My quest to find the best service provider has led me to Cox Communications. To determine its worthiness, I compiled all available information.
To help you determine whether this provider offers value, I’ll cover the following:
- Pros and cons
- Internet plans
- TV plans
- Television channel packages
- Cellular plans
- Landline services
- Home security plans
- Equipment pricing and overview
- Bundle packages
- Service availability
- Current discounts
- Customer service
Let’s get the ball rolling.
Cox Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of all Cox’s services:
Pros
- Somewhat affordable plans
- Fast download speeds for internet plans
- Flexible channel package selection for Contour TV plans
- Wi-Fi hotspots included in mobile and internet plans
- Affordable mobile plan
Cons
- Lack of availability
- Requires contracts for most plans
- Many plans increase in price after the term agreement
- * Hybrid cable/fiber internet, TV, and voice
- Subscription fee required for good technical support
- No flexibility with deals
* Cable and fiber optic connections act as a double-edged sword. It’s more affordable. But you have less speed and reliability.
Cox Home Internet Plans, Pricing, & Features
Here are the internet plans you can get with Cox:
| Tier | Download Speed | Upload Speed | Price (Year 1) |
| Essential 100 | 100 Mbps | 5.0 Mbps | $49.99/mo. |
| Preferred 250 | 250 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $59.99/mo. |
| Ultimate 500 | 500 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $79.99/mo. |
| Gigablast | 1.0 Gbps | 35 Mbps | $79.99/mo. |
| StraightUp Prepaid | 100 Mbps | 5.0 Mbps | $50/mo. |
| ConnectAssist | 50 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps | $30/mo. |
| Connect2Compete | 50 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps | $9.95/mo. |
Cox internet plans and speeds compared.
* These prices don’t account for taxes or other fees.
** Actual speeds will significantly vary based on factors like Wi-Fi interruption and whether you use an Ethernet cable.
Cox internet plans don’t have many perks. But here’s what you CAN get:
- Cox Security Suite: anti-virus, remote device locator, and more
- Access to more than 4 million Wi-Fi hotspots provided by a coalition of ISPs
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Optional Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway
Let’s breeze over the features.
McAfee powers the security suite that gives you anti-virus software. It’s a means to check whether internet links are viruses and a way to remove data from your computer.
You can get all these features free anyway. I don’t believe the security suite offers much value.
But their Wi-Fi hotspots offer immense value. It’s a coalition of Xfinity, Spectrum, and Cox Wi-Fi hotspots. Gateways these providers offer customers host these hotspots.
You’ll commonly find them in apartments, business districts, and popular areas. But they’re an excellent means to reduce your home’s data usage.
Useful if you want to reduce your contribution to Cox’s hard data cap with internet-only plans. Or soft data caps with their mobile plans.
I’ll talk about the data caps in a bit.
I usually hate gateways internet service providers offer. But Cox’s Panoramic Wi-Fi router-modem comes with a couple of noteworthy perks.
The included Elite Gamer feature reduces latency (or ping) by rerouting your internet connection through various servers. This makes your computer appear closer to a game’s servers.
And Cox will upgrade your gateway for free every 3 years. So you’ll always have hardware that matches Cox’s latest speeds.
You can use a third-party router and modem if you want. But you’ll need to perform a bit of research to get modems. I’ll cover this later under the ‘equipment’ section.
Cox Internet Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free gateway rental upgrades every 3 years
- Next-day hardware delivery
- Elite Gamer offers fantastic value for gamers
- 100 Mbps internet plan requires no contract
Cons
- 1.25 terabyte (TB) data cap
- Asymmetric (unequal) download and upload speeds
- Ridiculous price for the unlimited data plan
Cox Home Internet Upload Speed
Here are all the upload speeds for Cox’s home internet plans:
| Plan | Speed (Mbps) | Speed (MBps) |
| Essential 100 | 5.0 Mbps | 0.59 MBps |
| Preferred 250 | 10 Mbps | 1.0 MBps |
| Ultimate 500 | 10 Mbps | 1.0 MBps |
| Gigablast | 35 Mbps | 4.0 MBps |
| StraightUp Prepaid | 5.0 Mbps | 0.59 MBps |
| ConnectAssist | 3.0 Mbps | 0.35 MBps |
| Connect2Compete | 3.0 Mbps | 0.35 MBps |
Upload speeds for Cox internet plans.
* Actual speeds will greatly vary based on factors like Wi-Fi interruption and whether you use an Ethernet cable.
Cox Data Allowance
All Cox internet-only plans have a 1.25 terabyte (TB) bandwidth cap. Once you pass this cap, you’ll need to pay $10 per 50 GB you use.
This data cap won’t limit your online usage in most circumstances. Except if you stream 4K video. Then your entire household can watch less than 200 hours per month.
The data blocks you buy won’t transfer to the following month.
You can only get rid of the data cap by paying an additional $50 monthly for the unlimited data plan.
Cox Service Price After Term Agreement
Here’s what the pricing will look like for Cox’s TV and internet services once you survive your term agreement:
| Tier | Price (Year 1) | Price (Year 2) |
| Preferred 250 | $59.99/mo. | $83.99/mo. |
| Ultimate 500 | $79.99/mo. | $99.99/mo. |
| Gigablast | $79.99/mo. | $119.99/mo. |
| Contour TV Starter | $53/mo. | $53/mo. |
| Contour TV Preferred | $98/mo. | $98/mo. |
| Contour TV Preferred Plus | $118.00/mo. | $145.00/mo. |
| Contour TV Ultimate | $138.00/mo. | $138.00/mo. |
Price for Cox internet and TV plans after 12 months.
You’ll see up to 33% more expensive internet-only plans after your initial term agreement. I wrote a separate guide on tips you could use in an attempt to keep the promotional rates.
It’s too much to explain in this post.
Let’s cover hidden fees.
Hidden Fees for Cox Internet
The hidden fees for Cox’s cable internet include:
| Fee Type | Amount |
| Data Overage Charge | $10 per 50 GB |
| Panoramic WiFi Gateway | $13/mo. |
| Cox Contour Stream Player | $5.00/mo. |
| Elite Gamer Base Connection | $6.99/mo. |
| No Annual Contract Fee | $10/mo. |
| Panoramic WiFi Gateway + advanced tech support | $20/mo. for 24 mos. |
| Returned Payment Fee | $25 |
| Late Payment Fee | $8.35 |
| Reconnect Fee | $20 (per service) |
| Canceled Appointment Fee | $100 |
You’ll only want the Elite Gamer base connection if you’re using a third-party router and modem and want a means to reduce your latency.
The advanced technical support gives you “premium” technical support and malware removal. That add-on’s only helpful if you frequently get viruses on your computer. And don’t want to waste money at Best Buy for virus removal.
I’ll talk about the Contour TV Stream Player in the following section.
Cox Contour TV Plans, Pricing, & Features
Here’s what to expect from Cox’s Contour cable television plans:
| Plan | Channels | Price | Price Per Channel |
| TV Starter | 75+ | $53/mo. | $0.71 |
| TV Preferred | 140+ | $98/mo. | $0.70 |
| TV Preferred Plus | 170+ | $118/mo. | $0.69 |
| TV Ultimate | 250+ | $138/mo. | $0.55 |
| Contour Streaming | NA | $5.00/mo. | NA |
Cox cable TV packages compared.
* These prices don’t account for taxes or other fees.
Every plan gives you the following:
- 1 free Contour HD TV box
- A free year of the Standard DVR service
- Free remote
- Contour TV app
The Contour Streaming plan gives you a Contour TV 4K Streaming Player and requires an internet-only plan. It just comes with a bunch of preloaded apps (like Netflix).
You could have the same results with a Roku and not have to pay $5.00 monthly. Want 4K? Spend $40 on a 4K-capable Roku.
Or just get a smart TV.
The TV Starter plan only includes local channels. Preferred TV has all the local and cable TV channels.
The Contour TV app lets you stream all your Cox channels through cell phones, laptops, or tablets. On up to 5 simultaneous devices at home. Or 3 on the go.
Cox Contour TV Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has most channels you’d need
- Free TV box rental
- A 1-year trial of their Standard DVR service
- Next-day hardware delivery
- You can watch channels on the Contour TV while waiting for your self-installation kit
- Contract-free
Cons
- Contour TV app has severe device availability limitations
- No streaming live TV service available
Cox Contour TV Channel Lineup
Here are almost all the channels each of Cox’s television plans will include [1]:
| Channel | TV Starter | TV Preferred | TV Ultimate |
| On Demand | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| CBS | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| TNT | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| NBC | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| CW | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| IND | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| ABC | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| ION | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| IND | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| PBS | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| FOX | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| FOX HD | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| CNN | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| ESPN | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| ESPN2 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| FX | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Freeform | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Disney Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Discovery Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| USA Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Azteca America | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| MeTV | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| IND | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| TBC | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| TCM | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| C-SPAN2 | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Public Access (30) | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Public Access (31) | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Univision | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| QVC+ | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Telemundo | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| HSN | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| HSN HD | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Public Access (39) | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| TBN | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Estrella TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| UniMás | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| msnbc | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| CNBC | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Fox News | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Galavisión | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| BET | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| MTV | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| VH1 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| The Weather Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Paramount Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Travel Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| TLC | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Bravo | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Food Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| HGTV | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Lifetime | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| E! | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Comedy Central | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Syfy | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| History | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Bally Sports | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Spectrum Sportsnet HD | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| AMC | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| A&E | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| NewsNation | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| TV Land | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Nickelodeon | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Cartoon Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Animal Planet | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Fox Sports 1 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| CMT | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| MoviePlex | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Hallmark Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Hallmark movies & mysteries | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| GSN | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| FXX | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Fox Business | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Golf Channel | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Bally Sports | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Newsmax | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| TUDN | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| PAC 12 Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Investigation Discovery | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| QVC3 | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Bounce TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| C-SPAN | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Public Access (96) | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Jewelry TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| G4 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Spectrum News 1 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Discovery Family Channel | ⠐ | ||
| Science Channel | ⠐ | ||
| Destination America | ⠐ | ||
| American Heroes Channel | ⠐ | ||
| OWN | ⠐ | ||
| Nick Jr. | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Discovery Life | ⠐ | ||
| National Geographic | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Leased Access | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| ShopHQ | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| HSN 2 | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| POP | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| C-SPAN3 | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| MLB Network | ⠐ | ||
| QVC2 | ⠐ | ||
| Lifetime Real Women | ⠐ | ||
| Crime & Investigation | ⠐ | ||
| Military History | ⠐ | ||
| HSN | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Justice Central | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Recipe TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Comedy.TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Jewish Life TV | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Olympic Channel | ⠐ | ||
| MTV Live | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| MotorTrend | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Localish | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| QVC | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| BYUtv | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| EWTN | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| Daystar | ⠐ | ⠐ | ⠐ |
| INSP | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Impact Network | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Aspire | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Africa Channel | ⠐ | ||
| theGrio | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| World Fishing Network | ⠐ | ||
| Sportsman Channel | ⠐ | ||
| MLB Network | ⠐ | ||
| MLB Network Strike Zone | ⠐ | ||
| NFL Red Zone | ⠐ | ||
| ACC Network | ⠐ | ||
| EPIX | ⠐ | ||
| RetroPlex | ⠐ | ||
| IFC | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Sundance | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Flix | ⠐ | ||
| SEC Network | ⠐ | ||
| CBS Sports Network | ⠐ | ||
| Pursuit Network | ⠐ | ||
| BTN | ⠐ | ||
| Fox Sports 2 | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| CNN International | ⠐ | ||
| Outdoor Channel | ⠐ | ||
| Viceland | ⠐ | ||
| ESPNews | ⠐ | ||
| ESPNU | ⠐ | ||
| FYI | ⠐ | ||
| NHL Network | ⠐ | ||
| FanDuel TV | ⠐ | ||
| Tennis Channel | ⠐ | ||
| NBA TV | ⠐ | ||
| Disney XD | ⠐ | ||
| Universal Kids | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| BBC America | ⠐ | ||
| Cleo TV | ⠐ | ||
| Smithsonian | ⠐ | ||
| Great American Family | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| Disney Junior | ⠐ | ||
| Cooking Channel | ⠐ | ||
| Boomerang | ⠐ | ||
| Nick Jr. | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| NickToons | ⠐ | ||
| TeenNick | ⠐ | ||
| MTV Classic | ⠐ | ||
| Oxygen | ⠐ | ||
| Logo TV | ⠐ | ||
| Up | ⠐ | ||
| Baby First | ⠐ | ||
| WE tv | ⠐ | ⠐ | |
| NickToons | ⠐ |
Most channels Cox Contour TV includes.
Cox Starter TV only includes local channels. Preferred TV has every local and cable channel.
Preferred Plus and Ultimate TV include various TV channel packages. The former includes every premium channel.
The latter includes every other channel package except the Latino and International bundles. I’ll emphasize on this plan in a bit.
I also didn’t include many HD channels. Availability for these channels will vary by region.
And does Cox have 4K channels?
Yeah. 4001 and 4002. But you can only access these channels for special events [2].
Cox doesn’t specify these events. So if you want a TV provider with a wide selection of 4K channels, you may want to consider Verizon TV.
Cox Channel Packages
Cox includes a number of channel packages like:
| Add-on or Package | Price |
| Latino Pack | $10.00/mo. |
| International Channels | $8.50/mo. |
| Sports & Info Pack | $10/mo. |
| Sports Pack 2 | $10/mo. |
| Movie Pack | $12/mo. |
| Variety Pack | $12/mo. |
| Premium Channels | $9.00–$15/mo. |
Cox channel package add-ons.
You can add these channels to any Contour TV package.
What if you just want sports channels?
Get Starter TV and get the 2 sports packages ($20/mo. total). Then add additional sports passes when necessary. I’ll cover those in a bit.
Along with the sports channel lineups.
Cox Contour TV Latino Pack Channel Lineup
Their Latino Pack is Cox’s Spanish channel pack that includes:
| Hogar de HGTV | Hola TV | Galavision | Cine Latino |
| History En Español | Baby First | Discovery en Español | CentroamericaTV |
| Baby TV | Telefe | National Geographic Mundo | Cine Estelar |
| Azteca -KPDF | Sony Cine | de Película | de Pelicula Clasico |
| Cartoon | Disney XD | Discovery Familia | Nicktoons |
| Boomerang | FOROtv | TR3S: MTV, Música y Más | Bandamax |
| Universo | Fuse | ESPN Deportes | Fox Deportes |
| TUDN | Univision Novelas | CNN en Español | EWTN en Español |
| Pasiones | VeneVision | WAPA |
Cox Spanish channels list.
Cox Contour TV Movie Pack Channel Lineup
Cox’s Movie Pack includes:
| Flix | EPIX Hits | Epix | EPIX2 |
| STARZ ENCORE | EPIX Drive-in | STARZ ENCORE ACTION | STARZ ENCORE Suspense |
| STARZ ENCORE Classic | STARZ ENCORE Black | STARZ ENCORE Westerns | FMX |
| IndiePlex | RetroPlex |
Cox Movie Pack channel lineup.
Cox Contour TV Sports & Info Pack Channel Lineup
The Sports & Info channel package comes with these channels:
| Olympic Channel | NBA TV | NHL Network | CBS Sports |
| Tennis Channel | Outdoor Channel | Pursuit Network | ESPN Bases Loaded/ Goal Line |
| Big Ten Network | Stadium College Sports Atlantic | Stadium College Sports Central | Stadium College Sports Pacific |
| SEC Network | ESPNU | ESPNews | ESPN Deportes |
| Fox Deportes | SEC Network 2 | NFL Network |
Cox Sports & Info pack channel lineup.
You can also get seasonal sports passes like:
| Package | Price |
| Sports Pack 2 | $20/mo. |
| NFL RedZone | $44.99 (one-time) |
| MLB Extra Innings | $26.99 (one-time) |
| MLS Direct Kick | $89 (one-time) |
| NHL Center Ice | $69.99 (one-time) |
| NBA League Pass | Season ended |
Seasonal sports packages for Cox cable TV.
The NBA League Pass SHOULD become available come October 18th [3].
Cox Variety Pack Channel Lineup
You’ll get these channels with the Cox variety pack:
| Africa Channel | NBC Universo | CMT | CLEO TV |
| BET Soul | Boomerang | CMT Music | National Geographic Wild |
| Baby First | Disney XD | STARZ ENCORE Family | BET Jams |
| MTV Classics | Military History | TR3S: MTV, Música y Más | NickMusic |
| Cooking Channel | Disney Jr. | CHARGE! KAZT DT4 | Lifetime Real Women |
| MTV2 | Viceland | FYI | BBC America |
| Nicktoons | Crime & Investigation | TV One | TeenNick |
| MTVU | BET Her | Logo | UP |
Channel lineup for Cox’s Variety channel package.
Cox International Channel Lineup
Here are the channels you’ll get with Cox’s International channel package:
| GMA Pinoy | CCTV 4 | TV | TV Japan |
| TV5Monde | SBTN | TV Asia | CTI-Zhong Tian |
| Phoenix InfoNews | ART | Phoenix North America | Rai Italia |
| DW (Deutsche+) | Colors TV | SET Asia | RTN (formerly TV Russia) |
| ZEE TV |
Channel lineup for the Cox International channel package.
Cox Premium Channel Lineup
Here are the channels you’ll get with Cox’s Premium Channels:
| HBO | HBO 2 | HBO Signature | HBO Family |
| HBO Comedy | HBO Zone | HBO Signature (East) | HBO (East) |
| HBO 2 (East) | HBO Latino | Cinemax | More MAX |
| Action MAX (East) | Thriller MAX | Action MAX | Cinemax (East) |
| More MAX (East) | Movie MAX | Cinemáx | Outer MAX |
| Star MAX | Playboy | Playboy en Español | SHOWTIME |
| SHOW*BET | SHOWTIME Extreme | SHOWTIME Showcase | SHOWTIME 2 |
| SHOWTIME Women | SHOWTIME Next | The Movie Channel | Starz |
| SHOWTIME Family Zone | TMC Extra | The Movie Channel (East) | Starz (West) |
| Starz Edge East | Starz in Black (East) | Starz (East) | Starz Kids & Family |
| Starz Cinema | Starz Comedy | Starz Edge | Starz in Black |
| AMC+ | EPIX Hits | EPIX | EPIX2 |
| EPIX Drive-in |
Cox premium channel lineup.
Cox Contour App: What Is It?
The Cox Contour TV app allows you to stream channels simultaneously on 5 devices (at home) and 3 when you’re away from home.
Only if you use a tablet, computer, or smartphone.
So long as others in your household have these devices, you could save $8.50 a month per box you would have had to rent.
If you want to watch channels while you’re traveling or taking a break at work, you can only watch a limited number of channels. I covered the channel lineup in another guide.
And if you have premium channel packages on your TV plan, you can download series and movies and watch them offline. Otherwise, that feature’s pointless.
Since you can’t record other channels.
Hidden Fees for Cox TV
Here are fees that aren’t in plain sight when signing up for Cox TV:
| Fee Type | Price |
| Professional Installation | Varies by package and region |
| Canceled Appointment Fee | $100 |
| Broadcast Surcharge | $19/mo. |
| Regional Sports Surcharge | Up to $5.00–$12.50/mo. |
| Late Payment Fee | $8.35 |
| Credit Card Denied Fee | Up to $25.00 |
| Reconnection Fee | $20.00 per service |
Hidden fees for Cox cable TV plans.
The broadband and regional sports surcharges will vary by region.
Otherwise, there aren’t many extra fees you’ll need to think of. I’ll cover these under the equipment section.
Cox Mobile Plans, Pricing, & Features
You can either subscribe to Pay By the Gig, which costs $15 a month per GB for each line. Or $45 a month for each line to access unlimited data.
You can only get Cox Mobile if you have an existing Cox home internet plan.
But this plan works great for accessing services in rural areas.
Since it uses Verizon’s cell towers.
The Unlimited plan comes with a 50 GB soft data cap. Meanwhile, Pay By The Gig has a 20 GB soft cap. Once reaching these thresholds, you’ll only have 1.5 Mbps download and 750 Kbps upload speeds.
With 1.5 Mbps download speeds, you could stream 1 720p video on Netflix. I can’t think of a scenario where 750 Kbps upload speeds would serve any purpose.
Wait. You could send a WhatsApp message.
You may as well find Wi-Fi for uploading files.
“Soft data cap” refers to slower data speeds after using a certain amount of data.
You can only use 8 Samsung phones with this plan. And you can’t bring your own device.
If you want international calling, you’ll need to pay $45 monthly to call 240 countries that Cox doesn’t specify. And if you want to call Mexico or Canada from the U.S., you must give them $10 monthly.
For a feature that’s free with many other providers.
Other than affordability and coverage, Cox Mobile doesn’t have much attractiveness.
Cox Voice Plans, Pricing, & Features
Cox’s landline service (Voice Preferred) costs $20 a month. You can pay $3.99 monthly for their Simply Unlimited add-on.
You’ll have to pay a minimum of $1.66 per minute without the add-on when making international calls. You’ll pay over 50% less per minute when getting the add-on.
Other features you’ll find with Cox landline include:
- No contract
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited free calling to the following countries (until 1/09/2023):
- Ukraine
- Poland
- Romania
- Moldova
- Hungary
- Bulgaria
You’ll also have to pay $0.18 per minute for long-distance calls. These include calls to outlying U.S. territories like:
- Guam
- American Samoa
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
- Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- District of Columbia
Hidden Fees for Cox Landline
Here are the hidden fees you may incur with Cox’s landline service:
| Service | Fee |
| * Long Distance Calling Rates (State-To-State) | $0.18 per minute |
| Calls to Mexico | $0.10 per minute |
| Returned payment | $25 |
| Late payment fee | $25 |
| Unreturned Equipment Fee | $65–$200 |
| Voice Manager (2+ lines) | $2.00 per account |
| IP Centrex (Multi-line rate) | $1.00 per account |
| IP Centrex (Bulk rate) | $5.00 per account |
| PRI | $5.00 per account |
| Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee | 2.8% of your international charge |
| Network Interface Fee (Single Line) | $7.50–$9.25 |
| Network Interface Fee (Multi-Line) | $9.25–$9.60 |
| Network Interface Fee (Bulk) | $46.25 |
| Bursting Feature | $0.10 per minute or $0.35 per message |
| Access Recovery Fee (Voice Manager) | Single line: $1.00 per line or trunkMulti-line: $2.00 per line or trunk |
| Access Recovery Fee (Centrex Legacy Trunks) | First 1–24 talk paths: $2.00 (capped at $10)Subsequent talk paths: $10 |
| Access Recovery Fee (IP Centrex) | First 1–24 talk paths: $1.00 (capped at $10)Subsequent talk paths: $5.00 |
| Access Recovery Fee (ISDN) | $5.00 |
Cox Voice Preferred hidden fees.
Cox Home Security Plans, Pricing, & Features
Homelife comes in 2 forms. The smart home-only plan costs $15 a month. Smart home plus home security costs $40 monthly.
Smart home-only comes with a single security camera.
The $40 plan comes with professional home monitoring. It also comes with a smart home equipment starter kit that includes:
- 2 window decals
- 2 window and door sensors
- 1 indoor motion sensor
- 1 HD camera
You’ll need to pay for additional equipment.
And another $14.99 a month if you want 24-hour continuous monitoring. For only up to 2 cameras.
Having continuous monitoring on up to 4 cameras will also cost $14.99. But it’ll lock you into a 2-year contract.
Consider data usage and required upload speeds when using security cameras. Since Cox has sluggish upload speeds and a data cap, you’ll run into bottlenecks.
Check the “home security bundles” section for more information.
Cox Equipment
Here’s what fees you’ll pay for Cox equipment for their different services:
| Equipment | Fee |
| Panoramic Gateway | $13/mo. |
| CableCARD | $6.00/mo. each |
| Gateway Activation Fee | $25 |
| Cox Contour Stream Player | $5.00/mo. |
| Contour HD Box | $8.50/mo. each (1st box included) |
| Unreturned Equipment Fee | $65–$200 |
Cox equipment fee list.
Cox allows you to use third-party routers, modems, and gateways. The gateway and modem you get must have Cox approval. And it must be new.
They listed approved modems and gateways on their website. But if you want thorough information regarding the best modem for specific use cases, warranty information, and more, explore our guide.
You can use whatever router you want.
If you decide to go with Cox’s Wi-Fi router modem, you’ll need to pay an extra $25 for them to activate your device.
If you’re using Contour TV and want to use your own cable box or DVR, you’ll need to pay for the CableCARD. The card enables your device to receive Cox’s TV services.
Failure to return Cox’s leased equipment within 10 days of canceling your service will result in an unreturned equipment fee. Your surcharge will vary by device.
When canceling Cox services and returning their equipment, ensure you get a return receipt. And store it somewhere. In case Cox tries to accuse you of not returning their stuff.
Cox Bundles: Are They Worth It?
Cox will not give you discounts when bundling their services. You’ll only want to bundle to simplify your billing.
Here’s an example of a bundle you’d see when bundling their internet and TV services:
| Services Bundled | Price (Yr. 1) | Price (Yr. 2) | Best For |
| Essential Internet & Streaming Only | $54.99/mo. | No contract | Utilizing streaming services without obligation |
| Preferred Internet + Streaming only | $64.99/mo. | $88.99/mo. | Households (5+) who want to watch stream videos on the family TV |
| Ultimate Internet + Streaming only | $74.99/mo. | $104.99/mo. | Households (10+) who want to watch stream videos on the family TV |
| Gigablast + Streaming Only | $84.99/mo. | $124.99/mo. | Households who want to stream on the family TV and download massive files frequently |
| Essential Internet & Preferred TV | $147.99/mo. | No contract | Households (<5) who want basic internet along with cable and local channels |
| Preferred Internet & Preferred TV | $157.99/mo. | $181.99/mo. | Households (5+) who want to stream on Contour TV app in 3 rooms simultaneously |
| Ultimate internet & Preferred TV | $167.99/mo. | $197.99/mo. | Households (10+) who can afford multiple TV boxes |
| Gigablast & Preferred TV | $177.99/mo. | $217.99/mo. | Homes who frequently download many files, yet want TV channels |
Cox cable internet and TV bundles.
All bundles except those with Essential Internet will require a 1-year contract. And once that contract ends, your bundle’s price will increase up to 47%.
Cox Service Availability
You can get Cox TV, home internet, home security, and landline services in 624 areas spread throughout 19 states.
Use Cox’s location tool to see whether Cox offers fiber or cable internet services in your area. Or if they provide other services (like TV).
Cox’s mobile services are available in all 50 states. But not in other U.S. territories like Guam or Puerto Rico.
Since Cox uses Verizon’s towers to provide cellular services, those in rural areas will have better access to cellular services.
5G and 4G LTE availability will vary by area. Check out this Cox mobile map and enter your ZIP code to see whether your area has support.
Since it’s a new page, the map page may not load. I could only get it to load on the Brave browser. But not Chrome or Firefox.
Cox TV, Internet, & Voice Discounts
Cox offers a $40 monthly discount on their Gigablast service until September 30th, 2022.
Or $28 off your monthly bill when adding the following channels to your Contour TV plans:
- STARZ
- CINEMAX
- HBO MAX
- SHOWTIME
It’ll only cost $20 monthly to get all these channels.
Cox also offers special discounts for different groups from time to time, learn more below:
To stay updated with more recent Cox discounts, check out our Cox discounts page.
Cox Customer Service: How To Reach Them
You can reach Cox’s billing, account, and retention customer service departments by calling 800-234-3993.
You could also send a direct message to their @CoxHelp Twitter account. And you can use their live chat service.
You can also call these numbers for other services:
| Service/Purpose | Phone Number |
| Sales Department | 800-261-4021 |
| Accessibility Support | 888-266-1304 |
| Text Support | 54512 |
| Billing Questions | 405-600-7676 |
| Automated Technical Support | 703-378-8422 |
| Business Customer Support | 866-272-5777 |
| Business Text Support | 36009 |
Cox customer support numbers.
You can also contact them through a number of physical mailing addresses or emails.
Check out my guide on reaching Cox’s customer service.
FAQs: Cox Overview
Here are frequently asked questions about Cox’s home internet, security, TV, landline, and mobile services.
How Do I Get Started With Cox?
Visit a Cox store to get started. Or order an Easy Connect (self-installation) kit online. Receive your equipment within a day, connect it, and activate it.
How Do I Cancel Cox?
Cancel all Cox services by calling 888-952-3278 or visit a Cox physical location. You’ll also need to return your leased equipment to a nearby UPS or Cox store.
Wrapping Up
Cox has affordable services yet ridiculous policies in some areas. Like their hard data cap. Otherwise, many of their services don’t require a contract. So it allows you to test them.
Better than other service providers.
If you don’t like what you learned about Cox’s services, explore the alternative service providers we reviewed.
