Cloud Gaming ISP ZYBRE Joins KCOM Full Fibre Broadband Network UPDATE

A new cloud gaming friendly UK ISP called ZYBRE has today announced that their services are being made available to homes covered by KCOM’s gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, thanks to a new wholesale agreement.

At present, KCOM’s network is gradually working toward a coverage of around 250,000 premises in the region (currently c.220K) and, since being acquired by Macquarie Infrastructure for £627m (here), they’ve made no secret of their desire to attract more ISPs on to their wholesale platform.

The latest ISP to join that somewhat limited club is London-based ZYBRE, which is a company that was only incorporated in May 2021, and sadly they don’t yet have any easily accessible package or price details on their website. Instead, you have to fill in a form and request this information manually, which is a big roadblock for attracting consumer interest.

However, unlike rival providers, ZYBRE is aiming to set itself apart from other broadband ISPs by bundling in cloud video gaming and TV solutions, such as NVIDIA’s SHIELD TV Pro and GeForce NOW game streaming service. On top of that, there will also be various VoIP phone and Mobile SIM options.

ZYBRE also claims to be launching “its own cloud gaming platform“, which will be free to subscribers of ZYBRE and is due for release toward the end of July. ZYBRE Games will give users access to over 200 casual play games, accessible on the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro.

Jonny Robinson, ZYBRE Co-Founder and CEO, said:

“We want to provide Hull and the rest of the UK with something new and exciting, and our partnership with KCOM allows us the opportunity to deliver just that, with the use of the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro. The proposition of customisable TV alongside cloud gaming sets us apart from other providers within the ISP space and gives both families and individuals access to a wider opportunity of entertainment.”

Tim Shaw, MD of KCOM Wholesale & Networks, said:

“We’re delighted to join forces with ZYBRE to deliver what will be a next level broadband service specially designed to give gamers the very best online experience. Our ultrafast full fibre network and ZYBRE’s home entertainment services are a winning combination which will be a must have for all serious gamers while also opening up a world of options for streaming TV services such as Netflix, Prime, Disney+ and Pluto.

This is another example of KCOM wholesale & networks’ commitment to providing customers across our network area with more choice through exciting new services that deliver new and innovative solutions.”

All of this sounds very interesting and ZYBRE states that their “broadband & gaming services are available across KCOM’s network now,” but without any easy way to see what they’re actually offering, such as in terms of packages and prices via their website, then it’s very hard to judge the attractiveness of such a bundle. The announcement didn’t include any solid details either.

Elsewhere, the website mentions that “our FTTH network allows for over 5.7 million homes in the UK to have access to ultrafast broadband with speeds up to 1000 Mbps,” which suggests to us that they’re also harnessing Openreach’s network too, and possibly others.

In addition, there’s mention on their site of some “state of the art technology” called GAMEPLAY+™️, which is expressed as a mix of “custom profiles specific for gaming“, “elevated bandwidths on specific IP traffic” and “we peer all our traffic directly, providing gamers with smooth gameplay and low latency.” All of this could do with a bit more context, but it sounds like the same sort of traffic prioritisation that most ISPs can do.

UPDATE 16th July 2021

The ISP has now added a postcode availability checker to their website, albeit only for HU codes. The output still only gives a fairly basic summary, but packages start at £59.99 a month for 24-months plus £49.99 (one-off) setup and rise to £89.99 for 900Mbps. By comparison, 100Mbps on KCOM is £39.99 (reduced to £24.99 for the first 6 months of an 18-month term) and there’s a £24.99 one-off setup fee.

The price is expensive, but you do get an Nvidia Shield TV Pro (worth c.£180) and Zyxel VMG8825-T50K (worth c.£100) in with that. The ZYBRE Games service is also part of this, but not enough information is provided on what that actually gives you.