KCOM Broadband Review 2026
KCOM provides full fibre broadband over its own network across Hull, East Yorkshire and selected nearby areas. Its current new-customer range centres on Power Fibre 100, Power Fibre 500 and Power Fibre 900, with fast upload speeds, unlimited data, a static IP address and an Amazon eero Wi-Fi 7 router.
The service is unusual in two useful ways. KCOM can provide equal average download and upload speeds on its 100Mbps and 500Mbps plans, while customers who do not want a long commitment can choose a separate 30-day Roll package. Eligible households also have access to two low-cost Flex social tariffs.
KCOM is worth considering when its full fibre network reaches your home and you value fast uploads, a modern router or local support. Check the live postcode price carefully: standard plans have a 24-month term, scheduled March increases and a higher charge after the minimum term.
KCOM broadband at a glance
KCOM’s own full fibre network rather than the Openreach network.
Average download speeds of 100Mbps, 500Mbps and 900Mbps.
100Mbps, 500Mbps and 500Mbps respectively on the three main plans.
24 months for Power Fibre, with separate 30-day Roll and Flex services.
eero 7 with 100 and 500; eero Pro 7 with 900.
Regional availability and scheduled increases on standard fixed-term plans.
Get up to £200 welcome credit.
KCOM broadband prices and latest offers
| Plan | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Power Fibre 100 24 months eero 7 |
100Mbps average download 100Mbps average upload |
£19.99 a month Annual increase: £2 See deal |
| Power Fibre 500 24 months eero 7 |
500Mbps average download 500Mbps average upload |
£24.99 a month Annual increase: £3 See deal |
| Power Fibre 900 24 months eero Pro 7 |
900Mbps average download 500Mbps average upload |
£29.99 a month Annual increase: £3 See deal |
Contract costs
- Standard Power Fibre plans use a 24-month minimum term.
- The stated increase applies on 1 March each year.
- An additional £5 a month applies after the minimum term if the customer does not renew.
- Early termination charges are calculated for each month left on the agreement.
Setup and billing
- The published standard activation charge is £24.99, although offers can remove it.
- A self-install router delivery can cost £6.49.
- Non-Direct Debit payment adds £1 a month; paper billing adds £2.50 a month.
- KCOM can apply another increase, but its terms allow a penalty-free cancellation within the stated notice window.
Flex social tariffs
Full Fibre Flex provides 30Mbps average download and upload speeds for £14.99 a month. Full Fibre Flex Plus provides 50Mbps in both directions for £19.99 a month. Both have unlimited data, an eero 6+ router, inclusive calls, no annual price increase and a 30-day rolling agreement.
Eligibility includes specified means-tested and disability benefits, care leavers, certain care-home residents and Lifeline referrals. The account holder must be the eligible person and must provide evidence.
Households suited to KCOM broadband
KCOM is worth considering for
- Homes within its regional full fibre footprint.
- Remote workers and creators who transfer large files.
- Busy households using several streams, calls and cloud services.
- Customers who want a static IP included.
- People who prefer local call centres and engineers.
Other services may suit
- Homes outside KCOM’s network area.
- Customers seeking the lowest national-provider price.
- Anyone who wants a television bundle from the broadband provider.
- People unwilling to accept annual contract increases.
- Homes that need mobile backup during a fibre fault.
KCOM plan selector
Choose the household size, busiest activity and preferred agreement. The result is a starting point rather than an availability guarantee.
eero 7 and eero Pro 7 routers
KCOM now includes Wi-Fi 7 equipment with its main fixed-term packages. Power Fibre 100 and Power Fibre 500 receive the dual-band eero 7. Power Fibre 900 receives the faster tri-band eero Pro 7.
BroadbandAnalyst.co.uk
| Feature | eero 7 | eero Pro 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 | Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 |
| Connected devices | 120+ claimed | 200+ claimed |
| Ethernet ports | Two 2.5GbE ports | Two 5GbE ports |
| KCOM package | Power Fibre 100 and 500 | Power Fibre 900 |
Wi-Fi 7 gives compatible devices access to the router’s newer wireless features. Older phones, televisions and laptops still connect, but their own Wi-Fi hardware sets the limit. KCOM’s device totals are capability claims rather than a promise that every device can use maximum speed at the same time.
eero Secure is included and adds malicious-site blocking, parental controls, ad blocking and network insights. Customers manage the network through the eero app. This makes day-to-day controls straightforward, although people who want advanced manual router settings may find the app-led system restrictive.
Extra eero 6+ units are available as a monthly rental and can form a TrueMesh network. Placement matters: put an additional unit between the main router and the weak area rather than inside the room that already has a poor signal. KCOM retains ownership of supplied routers, and a non-return charge of up to £100 can apply after cancellation.
Realistic speed and Wi-Fi expectations
The package speed describes the broadband connection reaching the router. A wireless device may receive less because walls, distance, interference and its Wi-Fi standard all affect performance. An Ethernet connection gives the clearest test of the service entering the home.
Better everyday Wi-Fi
- Keep the eero in the open instead of inside a cupboard.
- Use Ethernet for a work computer, console or main television where practical.
- Add mesh only after checking placement and the source of the weak signal.
Before choosing 900Mbps
- The main benefit is more shared capacity and shorter large downloads.
- A single device needs capable Wi-Fi or wired hardware to use very high speeds.
- The average upload speed is 500Mbps rather than 900Mbps.
KCOM confirms a minimum speed during the order. If the download or upload performance remains below that figure and KCOM cannot fix it within 30 days of being told, its terms allow the customer to leave without a penalty. This promise concerns the broadband service, not a guaranteed speed in every room over Wi-Fi.
KCOM broadband plans explained
KCOM has three distinct consumer ranges. The right one depends as much on contract flexibility and eligibility as on maximum speed.
| Range | Average download/upload speeds | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| Power Fibre | 100/100Mbps 500/500Mbps 900/500Mbps |
24-month term with eero 7 or eero Pro 7 |
| Roll | 300/300Mbps 900/500Mbps |
30-day minimum commitment with eero 6+ |
| Flex | 30/30Mbps 50/50Mbps |
Eligibility-based social tariffs with no annual rise |
Power Fibre 100 covers browsing, video calls and several HD or UHD streams for a smaller household. Power Fibre 500 is the most balanced option for a busy home because it provides far more shared capacity and equal upload speed without paying for the fastest plan.
Power Fibre 900 is primarily useful for frequent large downloads, creators and households with many active users. Its 500Mbps average upload speed remains excellent, but the plan is not symmetrical. KCOM’s price manual also lists Power Fibre 300, although the main new-customer page currently presents 100, 500 and 900; existing customers should confirm their available re-contracting options.
Roll 300 and Roll 900 cost more than a discounted long contract but allow cancellation on 30 days’ notice after the initial 30-day commitment. They are available to new residential fibre customers in HU1 to HU17. The eero 6+ is Wi-Fi 6 equipment rather than the Wi-Fi 7 hardware used for current Power Fibre plans.
Full fibre is the focus for new orders. KCOM’s price manual still retains legacy part-fibre and ADSL services for addresses that cannot receive FTTP, so the postcode result remains the deciding factor.
Installation and switching
Full fibre installation
If the home does not already have KCOM full fibre, a pre-build team can fit an external connection box before the appointment. The installer then brings fibre indoors, fits the optical network terminal and connects the router. KCOM asks the customer to choose a location near two power sockets; the indoor visit normally takes about two hours.
An existing compatible optical terminal can make the process simpler and may allow a self-install. KCOM’s current guidance gives a typical order-to-activation period of seven to 14 days, but building access, external work and appointment availability can change the date.
Switching to KCOM
One Touch Switch allows KCOM to coordinate most residential transfers with the old provider. Order the new service before cancelling anything separately, otherwise the old connection or telephone number could stop too early.
Check the existing contract end date first because the previous provider may charge for an early departure. KCOM states that it will confirm the intended switch and activation dates. A new independent fibre connection can sometimes be installed before the old service closes, but follow the instructions in the order rather than assuming both providers use the same network.
Home phone, television and static IP
Home phone
Power Fibre packages include pay-as-you-go calls and line rental. Optional call bolt-ons cover UK landlines, mobiles or international destinations. Fibre phone equipment needs mains power, so ask about battery support if the household relies on the landline during an outage.
Television
KCOM does not provide a comparable pay-TV platform to Sky, Virgin Media or EE TV. Streaming services work over the connection, but their subscriptions remain separate.
Static IP
A residential static IP is included with fibre packages. It can help with remote access, CCTV and hosting, although a home plan does not include the service commitments associated with business broadband.
Is KCOM broadband any good?
KCOM’s strongest evidence concerns faults rather than customer-opinion scores. Ofcom’s 2025 comparison, using provider data from 2024, recorded the lowest monthly fault rate among the broadband and landline providers included. KCOM also reports 99.999% network availability, although that company-wide figure does not guarantee an individual connection or home Wi-Fi experience.
Monthly faults in Ofcom’s 2024 provider data, the lowest result in the comparison.
Average KCOM full fibre installation time in the same Ofcom dataset.
Average broadband and landline call wait in 2024, the longest in Ofcom’s comparison.
Network performance
FTTP avoids copper in the final connection and KCOM’s 100Mbps and 500Mbps packages provide equal average upload speed. This benefits cloud backups, large file transfers and several video calls happening together.
Equipment
The eero 7 range is a meaningful update over the eero 6+ supplied with older plans. App controls and eero Secure are useful, but one router cannot remove every coverage problem in a large or difficult home.
Customer support
Local call centres, a Hull walk-in customer centre and regional engineers distinguish KCOM from national providers. The Ofcom wait-time result shows that local support does not always mean a quick telephone answer.
Value
Value depends heavily on the postcode discount and competing networks at the address. Fast uploads, Wi-Fi 7, a static IP and eero Secure add substance, but compare the full 24-month cost after scheduled increases.
Our verdict
KCOM combines a capable regional full fibre network with unusually fast uploads and modern Wi-Fi 7 hardware. Power Fibre 500 provides the best balance for most busy homes, while Power Fibre 100 is enough for lighter use. The 900Mbps service makes more sense when large transfers or many simultaneous users will use the added capacity.
The limitations are equally clear. Coverage is regional, standard contracts last 24 months, prices rise each March and telephone support performed poorly for waiting time in Ofcom’s 2024 data. KCOM also lacks an integrated television service or mobile backup.
Main advantages
- Full fibre with 100Mbps or 500Mbps symmetrical service.
- Wi-Fi 7 router on current Power Fibre packages.
- Unlimited data and a static IP included.
- Roll and Flex options improve contract choice.
- Low fault rate in Ofcom’s published provider data.
Main disadvantages
- Limited regional availability.
- Annual increases during a 24-month contract.
- Higher charge after the minimum term.
- Long telephone waiting time in the latest comparable Ofcom report.
- No combined television service or mobile fault backup.
BroadbandAnalyst rating: 4.1 out of 5
KCOM is a very capable option within its network area, particularly for households that upload heavily or want Wi-Fi 7 without an extra router package. Compare the address-specific price and total contract cost before ordering, and check rival full fibre networks because Hull now has more choice than it once did.
KCOM broadband alternatives
Availability can change street by street. Compare the retailer, physical network, router and full contract cost instead of assuming every Hull full fibre service is delivered by KCOM.
| Alternative | Reason to compare | Main check |
|---|---|---|
| Connexin or CityFibre services | A separate full fibre network at selected Hull addresses | Retail provider, upload speed and router |
| MS3 network providers | Several retailers can use the local wholesale network | Support comes from the chosen retailer |
| Quickline | Coverage in parts of rural Yorkshire and Lincolnshire | Full fibre or fixed wireless at the premises |
| KCOM Roll or Flex | Shorter commitment or support for eligible households | Higher Roll rental or Flex eligibility |
Use the broadband deals comparison to check the services available at your address.
KCOM broadband FAQs
Does KCOM use the Openreach network?
No. KCOM operates its own access network in Hull, East Yorkshire and selected nearby areas. The exact service still depends on the individual premises.
Is KCOM Full Fibre 900 symmetrical?
No. Power Fibre 900 has a 900Mbps average download speed and a 500Mbps average upload speed. Power Fibre 100 and 500 provide equal average download and upload speeds.
Which KCOM package is suitable for most homes?
Power Fibre 100 covers many smaller homes. Power Fibre 500 gives a busy household more capacity for concurrent streaming, gaming, calls and cloud use. Power Fibre 900 mainly benefits heavy users and frequent large downloads.
Does KCOM include a Wi-Fi 7 router?
Yes. Current Power Fibre 100 and 500 packages include the eero 7, while Power Fibre 900 includes the eero Pro 7. Roll and Flex currently use the Wi-Fi 6 eero 6+.
Can I get KCOM broadband without a 24-month contract?
Yes. Roll 300 and Roll 900 use a 30-day minimum commitment and then continue monthly. Flex social tariffs also use rolling monthly agreements for eligible households.
Does KCOM increase prices during the contract?
Yes. Current standard Power Fibre terms state a fixed monthly increase on 1 March each year. The amount depends on the package. Flex social tariffs are not subject to the annual increase.
Can KCOM handle the switch from my old provider?
One Touch Switch covers most residential transfers. KCOM and the old provider coordinate the move after the order. Do not cancel the existing service separately unless instructed.
Can I keep my telephone number with KCOM?
A number transfer is normally possible when the existing service and order details allow it, but it is not guaranteed. Provide the number during the order and wait for confirmation before cancelling anything.
Does KCOM broadband work during a power cut?
Not normally. The optical network terminal and router need mains power. A fibre-based home phone also needs power, so customers who depend on it should discuss battery support or another way to make emergency calls.
Do I need to return the KCOM router?
Yes. KCOM retains ownership of supplied routers and asks for their return after cancellation. It normally provides a prepaid return method, and a non-return charge can apply.
Can I take KCOM broadband when moving home?
You can request a transfer when KCOM serves the new address. Take the router, but leave the optical network terminal and its power supply at the old home. Early termination charges may apply if the new address is outside the coverage area.