Cox offers cheaper TV prices but not all users qualify
February 4th, 2010, 12:30 pm · 12 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
One way to save some money on TV service? Commit for a year or two.
It’s a business model that both satellite TV companies have offered for years. Over at Verizon FiOS, new customers will save about $240 over a 2-year period for the company’s most popular TV, Internet and phone bundle. Time Warner Cable began offering its price-lock guarantee program last year, saving customers ordering 3 services a $432 over two years.
Cox Communications, too, is doing the same thing but as one reader discovered, not every customer qualifies.
John, a Laguna Beach resident, asked for the discount after learning that Cox is raising cable TV and Internet rates in March. But he was told he wasn’t eligible. No one, not even the service manager, could figure out why.
Lana Ong, a Cox spokesperson, cleared it all up: Price lock is just a trial for the company in certain parts of the country, including Orange County. But if your account is delinquent or already getting a good discount, you don’t qualify. Ong responded:
Cox recognizes that customers appreciate predictability in their bills, particularly in today’s economy, so we wanted to offer Price Lock Guarantees on a trial basis to better understand demand for this offering. These Guarantees allow customers to lock in the rate of their Cox video, Internet and telephone services at today’s rates for the next two years. Cox is testing this new method of locking in pricing for customers in four markets – Orange County, San Diego, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Since, this is a trial taking place in certain service areas, the Price Lock Guarantee is not available to all customers at this time. Also, the Price Lock is not available to customers with delinquent accounts or who already have a discount offer on their services. At the conclusion of the trial period, Cox will determine whether to offer Price Lock Guarantees in other systems.
Ong didn’t say how much eligible customers can save with price-lock guarantee. But take a look at the published savings for the local TV services (I’ve added a separate 6-month offer from Cox):
Company Package Term Price-lock No Price Lock Savings Time Warner Cable Phone, Internet, TV 24 months $104.99 $122.99 $432 Verizon FiOS Phone, Internet, TV 24 months $99.99* $109.99 $240 Cox cable Phone, Internet, TV 6 months $117.01** $147.01 $180 Dish Network TV (280+ channels) 12 months $84.99 $99.99 $180 Direct TV TV (265+ channels) 12 months $83.99 $109.99 $312 * Verizon’s price is the average over 24 months. As part of its price-lock deal, the first 12 months are $89.99, the second 12 months are $109.99.
** Cox’s 6-month price isn’t part of the price-lock program. It’s part of the bundled-services offer.
If any readers have qualified for Cox’s price-lock guarantee, share the numbers with the rest of us. Thanks!
Recent Cox Cable stories:
Reader Comments
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our User Agreement.- Keep it civil and stay on topic.
- No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks.
- People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
- By posting your comment, you agree to allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to republish your name and comment in additional Register publications without any notification or payment.
12 Comments
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
Things to do
-
To view local listings CLICK
HERE
Or visit your TV provider: * Cox Cable * Time Warner Cable * DirecTV * Dish Network * AT&T U-verse * Verizon FiOS *
Watch a show online HERE. Get TV/mobile help on Twitter
-
-
The North Orange County Computer Club answers your tech questions. Visit the PC Club page and the Stump archives.Recent Q&As:
>>Click HERE for more PC Club answers 
More O.C. Tech News- Privlo Raises $2.1M For Private Mortgage Marketplace May 17, 2013
- Mindspeed Adds Board Member May 17, 2013
- Airware Gets $10.7M From Google, Andreessen For Unmanned Drone Technology May 15, 2013
- Kofax Selected By Mortgage Finance Firm CashCall May 15, 2013
- MediaShift Snags Clear Channel Media Vet As CFO May 15, 2013
- Google Celebrates Atari Anniversary With Breakout Game May 15, 2013
- uParts Gets $2M To Revolutionize Auto Parts Business May 10, 2013
- Boingo Expands Wi-Fi Network In China May 8, 2013
- Ceradyne settles helicopter armor claim May 27, 2010
- O.C. firm wins $12.4 million from Yahoo February 3, 2010
-
ADVERTISEMENT
Here's a list of TV/mobile companies helping consumers one tweet at a time. 
Dont be a cox = Ahhhh I’m not gonna say it!
They vary my speed so they rip me off.
The chart seems misleading – some appear to be for TV only, others are for TV+phone+internet
I still don’t get that anyone would waste the kind of money on television that cable companies charge. You waste half your TV Viewing life watching their commercials because they blitzkrieg them into everything you actually want to watch, then they make you pay a fortune for the privilege. Makes no sense to me.
Get a life. Turn off the TV!
Cox has been trying to shove their phone service down our throats for years. I finally had to forcefully tell them to take us off their solicitation list, we get a better rate thru AT&T.
So unless you get the whole package, I imagine you won’t qualify for the pricelock dealie.
We’ve found that phone service in SD with COX actually rocks, as they insure service all the way to the phone jack on the inside of your house; try to get that out of the other guys. We have unlimited CA- long distance for about $32/mo (bundled as “Control Plus”, incl. taxes, etc.). Looking forward to having a mobile phone service in our bundle someday though.
Cox and I assume all the other providers have very misleading offers. For instance Cox gives you 10% off if you bundle the three services. But what you don’t see in the ads is that you need specific levels of Internet, Phone and Cable to qualify for the 10%. So you will probably be paying much more in the extra (unwanted) services than you will be saving. I would never lock myself in to a 2 year commitment for all three services especially when you have to buy their “BUNDLES”.
Steve – yes …you have to read what it is.
I just called for my father and he qualified. He only has the phone and digital cable. The price lock locks in your current rate, but only on some lines of your bill, not all. For his cable, his current rate is locked in for Cox Limited Basic and Cox Expanded Service. They couldn’t lock in the rate for his Digital Cable Service or Digital Receiver (both should increase by $1). Unfortunately, the custumer service rep couldn’t tell me what the other rates were going up to. Also this is for 24 months and there is an early cancellation fee if you move out of the area or cancel service. It is prorated though and comes out to $2 per month.
Also, she said something strange, she wanted to know where I had heard about this price lock program, because it’s not being advertised anywhere. Why are they offering this, but not telling anyone? You’d think that they would just not offer anything, than do it, but keep it a secret!
Thanks for the update Nancy!
I forgot to add that the customer service rep said that he qualified because he didn’t have any promotional pricing on his account.
I’m SUPPOSED to qualify for the rate lock — after signing up for it over the phone, I got a letter several days later saying they “couldn’t confirm” it because they were “unable to contact me” — my home, business, and cell phone numbers have not changed in YEARS. I’ve had the same email address (from Cox) since cable internet service first came to Orange County. No one from Cox EVER tried to call or email me.
I called back, was “confirmed” and everything was cool. Last month, I got a notice that my rates were going up. I called, was reassured that I WAS on rate-lock, and that the notice had just been included in everyone’s bill. Not to worry.
Of course, you can probably guess what’s coming, right? Saturday the bill comes and yes, the rate has gone up. I call first thing Monday morning and first there’s “no record” of me signing up for rate lock. As I get angrier, suddenly the rep says there IS a record of me requesting it, but they could never “confirm” it. She submitted it to a supervisor to see if they can approve it.
WHEN is Fios coming to South Orange County???
NEVER sign up with Direct tV. Google complaints about the company – there are so many about dipping into checking accounts or credit cards without authorization and based upon made up “cancellation fees.” There is a class action filed by Watchdog in Los Angeles in 2009. NEVER sign up with this hideous, rip off of a company!!! You will be VERY sorry – and sadly, most of their competitors suck too because they all have dishonest practices and rip off customers.