A Review of Cox Communications

Cox Communications is another option for high speed Internet access, digital television, and voice services.  The company started out in 1998 as Cox Cable and then branched out to Cox Communications which is now the third largest provider of cable and high speed Internet services in the United States.

Cox Communications offers services to individual customers as well as businesses.  The services include a broad range of high speed Internet and phone service options as well as digital television, data and video transport services over a private IP (Internet Protocol) network.  Although Cox Communications is the third largest provider of communications services in the US the services are not yet available in all areas of the US.  If you happen to be located in an area where Cox offers different types of communication services here is a review of the different options which may be available to you.

Features and Services

When you access the Cox Communications website you will be requested to enter your location.  Once you indicate a location, this will provide you with an accurate overview of the types of services which are available in your area. The following information will provide you with a general idea of the different types of options which may be available to you through Cox Communications.

• Manage Your Services from One Location:  When you subscribe to Cox services you are provided with a user-friendly interface which allows you to manage all of your services including billing from one location.

• Digital Television:  Cox services allow you to implement digital television for up to five rooms in your home through the Whole Home DVR service. Whole Home allows you to use one digital video recorder to watch and control programming on any television in your home.  You can also schedule programming using your mobile device from any location when you subscribe to one of the higher end TV service packages.  TV plans start as low as $39.99 per month for the first six months and then the price is approximately $62 for the life of the plan.

Cox offers five different TV plans which range from the TV Essential plan with up to 60 channels to the Advanced TV and Whole Home DVR plan which provides you with unlimited access. You also receive free high definition programming with the Advanced TV subscription. You can also choose to bundle TV services in with other Cox Communications services.

• High Speed Internet Access:  Cox offers data transfer speeds which start at 3 Mbps and range to 50 Mbps for downloads.  There are four Internet access plans to choose from which range from the Essential with speeds of up to 3 Mbps and range to the Ultimate which can reach speeds of up to 50 Mbps.  You can also add the PowerBoost feature on one of the higher end plans which increases data speeds by 5 Mbps.  The high speed Internet plans also include a security suite which is capable of providing antivirus protection for up to five computers in your home, parental controls and firewall protection.

• Email:  Each Internet plan offers 10 email accounts which include spam filtering and access to webmail from any location.  There is also a secure online backup service included with each plan for backing up and storing your files and data.  Depending upon the plan you choose, the storage space will range from 1GB for the Essential plan up to unlimited storage space for the Ultimate plan.

• Voice:  In terms of digital voice services you can start with a plan for just under $10 per month for the Essential plan for the first three months.  Services after that are less than $23 per month.  There are two digital voice plans which include the Essential and the Premier which is less than $30 per month.  The features vary according to the type of plan you choose.  The Premier plan of course has access to all options including unlimited local and long distance calling, voice mail, caller ID, call blocking, call waiting, speed dial, priority ringing, call return, three-way calling, selective call acceptance and rejection, long distance alert, readable voicemail, and call history.  There is also a convenient location where you can login and manage all of your calling services in addition to accessing voicemail messages.

Like other communications services you can choose to bundle your services to save money.  Businesses have access to customized solutions which meet individual needs while saving on costs.  Again, you have to login to the website for your particular location to obtain access to the services and features which are available in your local area.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cox Communications

The primary advantage of using Cox Communications is that the data transfer speeds which are indicated in your plan are pretty accurate and dependable when it comes to using bandwidth-intensive applications.  When tested by different users of the service the data transfer speeds are pretty close to the speeds which are advertised in the different Internet service plans.

Customer reviews have also indicated that tech support and customer service is above average when compared to other communications providers.  Tech support is available around the clock plus, you have access to a host of troubleshooting tips and info on the Cox Communications website.

One of the drawbacks of Cox Communication services is that it is still unavailable in many areas of the US.  Cox tends to offer the highest amount of features and services in highly populated areas and does not provide alternatives for the customer base located in rural areas.  As the company expands, perhaps this will change in the future as access to high speed Internet increases for remote areas.

Currently, Cox ranks alongside of Time Warner, AT&T, and Optimum Online in terms of help and support, additional features, and connection speed with a slightly lower rating for availability of service areas when compared to Time Warner, AT&T and Comcast.  The cost for Cox Communications services is average when compared to other providers we have mentioned here.