Kingston-Upon-Hull [Hull] has it’s own telecommunications network separate to BT. It’s administered by Kingston Communications [KC], and its internet service provider arm is known as Karoo.

Trouble is, “anytime” style offers for companies renting BT lines are not applicable to KC. My impression is that it’s Karoo or nothing. OFTEL [the telecommunications watchdog for the UK] won’t allow BT to touch anyone in Hull. It’s an allowed monopoly.

Oh, but Karoo is so shgite. It is the Thora Hird of the ISP world. You ought to see how bad the network connection has been the past few weeks. And it's a regular occurrence. Think: large elephant on the line, blocking connection - it's jumps in the air and the connection works briefly - elephant lands and the connection is no longer active. Darn royal pain in the sub-cocyx area.

I’m pretty keen to get away from it – but it's too impractical to move to another town – but I feel trapped by KC.

Is that my imagination? Or does anyone here really know of an UK ISP solution I can use from Hull for cheap 24/7 internet access – one that doesn’t insist on renting from BT lines?

Info much appreciated,

Brian