UPDATE KCOM Gift FREE Broadband to 150 Homes in Hull’s Orchard Park

Around 150 homes on the Orchard Park housing estate in North West Hull (East Yorkshire, England) look set to receive 6 months of free broadband from local ISP KCOM, which forms part of a joint initiative with Hull City Council that is attempting to help get more people online.

Apparently the estate suffers from “lower than average rates of home Internet usage” and the council are keen to change that, particularly given that a growing number of services (e.g. some government benefits) can now only be accessed online. So far 30 households have already signed up and more should follow.

Some of those taking part will also benefit from the opportunity to sign-up for a six-month loan of a reconditioned laptop, which we hope will have a modern and secure operating system so as to reduce the threat from online fraud and viruses.

Sadly the “free” Internet connectivity will only last for 6 months and it’s unclear if this also covers the cost of line rental. Otherwise it doesn’t sound too different from the special offers that most of the major ISPs seem to run almost every other week, except sadly you can’t get those in Hull.

Sue Helmont, KCOM’s Director of Consumer Services, said:

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the council to get more people in Hull connected to the internet at home. We know that many residents feel worried about using the internet for the first time and some don’t have access to the equipment needed or a friendly face to show them what to do. This project is about breaking down some of these barriers, in a relaxed atmosphere, to get more people in Hull online.”

Elsewhere residents will also be able to get online via new WiFi hotspots in The Orchard Centre, the Parks Children’s Centre and the nearby McMillan Children’s Centre. In addition, Face-to-face support for people taking part in the project, and for other Orchard Park residents who need help to get online, will be on hand at The Bungalow, a new drop-in centre at 53 Clanthorpe.

UPDATE 29th June 2016

We can confirm that the free Internet does include the cost of line rental, which makes it much more attractive.