Hull and East Riding's (Yorkshire, UK) incumbent internet and phone provider, KC (Karoo), has today announced the official launch of its new 100Mbps superfast KC Lightstream and KC Lightstream Business fibre optic ( FTTP ) broadband services. On average the new service is said to cost just "£5 more per month" than KC's standard copper based 'up to' 24Mbps ( ADSL2+ ) broadband packages.

The service, which has been in trial for several months, aims to reach 15,000 local homes and businesses before the end of 2012. Installations will take place in parts of east and west Hull, as well as to the north of Hull, in Beverley and across several East Yorkshire villages.


Consumers will be able to choose from four broadband-only packages priced from £25 per month, which will offer download speeds of between 45Mbps and 100Mbps. A range of peak usage allowances up to 600GB, with unlimited overnight (off-peak) downloads, will also be on offer. Meanwhile phone and fibre broadband bundles are expected to start at £35.

Homes and businesses in the Grovehill (Beverley) area will be the first to receive KC's new service, with customer installations starting in two weeks’ time on Monday 6th February 2012. Other installations in Beverley will include the Grange Way, Lockwood Road, Butt Lane, Old Manor Lawns, Lincoln Way, Poplars Way and Norwood areas.

KC's Pre-Planned 2012 Fibre Installations
* Priory Park business park in Hessle
* Barnsley Street, Belmont Street and Buckingham Street off Holderness Road
* A number of East Yorkshire villages including Skidby
* Flats and apartments in areas including Hull city centre
* Kingswood in the north of Hull
* Parts of Greatfield estate in east Hull, as well as other areas of east Hull
* Victoria Dock
* Parts of Sutton-on-Hull
* Parts of west Hull around Pickering Park

KC claims to have chosen true fibre optic Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) as its "technology of choice" for delivering the service, although some areas will also make use of slower FTTC technology.

It's also worth pointing out that most of the above areas will still be subject to detailed engineering surveys, which need to be completed before any work can begin. Sadly the rollout will still leave many rural areas without access to superfast speeds.