Hull residents will soon find it easier to compare and switch broadband providers, as wholesale-only fibre network operator, MS3 Networks, partners with UK leading comparison website, Uswitch.com, to showcase the deals of seven Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the region.
Hull is the most expensive city in the UK for broadband, costing residents on average £11 per month more than the rest of the UK, according to Ofcom data.
Many local residents have to date been reliant on one fixed line provider, KCOM, and even those who are aware of new, smaller alternative networks (altnets) in the area have had to manually search and compare what deals are available to them.
Through this new partnership, residents will now be able to see and compare deals available to them in one place, in minutes with a range of local providers now listed on Uswitch.com, offering potential savings of around £19 per month.
The new local providers (ISPs) include Hull Fibre, Open Fibre, Link Broadband, Octaplus, Squirrel, Zone Broadband and Fiber Zone, and make use of MS3 Networks‘ reliable gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure for their service.
A number of the ISPs are offering exclusive pricing for the launch on Uswitch.com, including Hull Fibre (£24.99 p/m and first month free), Open Fibre (£24.99 p/m), Infinics Accelerate (£24.00 p/m) and Octaplus over a range of 12 and 24 month contracts.
Better savings and more choice are not the only factors benefiting the region, as full fibre faster internet speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps will ensure Hull remains one of the fastest locations in the UK.
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching and has saved consumers over £2.5 billion off their bills since launching in September 2000.
As a wholesale-only network provider MS3 supplies fibre to the premise (FTTP) connectivity to consumers through its partnerships with multiple ISPs. The independent telecommunications provider rollout means over 100,000 households in the Humberside area will be able to benefit, and the network is committed to providing full fibre connectivity to Hull, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, and Cleethorpes. In total, 500,000 premises are expected to be eligible for MS3’s full fibre network by the end of 2025.
The installation rollout forms part of the Government’s target of providing full fibre access to 85% of UK premises by 2025. At the end of 2022, 11.6 million premises were recorded with potential to connect.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com comments: “For many Hull residents, being left with limited broadband options is a longstanding frustration, affecting their savings, internet experience and even work-life balance, such as the extent to which they can effectively work from home. Now, in a few easy clicks they have power in their hands, and access to cutting edge speeds and a more reliable connection.
“Partnering with MS3 Networks, we have now successfully onboarded several internet service providers, as the company’s full fibre roll-out continues to give more Hull residents the choice of quality deals they deserve”.
Guy Miller, CEO of MS3 Networks comments: “Uswitch has a longstanding reputation as a trusted source for saving people money on their utilities, so we are proud to be partnering with them to ensure Hull residents find it simple and easy to compare what deals are available to them”.
Ernest Doku’s fact check: Common broadband switching myths when switching to an ‘alternative network’
- Myth 1: “I’ll get stuck with slower broadband speeds”
Truth: the quest for a better-connected Britain has meant that massive improvements have been made in terms of access to superfast broadband throughout the country. Alternative Networks are currently at the forefront of speeds, often using technology such as pure full fibre to place them as the fastest in market.
- Myth 2: “I’m probably getting the best deal with my current provider”
Truth: It is always worth running a comparison to see what deals are available in your area. Most broadband contracts last for 12 or 18 months, and at the end of that time, you might find deals offering lower prices and faster speeds than currently have. Some sites also offer one time exclusive deals, which can provide a big saving.
- Myth 3: “I don’t need faster speeds”
Truth: everyone’s situation is different.Having faster speeds (of up to 1,000 mbs) and higher bandwidth means you can do more online with ease, reducing the chance of buffering, long load times, and other connection issues. This makes gaming, streaming, and other online activities a smoother experience. The price for the higher speeds provided by alternative networks will often give you more speed for what you pay either way.
- Myth 4: “Full fibre broadband is too expensive”
Truth: full fibre could actually be cheaper than your current broadband package. Thanks to superfast connections becoming more available, the cost of these faster connections has come down substantially. Nowadays, you can find full fibre broadband deals for as low as £25 per month – for example, an Infinics Accelerate 100Mbps deal for a 12 month contact is available exclusively at Uswitch.com for eligible Hull addresses.
- Myth 5: “I’ll lose internet access when I switch”
Truth: once you’ve signed up with your chosen broadband provider, MS3 will send a member of the team out to survey the outside of your property and plan the route to bring our fibre network to your house. If all approved by you, at a date of your choosing, an engineer will drill a small hole (10mm), in most cases above your front door, and will run a discreet, surface-mounted cable inside your property to the closest plug socket. In most cases, installations take about an hour and you’ll have access from that day.
- Myth 6: “Switching to a smaller, lesser known provider can be risky”: Uswitch quality checks all providers listed on its website to ensure they are financially secure, and must meet a particular standard of customer service before they are listed on our platform.
Case study
Annie Is an NHS Doctor based in Hull. She rents with her partner close to Hull city centre, and they have been with KCOM since moving from London.
She and her partner use between one to four hours of broadband per day in the evening after work for streaming shows, speaking with friends or one of Annie’s favourite pastimes, online clothes shopping.
They currently pay £59.99 per month for KCOM’s Full Fibre 500 Package (100mpbs), which lasts 24 months with unlimited data. With MS3’s roll-out and by switching provider, Annie could benefit from £19 per month saving and gain 100Mbs extra by switching to Infinics (hosted on MS3 Networks).
Annie says “With KCOM, we don’t really get the speed or experience that meets our expectations.
“Coming from a family home in London, we’re used to quite stable broadband. We’ve wanted to change providers for a while now, but there just haven’t been any other options available, which is frustrating.
“We tend to use the internet in the evening for streaming shows, speaking with friends or playing the PlayStation. I’m also a big fan of online shopping – maybe too much so!
“I’m glad to hear we may have more choices here soon, and would definitely be up for switching, especially if lower prices are available.”
To view the deals available via MS3 in Hull, visit Uswitch.com