Editing KCOM Group (section)

==History==
On 22 August 1902, Hull Corporation (which later became [[Hull City Council]]) was granted a licence under the [[Telegraph Act 1899]] to operate a municipal telephone system in the Kingston upon Hull area, opening its first telephone exchange on 28 November 1904 at the former Trippett Street Baths.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.kcomplc.com/about-us/our-history/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112125913/http://www.kcomplc.com/about-us/our-history/|url-status=dead|title=KCOM Group: Our History|archive-date=12 November 2013|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref>
[[File:White payphone.jpg|thumb|upright|A Hull [[Red telephone box#K6|K6]] white telephone box]]
At the time, there were a number of such municipal telephone companies around the UK, all of which&nbsp;– with the exception of the one in Hull&nbsp;– were gradually absorbed into the Post Office Telephone department, which later became [[British Telecom]] (BT). Hull's bid to renew its licence in 1914 was made conditional on the £192,000 purchase of the [[National Telephone Company]] infrastructure in the city. The council gave its approval, securing the future of the country's only remaining municipally owned telephone corporation.<ref name=history/>

The first [[Rotary system|rotary]] automatic exchange opened in 1922, and from 1934 [[Strowger switch|Strowger]] exchanges were installed. Rotary and Strowger exchanges were operated to 1975 and 1988 respectively, and two [[Crossbar switch|crossbar]] exchanges to 1989, when the network became fully digital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://strowger-net.telefoonmuseum.com/tel_hist_hull.html|title=Mijndomein|website=strowger-net.telefoonmuseum.com|access-date=6 August 2019|archive-date=16 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116155055/http://strowger-net.telefoonmuseum.com/tel_hist_hull.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Hull has therefore remained an exception within the UK telephone network, being the only place in the UK not served by BT and is noted for its distinctive [[red telephone box#Kingston upon Hull|cream coloured telephone boxes]] and innovative services, for example becoming the UK's first fully digital network in 1989,<ref name=history/> using [[Marconi Communications|Marconi]] [[System X (telephony)|System X]] telephone switches ([[Central Offices]] or Class 5 switches).

The company was first listed on the [[London Stock Exchange]] in 1999 at 225p per share, with Hull City Council retaining 44.9% of shares.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/jul/13/ftse.internetipos|title=Three flotations that test global buoyancy|first1=Alex|last1=Brummer|date=13 July 1999|access-date=6 August 2019|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name=guardian-20070522/> The share price peaked at £15.90 per share during the [[dot.com boom]], and it was for a while in the [[FTSE 100 Index]].<ref name=guardian-20070522/>

In the early part of the new millennium, the company started to pioneer services such as [[ADSL]], [[Video on Demand]] and [[Digital TV]]. In February 2006, it announced that it would be ceasing its Video on Demand and Digital TV services (called Kingston Interactive TV&nbsp;– KIT) on 1 April 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://itvt.com/cms6/story/kingston-interactive-television-cease-operations|title=Kingston Interactive Television to cease operations|access-date=6 August 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709160125/http://itvt.com/cms6/story/kingston-interactive-television-cease-operations|archive-date=9 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=guardian-20070522/>

In 2007 Hull City Council sold its remaining 30.6% stake in Kingston Communications at about 68p per share.<ref name=guardian-20070522>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/may/22/citynews.media |title=Hull City Council sells remaining stake in Kingston Communications |last=Wray |first=Richard |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 May 2007 |access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref> Kingston Communications also changed its name to KCOM Group that year.<ref>[http://www.comms-dealer.com/industry-news/kingston-communications-changes-name-kcom-group Kingston Communications changes name to KCOM Group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727214956/http://www.comms-dealer.com/industry-news/kingston-communications-changes-name-kcom-group |date=27 July 2012 }} Comms Dealer, 16 August 2007</ref>

In 2014, new Ofcom rules required all providers to offer broadband and phone bundles together, to offer better value to customers. Karoo's cheapest bundle was £29.99 per month. On 4 April 2016, KCOM Group PLC moved all of its brand under a single KCOM brand name.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/macquarie-to-buy-hull-telecom-giant-kcom-for-563m-11734242|title=Macquarie to buy Hull telecom giant KCOM for £563m|date=3 June 2019|publisher=Sky News|access-date=16 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kcom-group-m-a-macquarie-idUSKCN1U7282|title=Macquarie's MEIF 6 Fibre unit to buy UK telecoms firm KCOM|newspaper=Reuters |date=12 July 2019|access-date=6 August 2019|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref>

In November 2018 KCOM issued a profit warning, cut dividends and warned debts were 10% higher than the previous year, causing a 36% drop in share price. KCOM was acquired by MEIF 6 Fibre Ltd, a business unit of [[Macquarie Group]], in August 2019 at 120.3p per share.<ref name=telecoms-20190819>{{cite news |url=https://telecoms.com/499163/macquarie-bags-kcom-for-627-million/ |title=Macquarie bags KCOM for £627 million |last=Davies |first=Jamie |website=telecoms.com |date=19 August 2019 |access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref><ref name=reuters-20190712>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/kcom-group-ma-macquarie-idINL4N24D3JW |title=Macquarie-backed MEIF 6 Fibre outbids USSL for telecoms firm KCOM |publisher=Reuters |url-access=limited |date=12 July 2019 |access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref>

In September 2022 KCOM announced expansion of their FTTP Network to a further 50,000 premises in North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire. Leading to expansions into Barrow, Barton, Brayton, Bridlington, Brigg, Broughton, Crowle, Driffield, Epworth, Goole, Goxhill, Haxey, Hibaldstow, Hornsea, Howden, Kirton Lindsey, Market Weighton, Messingham, Nafferton, Pocklington, Scotter, Scawby, Selby, Withernsea . This meant they would for the first time be competing directly with BT Openreach providers along with other FTTP Providers also carrying out roll out in the area such as InternetTY.