Launch of KC Speed Map makes actual broadband speeds available for every postcode in the Hull and East Riding region

London, UK – 3rd March, 2010: KC (Kingston Communications), the industry leading provider of telecommunications services such as broadband and telephony, has today set the standard for broadband speed transparency and is calling for other providers to follow suit. By measuring the performance of every active home broadband connection (known locally as Karoo), it has created a visual 'Speed Map' which makes typical broadband speeds available for the first time - for every post code in the Hull and East Riding region

“One of the most frustrating aspects for consumers is that the service they sign up for doesn’t always match the ‘up to’ speeds that are advertised by broadband providers,” comments Nick Thompson, Director of Consumer and Publishing Services at KC. “Using KC’s Speed Map, broadband users can now check and compare actual broadband speeds, on any given post code, before signing up or moving home. With last year’s Digital Britain report calling for greater transparency, we are urging other providers to follow our lead.”

Speed is still a key issue as people increasingly use the internet for bandwidth-hungry applications such as streaming and downloading video and audio. Not only do broadband speeds fluctuate across networks – getting slower the further away from the telephone exchange – but it is also difficult for broadband users to know what speeds they can expect as providers only give out the maximum ‘up to’ speeds. Furthermore, previously published speed maps have traditionally estimated speeds based on line lengths or a very small number of connection speeds within a given geographical area - making them highly inaccurate.

By taking readings every fifteen minutes from every active Karoo broadband connection and calculating the average speed for each post code, KC has created a Speed Map which provides a uniquely rich picture of broadband performance across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Using the speed checker tool, it is also possible to check the typical speed being delivered to residents in any particular postcode, on both ADSL and ADSL2+ services*.

Having made significant investments in upgrading its core network, and with 14 telephone exchanges across its network that make line lengths generally shorter than the rest of the UK, KC customers benefit from the one of the country’s best performing fixed line networks - 83% of those on an ADSL2+ connections in the area receive average speeds of 6Mbps or more and almost 100% receive minimum speeds of 2Mbps*.

“We believe that high speed broadband should be available to everyone and are committed to creating a highly connected community in the region,” continues Thompson. “Not only have we upgraded our core network, we are also making significant investments to address the last few remaining areas that are not yet enjoying broadband speeds of 2Mbps.”

The speed map can be viewed at www.karoo.co.uk/speedmap.

*Speed will fluctuate depending on what time of day the connection is being used, distance from the exchange, use of extension leads and wiring and what website they are visiting. The internet is like a motorway, the more traffic on it the slower it gets.

About KC

KC (Kingston Communications) provides telephony, broadband and internet services to businesses and consumers in Hull and across the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The business opened its first telephone exchange in 1904 and was the only municipally owned telephone company that wasn’t absorbed into the Post Office Telephone department, which was subsequently to become BT. It has since remained an exception within the UK telephone network and is noted for its distinctive cream coloured telephone boxes and innovative services - in 1954 it produced the UK’s first classified Business Directory (known as Golden Pages) and in 1989 it installed Europe’s first fully digital network.