Broadband provider KCOM launch cheap eSIM unlimited UK 5G mobile service
Broadband and phone provider KCOM, which have built a full fibre (FTTP) network across parts of East Yorkshire (mostly Hull) and Lincolnshire in England, has this week become the latest company to launch their own eSIM-based virtual 5G mobile service with an “exclusive” discount for existing customers – offering unlimited calls, texts and data.
As we’ve said before, not a week seems to go by these days without somebody somewhere introducing their own eSIM powered mobile service. KCOM have thus joined a long line of telecoms providers and other companies to introduce something similar, which is often partly intended to help reduce customer churn.
The new eSIM mobile plan from KCOM includes unlimited calls, texts and data (mobile broadband) on a 30-day rolling contract, which will set non-KCOM customers back £26 per month. But existing broadband and phone customers will benefit from an exclusive discount that reduces this to just £16 per month. A Fair Usage Policy (FUP) does apply, but on first glance it doesn’t appear to set a clear data limit (we could be wrong).
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However, unlike quite a few similar plans from other providers, KCOM has NOT included any EU roaming (you have to add travel data eSIM in the KCOM eSIM app for that). In addition, this is an eSIM only service, so there’s no option for a physical SIM card either.
KCOM MD, Neil Bartholomew, said:
“This is a fantastic news for KCOM customers who can now get both their broadband and mobile phone eSIM from one trusted local provider – meaning an all-in-one better value deal.
At a time when the cost of living is still a huge issue for many families, our affordable mobile service means customers can stay connected for less. Existing KCOM customers can get even further value for money with our discounted package of just £16 per and, because it’s unlimited, there’s no more worrying about hidden extra costs or running out of data.
This means KCOM is now unbeatable for connectivity both when you’re at home and when you’re out – all backed by KCOM reliability and excellent local customer service.”
Customers who do decided to take this will require an eSIM compatible Smartphone (most modern handsets can handle these) and can then sign-up by downloading the plan through KCOM’s eSIM App. For business users the same app allows you to get a business eSIM featuring the same unlimited calls and data, two numbers for personal and business use, a flexible rolling contract and the ex-VAT price.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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How can they all survive? I love competition, but so many different mobile services.
I presume this is available only with their broadband.
Would not surprise me if Zzoomm don’t do one at some point, must be easy and cheap to set up one of these virtual mobile things. sorry, can’t think of the name of them 🙂
Smarty is fine, a fiver a month for 4GB, my only issue is the App, it keeps signing me out when not used for a while.
The cost to enter the MVNO market is now negligible so I’d imagine the required scale to survive is quite low. In the main it’s just a reselling business. The only real decision is which network to sign up with and then whether to resell bought in minute and data packages, or buy in bulk and create your own bundles which carries a little more risk and billing cost, but allows for better theoretical margins at scale. Ideally you need a brand or established customer base to sell into as KCOM are doing here.
The bigger question is what happens when the higher margin MNO bases are eroded by their own MVNO customers? Earlier this year I switched my mother from a Vodafone SIM to Voxi as it was half price for the same tariff and with just a 1 month commitment. The only challenge was placing the switch as the Voxi portal blocked ports with Vodafone PAC so had to do via a call.
@Anon, MVNO, that is it, I could not thi9nk what it was called. 🙂
They can’t all keep going, they have to pay something for the network and. if they don’t get enough customers then it is not going to pay, I would have thought.
I have never heard of Voxi or if I did i had forgotten about it and this is the thing, with so many of them, many are not going to be heard of. How many will change from something they already have unless it is a lot cheaper?
I could get better value if I changed what I am on now, more data for a bit more money, but it would only be better value if I used that data. I have 4GB of data and I am lucky if I use half of it a month. So yeah, I may get a deal that cost me £3 a month more than what i am paying for 20GB of data, but what is the point?
Still not a fan of Esim, so I will avoid that for as long as I can.
A monthly data usage threshold of 450GB applies to their unlimited plans. It is in the fair usage policy: https://www.kcom.com/home/media/oahp3tgx/esim-consumer-fair-usage-policy.pdf
LOL, not unlimited then, then again I bet a fair few have this limitation on so-called unlimited plans.