Pricing from kcom

[synaesthesia]

That'll make a good difference. Really is interesting to see the differences in areas. I've emailed Kcom asking them to quantify these differences; it shouldn't be the case that we get everything from most other suppliers for the same price/less than their best price connectivitity. But hey-ho, perhaps they don't want our business in Northamptonshire - we must have upset them!

[GrumbleDook]

That'll make a good difference. Really is interesting to see the differences in areas. I've emailed Kcom asking them to quantify these differences; it shouldn't be the case that we get everything from most other suppliers for the same price/less than their best price connectivitity. But hey-ho, perhaps they don't want our business in Northamptonshire - we must have upset them!

 

 

Different tech and different infrastructure will have different costs. Everyone wants your business but people will be offering a variety of options.

[synaesthesia]

Indeed, hence why I've asked for clarification, why it's considerably more than supplier X with the same infrastructure etc. I like asking questions of people, you know me!

[camel]

Our school still doesn't have pricing from KCom, they decided to send the email to an email address that we have never used! Having updated the email with them at the start of the week, they still didn't send it. Do Kcom and Capita have access to the site contacts through the information from talk2synetrix?!

 

I've updated them now and there is a new round of emails going out Monday, seems that this issue has happened to quite a few schools in Leicestershire. I've also added a redirect on the email that they tried to send to so if they don't 'update' their records at least I'll get something, though next week. At this rate I'll get the posted letter quicker than the email from them!!!

[Gibson335]

I got the impression the contact info KCOM had was ancient. I also had to request putting my own address on their mailing system, and fortunately for me that happened.

[camel]

Just had pricing from KCom, finally, and I am not shocked at the costs. They were definately not worth hanging around at and, when you take into account what Capita have submitted as a quote for their services. They just don't stand out in comparison to the competition.

 

Schools Broadband and RM, to name a few, offer the full package (connectivity and services) at equivalent service levels and at a fixed costs over a three year deal. To get the best pricing from KCom we are to sign up to a 4 year deal, provisionally, and then wait further to find out if enough schools have signed up to get the pricing!

 

The KCom offer asks schools to register interest in the emPSN service by the end of May and they wont give a confirmed final price or delivery date until the end of June, Assuming no more 'slippage'! This is so that they will be able to plan network capacity and aggregation within individual school clusters. Just want a quote with no ambiguity!

 

I am not being unreasonable here. Other companies, previously mentioned, have no issue stating how much their service will be, what they will be offering (email, web hosting (linux,load balanced, DBs), filtering (AD integration, reporting), firewall, external IPs, VPNs, warranties, what equipment will be installed), when they will be installed, offering a safe/secure (onsite) BECTA/DfE compliant internet connection as a complete solution for about the same price as what KCom are offering just for their connectivity! They take the ambiguity out of it giving us either full control or picking up the phone/email to request an action. And just stating a fact and not being selfish, we could go it alone without our cluster for the prices we've be competitively quoted, as could could each of the schools in our cluster.

[Gibson335]

I'm fortunate to be in the right area for decent KCOM pricing, it would seem - albeit with that caveat of other schools signing up. As I understand it, there remains some confusion still between the LA and KCOM over this 'register of interest' issue, which is why our LA update refers to signing up by end of May. There will hopefully be more changes shortly, because waiting until June 30 for final pricing seems unreasonable.

[PyROm]

Hi, someone else asked this question a few pages back and hasnt been answered, does anyone know if we took the KCom connection would we also have to have services? we already run everything in house except some webhosting and DNS so all we really require is a connection. Ive tried emailing DCC about a month ago about it but had no reply. The KCom quote we have seems ok on its own, but not very good if you have to take services on top. Edited April 17, 2012 by robk
removed personal details

[TonySheppardNCC]

Hi, someone else asked this question a few pages back and hasnt been answered, does anyone know if we took the KCom connection would we also have to have services? we already run everything in house except some webhosting and DNS so all we really require is a connection. Ive tried emailing DCC about a month ago about it but had no reply. The KCom quote we have seems ok on its own, but not very good if you have to take services on top.

 

The answer is that each LA will operate slightly differently based on the requirements of how schools might be buying back services, services are procured on their behalf and on the LA specific infrastructure is set up.

 

In Northamptonshire a managed line (ie runing your own filtering, etc) is one of the offerings but I cannot go into exact technical specifications at this time, and would only do so with Northamptonshire schools, but it deals with the requests that many Northants school have asked for during the course of the procurement of the framework (and even dating back to requests from the last procurement). Some of the queries around this from LAs have only been dealt with recently and there is the case that it is the holidays, but I am sure there will be more direct and local responses soon.

Edited April 17, 2012 by robk

[kaphc]

Hi, someone else asked this question a few pages back and hasnt been answered, does anyone know if we took the KCom connection would we also have to have services? we already run everything in house except some webhosting and DNS so all we really require is a connection. Ive tried emailing DCC about a month ago about it but had no reply. The KCom quote we have seems ok on its own, but not very good if you have to take services on top.

 

Hi PyROm

 

My understanding in Derbyshire is that you can get the connection you need from Kcom (or whoever) without any obligation to take any of the applications or services on top. The only think I would check is whether you need any DNS services to get your web traffic and emails directed. I know DCC is pretty pushed but trying to keep in touch with all the Derbyshire schools, I've got his direct line phone number if you need it and want to PM me.

Edited April 17, 2012 by robk
removed personal details

[GrumbleDook]

Hi, someone else asked this question a few pages back and hasnt been answered, does anyone know if we took the KCom connection would we also have to have services? we already run everything in house except some webhosting and DNS so all we really require is a connection. Ive tried emailing DCC about a month ago about it but had no reply. The KCom quote we have seems ok on its own, but not very good if you have to take services on top.

 

You have PM.

Edited April 17, 2012 by robk

[robk]

@PyROm Are you going to the Network Managers Meeting on Friday? I am hoping some light may be shed on this then, like you I cant see how the capita costings are justified, but the Kcom link costs look good.