Cox Announces Plans to Support Residential Customers During COVID-19 Pandemic
Cox (cox.com) announced on March 13 additional plans to support residential customers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Cox is upgrading internet speeds for select residential packages and implementing a variety of other changes to provide support and relief for their customers and communities in greatest need.
“As learning and work for many shift to the home, we want customers to have access to the internet speeds and resources that help them to remain productive,” said Pat Esser, president and chief executive officer of Cox Communications. “During these uncertain times, we don’t want our residential customers to worry about their internet connection. Our network is built to handle peak use day and night to meet the full needs of families’ demands for entertainment, school assignments, and late-night deadlines.”
Until May 15, Cox is extending the following:
Residential customers in the company’s Starter, StraightUp Internet, and Connect2Compete packages will be automatically upgraded to speeds of 50 Mbps.
For those tiers, Cox is extending its Cox Complete Care remote desktop support at no charge to residential customers with remote helpdesk and assistance for loading new applications they may need to use during this time, like online classroom support applications and web conferencing services.
In addition to the above, an upgrade to Cox’s Essential customers from 30 Mbps to 50 Mbps, originally planned for later in the year, will be deployed now.
Connect2Compete is Cox’s low-cost internet product for families with school-aged children who are enrolled in low-income assistance programs. To ensure digital equity for students without internet at home, these changes intend to help families with online learning at home. For a limited time, 60 days of free service has also been introduced for new Connect2Compete customers.
Cox is offering to fast-track the qualification process for Connect2Compete. Schools are being asked to contact connectnow@cox.com with a list of eligible low-income students that currently do not have an internet connection. Cox will assist in getting students qualified quickly so they can continue learning from home. Cox has also partnered with PCs for People where families can purchase discounted refurbished computers. More information can be found at cox.pcsrefurbished.com.
These changes are in addition to the following commitment the company announced today as part of its pledge to support the FCC’s Keep America Connected initiatives. Previously announced commitments include the company’s agreement to:
Not terminate service to any residential or small business customer because of an inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Waive any late fees that residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Open Cox Wifi hotspots to help keep the public connected in this time of need.
Cox is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. They are the largest private telecom company in America, proudly serving six million homes and businesses across 18 states. Learn more online at cox.com.