Broadband infrastructure sharing scheme to be piloted in Hull and East Yorkshire

A scheme to allow broadband providers access to KCOM's infrastructure could be piloted in parts of Hull and East Yorkshire from May.

The firm said it had invited rival companies Connexin and MS3 to "help develop the process".

A spokesperson said KCOM made efforts to listen to views on the installation of new telegraph poles and the plans were "a sensible way forward".

MPs called for firms to stop installing poles where cables already exist.

A Connexin spokesperson said its focus was on getting a fair and reasonable infrastructure sharing agreement in place while MS3 chief executive Guy Miller said they welcomed the next steps.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the new arrangement would be trialled in locations in Hull and the East Riding from May if the proposed partnership progresses, following a KCOM feasibility study, aiming to pave the way for sharing infrastructure.

But the study was dismissed as another "obstacle" by Connexin boss Furqan Alamgir and the company said it was going to lodge a complaint with Ofcom as a result.

MS3 boss Mr Miller said it had not been able to participate in the study while a KCOM spokesperson said it was preparing a version of it for MS3.

It comes as Hull and East Riding MPs Graham Stuart, Diana Johnson and Emma Hardy met with Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez on Monday calling on companies to refrain from putting up new poles following a local backlash.

The minister said companies risked losing vital community support if they continue to install new infrastructure and the government reserved the right to take further action.

But Ofcom has also said it cannot force companies to share infrastructure after declining to conduct an emergency review into the local market.

The backlash has centred around companies installing new poles and underground cables under permitted development rules, allowing them to bypass the normal planning process.

The MPs also urged for the the current voluntary industry Code of Conduct to be made mandatory.

Ms Lopez told them she would look into a request to limit the number of poles that can be put up following a request from Ms Hardy.

Mr Stuart said the failure for companies to work together was incredibly frustrating and all three MPs wanted "a resolution to this quickly".

He said: "People are fed up to the back teeth with poles being erected in front of their houses, with very little notice and hardly any possibility of recourse. It's a complete mess, we deserve better than this.

"I'm very grateful, as ever, to the first-class campaigners who have done so much to keep this important issue at the top of the agenda."

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