Kingston Communications is an established UK communications company. The Group's national business-to-business capabilities encompass the provision of fully integrated and managed network solutions, complemented by the delivery of voice, data and call handling services in the towns and cities served by the Kingston Communications network. This infrastructure comprises twenty-five metropolitan fibre networks and a long distance broadband network, which was initiated for service in May 2001. Kingston's new media activities include the DSL-based interactive television service, KIT, and satellite broadband content, storage and distribution arm, Kingston inmedia. The Group's East Yorkshire network operation has served business and residential customers since 1904.

Legal and General upping their holdings by 3,562,821. Always nice to see.

And yet again fuel to the take over mill.

The Sunday Telegraph.
Cable & Wireless executive chairman John Pluthero has now fuelled speculation by speaking of the need to consolidate smaller operators. Buy KCOM at 49p while the shares look cheap.

gosh, are they only 50p now? ..... wonder why i was taken to task when i said the company/shares were rubbish back in September and earlier still when they were 70/75?

went long friday ahead of tuesdays result...nice guaranteed tight stop loss just in case

also went long on thus

Nice to see a director buying (10,000) worth. Makes a change from the usual couple of quid buys we often see.
Also Kingston Communications unit Affiniti has deployed a fast Ethernet metropolitan area network for British Airway's Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport.
I would think they won this against stiff competition, as it would be a prime contract as far as publicity goes.
Note.... Can't give further detail as released only on subscriber account, Telecom Paper (subscription).

Prestigous contract Greekman:

Testing, testing 1, 2, 3: British Airways communications network at Terminal 5 is given clearance for take off...
IP communications network deployment by Affiniti completes final testing phase ready for Terminal 5 opening in March 2008

When British Airways (BA) opens the doors to the sleek, futuristic new Terminal 5 at Heathrow in two months time, passengers and staff will enjoy a stress-free ride through its flagship new terminal building thanks to a super fast, seamless communications network. The Fast Ethernet Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) designed, deployed and managed by BAs long term communications partner Affiniti, has now passed final, rigorous testing. Up to 3,000 volunteers acted as passengers with baggage, passing through the various stages of check-in, baggage drop and boarding. The network is now ready for go live on 27th March 2008 the date T5 opens for business.

A secure, high-speed, reliable network is fundamental to the hectic pace of life at an airport terminal. BAs new network will carry the majority of BA's T5 business systems including all mission-critical information. Information ranges from passenger check-in, ticketing and departure control for the estimated 30 million passengers per year, plus crew scheduling and other back-office systems. The network has 7,000 available ports supporting the 5,000 BA staff using the systems, across the current two terminal buildings T5A and T5B. T5C will be constructed by 2010.

This 18 month project, began in August 2006 and concludes in February 2008. It has required a dedicated team from Affiniti to meet the scale and stringent deadlines that come with the territory of working on one of the largest and highest profile engineering ventures in Europe. In February 2008 Affiniti will complete the final deployment phase, the installation of the Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs). The network is currently being tested for resilience and compatibility with all other T5 systems, thus ensuring that when BA moves its entire Heathrow operation - currently split between Compass Centre, Terminals 1 and 4 - to T5 in March, it is prepared for take-off with no technical glitches.

The BA relocation to T5 involves much more than just a greenfield network installation. Behind the scenes Affiniti and BA have been working closely to ensure that it remains business as usual whilst BA manages the huge task of moving home.

Phil Hawker, Manager of Communications Networks from BA commented "Moving into our new home at Heathrow is a great opportunity to optimize the technology that lies behind our operation here. We've made sure that everything were doing has been well proven in the existing terminals, but bringing it all together in a fantastic new building will ensure a great experience for our passengers and staff. Affiniti has done a great job, working with our in-house team and BAA, to install and commission the network in time for live operation and Im pleased to say that its passed its assurance testing with flying colours."

Paul Renucci, Managing Director at Affiniti commented: "Although 27th March 2008 is the date everyone is talking about, the network will really come into its own once those first passengers have passed through T5 and given it their seal of approval. For BA we have designed a world-class network from scratch that will offer secure, high-speed communications as standard. Over time, it will also deliver business efficiency and can easily be adapted in response to future needs."

BA is one of Affiniti's largest clients and the pair has worked together since the millennium on network upgrade and management projects at Heathrow and Gatwick. Initially Affiniti was selected for a five year contract to migrate and manage 30 thousand user ports in 70 buildings from an ATM to an Ethernet environment. Since then, based on results, team chemistry and competitive pricing, Affiniti has continued to win business with BA.

In 2003 Affiniti won the managed services contract for all 30 of BA's UK regional sites including Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Then latterly was awarded the MAN managed service contract for T5. Affiniti has 49 staff based on site at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports supporting the BA network infrastructure UK wide.

Optomistic,

Thanks for the full details.

Regards Greek

why do you continue to piss against the wind?

Nice little contract, although will be better when we see some figures.

Telephonetics PLC said it has signed a three year deal with Kcom Group PLC to support cinema line call traffic.

Have KC woken up at last, re broadband..

KC have reduced their Broadband packages.
I have just signed up to a new package that gives me the equivalent speed, downloads etc as my old package for two thirds of the old price, 24.99 down to 16.99 per month.
Looks like KC have finally woken up to the competition.
I like many I speak to were looking to change provider, even if it meant paying for a BT land line (120), which most other providers use.
(In my area a BT land line is the only method other providers can use).
I hope this price reduction results in more customers staying with KC.
Where KC have always won is their telephone help line, which is free and very efficient, something I have often mentioned in previous posts. If their new prices stay competitive the whole package is now good value.

Re RNS.

Ofcom removes regulation in majority of UK wholesale broadband market
Ofcom will maintain regulation, designed to promote retail competition. 'This requires BT and KCOM, in Hull, to provide a wholesale product to other providers on a fair and reasonable basis, thus allowing these providers to offer retail services,' Ofcom said Wednesday.

Presumably this is the main reason for the recent sp drop, although KC have stated previously that their system is open to all, but no one appeared interested. Believe that if you like, but no other competitor came back at them re that comment.
I just hope that this is a final push that tips KC into one of those never ending takeover deals.
Things can't get much worse. Can they?

Nice little shared contract.

Kingston Communications partners with Windsor Telecom in 1.8 million p.a. deal

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-kingston-communications-partners-with-windsor-telecom-18-million-/2008/05/21/3458171.htm

terrific chart too .... see above

With a bad red day on the market, KCOM are one of the few showing blue. A nice 4.76% increase on low volume. Not saying this indicates much as we are all well aware the markets at the moment make no sense whatsoever.
No doubt down by about the same tomorrow, if the current market fashion continues.

greekman .... for all that, the chart is still vile and i am sorry to see that your holding here has taken a pasting, even if mildy ameliorated today

Cheers cynic,

As to my holding it consists of 200 shares so it's no big deal now. I took these on the float as I live in the KC area and was a customer. This was before I knew even the little I know now about shares. To think they reached 15 plus at one stage.
I agree re the chart.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has selected communications provider Kingston Communications to supply the hosting solution for its website.

http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=16702

No monetary figures given, but any Government type contract is usually a decent return as they always (OK not always but usually) pay well over the odds.

Re RNS.
Looks like as most companies this is a reward given for failure (well not for any deserved success that I can see).
I appreciate this scheme was set up some time ago but I would like to know by what criteria it responds to.

The shares are to be used to satisfy awards under the Company's 2005 Long Term Incentive Plan ("the 2005 LTIP")and 2005 Long Term Reward Scheme ("the 2005 LTRS") both of which vested on 21 June 2008. There are a total of 36 participants in the two plans.

So we have 36 persons being rewarded for what exactly.

I may just attend the next AGM and ask that very question.

Just to cheer us holders up an RNS:

27 August 2008

Kingston Communications speeds up City of London web connections
The City of London has selected Kingston Communications (KC) to provide high speed connections and hosting for its website services.

The website, www.cityoflondon.gov.uk, operates as a central portal through which an average of 160,000 monthly visitors can access local information, services and resources. It serves 9,000 residents, a 340,000-strong working population and UK and foreign visitors, including those looking to relocate.

Providing the Square Miles local government with a managed hosting platform of physical and virtual servers, KC is running a point to point high speed connection from its Docklands data centre to the Guildhall and another key location.

Keith Harvey, City of Londons senior business analyst, said that a flexible platform was being implemented to develop the City Corporations web presence.

We are using different servers to support the varied technology being utilised for our contrasting requirements, said Mr Harvey.

The team at KC understands what we are trying to achieve and this is a great help in the smooth deployment of this upgrade. They are demonstrating that they are fully committed and this is paying off in a very professional way.

In addition to information on the financial districts local government services and an online payment system for customers, the website includes COLLAGE, an image database containing more than 20,000 works of art from its library and Guildhall collections. It also features a facility to apply online for permission to film in the City, which is a major site for location photography and film.

However, City of Londons services go far beyond its core activities of providing local government and police services. The Lord Mayor is an international ambassador for the financial district and City of London is also responsible for the maintenance and management of five London bridges Tower, Blackfriars, London, Southwark and Millennium as well as the Barbican Centre, Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest.

Mark Lewis, account director at KC, said that the complex hosting platform, with a mixture of physical and virtual servers, provide the flexibility needed to run the entire website and its back-end applications. We approached the customer with a solution that was highly tailored to their requirements. Following this deployment, we can easily scale the storage space and connectivity to cope with more services or greater levels of traffic, according to City of Londons future needs.

KC, part of the KCOM Group, won the contract through the Office of Government Commerce procurement system that helps develop collaborative contracts and ways of working that can be used to save time and money.