased by MEIF 6 Fibre Limited in August 2019. The increased investment indicates that these new owners have no doubts as to the economic value of increasing connection speed throughout the region.

 

“The £100m investment we’re announcing today is a huge vote of confidence in our regional business from our new owners, who recognise the great potential this region has to grow and prosper with quality ultrafast broadband,” explained Raneberg.

 

This announcement represents the first phase of a wider scheme to increase regional fibre accessibility, as well as being in line with the government’s plans to rapidly roll out full fibre infrastructure in the first half of the coming decade.

 

“We want every corner of the country to benefit from world-class, gigabit-speed broadband, so I welcome this big investment from KCOM to give more businesses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire the opportunity to take advantage of the fastest internet connections,” said UK digital secretary Nicky Morgan.