'Hull shut for business' as broadband service goes down again

6.56.14pm GMT Wed 23rd Jan 2008

Local Euro MP, Diana Wallis, has claimed that 'Hull was effectively shut for business' and that telecoms company Kcomm is 'holding the economy of the city to hostage'. This was her response to the sudden failure of broadband provision for several hours today in the area of Hull and the East Riding served by monopoly telecoms provider KComm.

Liberal Democrat MEP, Diana Wallis, who has been campaigning to open up the telecoms monopoly which KComm enjoys in the area, said:

"I warned about this last summer when the server went down, but I was assured that it would not happen again. It is totally unacceptable. Whenever this happens Hull is effectively shut for business.

"Not having stable broadband connections undermines local businesses and also undermines any competitive edge Hull as a business community. KComm is holding the economy of the city to hostage.

"I am still in contact with the European Commissioner responsible for Competition and other broadband providers. Today is further evidence that a break-up of this monopoly can't come soon enough frankly."