11 November 2008
People living in Kingston upon Hull feel they are living in a broadband black hole, according to an article in the Guardian.
The newspaper reports that thousands of residents have signed a petition demanding greater competition in the area.
There are no BT lines in Hull and the city is served by the telecoms provider Kingston Communications and its broadband arm Karoo.
Residents claim the company charges high prices to rivals looking for access to its lines and it is therefore difficult to get broadband through other suppliers.
"We are missing out on super deals offered by companies such as Orange and Sky," their petition reads.
"Scrap the monopoly that Kingston Communications hold in Hull for broadband users."
Hull - which is currently undergoing a programme of regeneration - has a resident population of around 250,000 and is the only city in the UK to have its own independent telephone network company.
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