Cox Communications is a decent high-speed option, particularly if you’re a middle of the road household with medium browsing needs. Their speeds are good, but with the pricing, especially with the data caps, power users are likely to go over their 1TB data cap making it quite expensive compared to other options out there. That said, they are a solid choice for many and with the massive coverage of Cox they are likely to be one of the best options in your area.
Cox Internet Reviews 2023
Packages & Pricing | Modem & Router | Features | Customer Service | Final Recommendation
- Cox Review Highlights:
- Cox offers plans for speeds as low as 100 Mbps and as high as 1 Gbps
- Offer wide U.S. coverage with good plan options for average income households
- Cox offers several extras and programs for particular users such as Gamer Service and Homelife
Cox Communications is a cable internet service provider offering internet, TV, and phone services across 18 US states, with their services available to over 21 million US citizens. This ranks Cox among the largest ISPs in the United States.
Packages and Pricing
The below pricing for each of the packages are valid for online orders 1-year service agreement. But, after the service agreement expires the rates will return to Cox’s regular pricing. Cox also offer a month to month option if you choose not to sign a service agreement but this adds $10 per month onto the price which equates to an additional $120 for the same time period. So, if you’re looking for a long-term option, it’s better to sign for a year and can be a large saving!
Here’s the packages that Cox have to offer:
| Packages | Price | Download Speed | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential 100 | $49.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | Up tp 5 |
| Preferred 250 | $59.99/mo. | 250 Mbps | Up to 7 |
| Ultimate 500 | $79.99/mo. | 500 Mbps | Up to 9 |
| Gigablast | $99.99/mo. | 1 Gbps | 9+ |
Cox Internet Essential 100
The Essential 100 plan costs $49.99 per month and comes with 100Mbps download speed and 3Mbps of upload. This plan is best suited for those with three to five devices connected at the same time, all of them doing light browsing or one main device looking to do a medium level of browsing. Anything data heavy will impact other connected devices and you’ll find it noticeable on the plan. .
Cox Internet Preferred 250
At $59.99 a month, the Preferred 250 plan delivers speeds of up to 250Mbps for downloads and 10Mbps for upload. It’s a good option for smaller data-heavy households or larger households that only do light browsing activities. This is also the first plan that would be considered good for gamers, as it has enough bandwidth to eliminate lagging.
Cox Internet Ultimate 500
The Ultimate Plan costs $79.99 per month and comes with 500Mbps download speeds as well as 10Mbps for uploads. It’s a good plan for gaming, streaming HD videos, and even for larger households with multiple data-heavy users.
Cox Internet Gigablast
The top tier Gigablast option is the highest plan delivering up to 940Mbps download speeds and either 35Mbps or 94Mbps upload speeds (this depends on the architecture) and this plan supports it all: multiple online games, HD streams, and lots of other connected devices.
Straight Up Internet
Cox also offers a prepaid internet option known as ‘Straight Up Internet’ which costs $50 per month. The way it works is by users prepaying for a month for a flat fee and you can use it straight away. This includes 1TB of monthly data with speeds going up to 25Mbps, which is good enough for HD streaming.
There is no contract with this option, and no credit check or deposit is required either. Users will get a free installation and free DOCSIS 3.0 dual band modem with Wi-Fi capabilities. The downside is that not all areas served by Cox Communications are eligible for this option, so it’s best to check whether it’s possible to get this option on your address.
Cox Internet Gigablast
Cox Communications actively monitors their network to ensure all users get good performance at all times. This means that during peak usage times, when most customers are connected to the network, maximum speeds might be lower than what is advertised in your package. This is necessary to maintain a quality service for all users, so that those who are last to connect during peak hours don’t have to deal with disconnects and extremely low bandwidth.
Data Caps & Additional Data Purchasing
All Cox internet plans have a data cap that’s set to 1TB of data per month. While this is usually enough for most users, the largest of households and power users might find they lack additional data, especially with the highest tier plan.
Cox will not slow down internet speeds once you go over the cap, but data over your plan will be charged at $10 per 50GB over the data cap.
Cox offers two extra data options: the Unlimited and 500GB Additional Data option, but the pricing is unavailable unless you’re already a customer and logged in to your account.
Upon logging in, you can choose to pay:
- $49.99 for the Unlimited data plan
- $29.99 for the 500GB of Additional Data
The data caps were only introduced a few years ago, so some customers have found it’s a dealbreaker. Particularly if you’re on a higher plan because buying additional data can be costly if it happens regularly.
Installation Fees
In addition to these fees and caps, you’ll also have to pay $20 for self-installation, and $75 for professional installation. That said, most plans, excluding the starter plan, actually come with a free self-installation option to bypass this fee.
Lastly, Cox also charge a collection fee of $20 if you miss your bill and have due balances that need to be collected.
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Cox Communications Modem & Router Review
Cox internet plans come with the option to rent their Panoramic Wi-Fi Gateway. This is an all-in-one DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem with Wi-Fi capabilities that comes with its own app where you can monitor your entire network. The modem/router costs $10.99 per month, and there is no option to buy it instead unfortunately.
Cox argues that their Panoramic Wi-Fi Gateway is the best option because it’s automatically updated – both firmware and software – to deliver the best possible network performance. Its software is set up in such a way that it will automatically switch between optimal frequencies so that users can surf, share, and stream without drops in quality.
Those who opt for the Panoramic Gateway are also entitled to 24/7 tech support, in-house troubleshooting if the router breaks or has problems, and you’ll get it replaced at no extra cost.
For homeowners of larger and multi-floor residences who need extra coverage, Cox offers Panoramic Wi-Fi Pods that stretch the Wi-Fi signal. The pods are not available for rent though, you have to buy them and a minimum purchase of three pods will set you back $129.99.
If you want to use your own modem, although Cox don’t recommend it, the list of supported modems can be found on their support site.
Features and Benefits
Cox Elite Gamer Service
Those fond of gaming that like to play competitively can opt for the Cox gamer service, aptly called, “Cox Elite Gamer”. Available for Windows PC users to help decrease lag, ping, and jitter of the network, apparently ensuring that gamers get a competitive edge with the lowest possible in-game ping.
The service basically finds the shortest route between two end-points: the PC where you play the game and the game server. By finding the most efficient route for the data, it sheds down on some of the ping. While many mistake this as creating a fast lane for certain services, the way the technology works is different and a bit more complex.
It’s available for an additional $14.99 per month and covers two users, and then additional users can be added for $4.99 per month. You can also get a free 7-day trial on signup to see if it’s something you want to invest in.
Contour Stream Player
Customers not interested in cable or TV services could make use of a good alternative in the form of the Cox Contour Player which allows you to stream the most popular services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and even YouTube directly onto your TV.
The player comes with a Voice Remote, and is available for a promotional price of $5.00 per month. It’s a good option for those who don’t have a smart TV yet and you can purchase this as an add-on to every plan except the ‘Starter’.
Cox Complete Care
As with most other providers, COX offers upgraded support for $10 per month, which covers wiring for all their services, troubleshooting for devices, and resolution of app issues as well as an in-home tech service too.
Cox Homelife
Cox also offers smart home and monitoring options for their customers with two plans being offered:
- Cox Smart Home Automation for $29.99 per month – This includes lighting control, live video feed, window and door alarms, and continuous video recording.
- Cox Smart Home Automation + Monitored Security for $54.99 per month – Covers everything from automation and also includes 24/7 professional monitoring, backup systems, and motion sensors.
You can also buy additional equipment for both plans, such as remote door locks, smoke and fire detectors, flood detectors, thermostats, and other smart devices.
Speed Advisor
If you’re unsure about which Cox internet plan would suit you and your household best, Cox also has a speed advisor toolkit on their site to help you calculate what you need based on your usage.
Access to WiFi hotspots
All Cox customers of the Preferred Internet plan or higher can get access to Coxs’ nationwide hotspot network using your mobile device. Download the Cox Connect Mobile App and log in with your account username and password and then you can automatically connect to any hotspot within range to save your mobile data.
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Customer Service
Overall users seem to be satisfied with the support that Cox offers. Although long-standing customers commonly complain about the data caps that were introduced and therefore most of the customer service complaints centre around limited or lower speeds.
Cox customer service has quite a number of options when you need to contact them including; online chat, support forums, Facebook Messenger, or by going to your nearest store. Plus, you can contact support directly from the Cox Connect app.
For those who prefer calling, their main support line is available on the following number: 1-866-867-7644 which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Customers who opted for their Complete Care package have their own line: 1-877-COX-ASST (269-2778). The billing hours of the line are from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8:30pm EST and from 8am to 5pm EST on weekends but the Complete Care tech support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ways to Save on Cox Internet
Use your own modem
You can save $10.99 per month if you choose to use your own modem instead of renting their Panoramic Gateway. The only downside is that you may end up with limited tech support options, so this may only suit you if you’re techy enough to troubleshoot your own modem.
Order Online
Users who order online will get free self-installation and a $50 bonus on a Visa Card. Plus you can also get your package at a promotional rate that is guaranteed for 12 months so going online is worth it!
Keep track of your data usage
Because of the data caps and fairly high charges if you go over your allotted 1TB data allowance it’s worth keeping an eye on your data usage, particularly in a device-heavy household. Otherwise the additional fees can add up.
Our Recommendation – Cox Internet
Is Cox Internet Right For You?
