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Archive for the 'Cox Communications' Tag

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Cox getting into 3D; ESPN 3D starts in June

March 30th, 2010, 2:54 pm by

Take a day off, miss some big 3D news. DirecTV offered us an update yesterday on one of its upcoming 3D TV channels. We knew ESPN 3D was coming, but now we know when: June 11. More notably, Cox Communications plans to air the upcoming Masters Tournament for all customers who have an HD receiver. That makes Cox the first cable TV provider in Orange County to make some sort of commitment to 3D.

Let’s start with Cox. The cable company will air the Masters Tournament next week from Augusta National Golf Club beginning Wednesday, April 7 (yes, that’s the event where we will all see Tiger Wood’s return to the sport). There will be two hours a day of live coverage, starting at 1 or 2 p.m, our time. The same coverage will also be available on demand (go to channel 1). If you’re not an eligible Cox subscriber, you can also view the 3D coverage at Masters.com if you have a 3D-compatible computer.

What will you see? “Viewers will be better able to depict the many subtleties and elevation changes of the course’s grounds,” says Cox.

The interesting note is that Cox is a cable company. And cable companies have complained about not having enough space to air more HD channels. Companies are tweaking the technology and playing with available bandwidth in order to squeeze more HD into a customer’s house. Cox, for example, has turned some regular TV channels into on-demand only so that they are not broadcasting 24/7. When a customer wants to view the channel, it starts airing as if it were broadcasting 24/7.

Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, is also airing the Masters Tournament in 3D. Here’s a good explanation about how Comcast is doing 3D by Engadget, “Comcast’s 3D Masters broadcast explained.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • | 19 Comments »

Cox’s mobile phone update: Can you hear me now Omaha?

March 25th, 2010, 8:02 am by

Despite a marketing campaign to promote the March launch of a new mobile phone service, consumers in the only city where Cox Communications actually launched service probably have no clue it exists.

That’s because in Omaha, Nebraska, only paying Cox employees there can get the service, said Jill Ullman, with Cox’s public affairs department. She declined to share prices, features or any other useful information.

Orange County was supposed to join Omaha this month as one of three areas nationwide that would get Cox’s “unbelievably fair” service first. But as we learned earlier this week, Cox nixed that launch in Orange County  in order to put “the final touches on the Cox Wireless,” said a spokesperson (see earlier story: What happened to Cox Cable’s mobile phone service?).

Around the Web, other news sites are reporting that Cox is gearing up to launch mobile service for business customers. Multichannel News says phone service is available in the three communities but only for “friendly” customers and testers.

If there are any “friendly” readers out there who are testing Cox’s mobile service in Orange County, please share your experience.

Earlier on Cox’s mobile phone service:

Posted in: Cell phones • • • • | 2 Comments »

What happened to Cox Cable’s mobile phone service?

March 24th, 2010, 7:12 am by

March is almost over and the “unbelievably fair” mobile phone service from Cox Communications has failed to make its debut in Orange County, which was one of three regions nationwide picked for the cable TV provider’s mobile debut.

The launch has been delayed indefinitely, said Lana Ong, the spokesperson for the local Cox operation.

“We didn’t launch Cox Wireless widely to the public on March 8 because we are taking a very deliberate approach to introduce new products and services to the marketplace to ensure an experience that customers expect from Cox,” she replied.

She continues, “We realize many customers were looking forward to it however, the most important thing to note is Cox is putting the final touches on the Cox Wireless experience. Holding true to our customers is our number one priority and Cox Wireless will be here soon.  We’re asking that interested customers visit unbelievablyfair.com if they want to be the first to learn more about Cox Wireless – and don’t renew that contract!”

That’s a tough request, even for people who can’t wait to ditch their own wireless provider.

At this point, all we know is that Cox was building a mobile-phone network that uses Sprint’s CDMA 3G network. It would do away with overage fees, vanishing minutes and other consumer outrages. You don’t have to be a Cox TV subscriber. The company even produced commercials about it, which it’ll have to reshoot since they tout a March launch.

Orange County was one of three regions picked to be the first to get service. Hampton Roads, Va. and Omaha, Neb. were the other two areas.

Omaha, however, did launch, Ong said.

“While we don’t have a set date yet for our official wireless launch to the public, our Omaha system launched Cox Wireless in limited availability earlier this month,” she said.

In the mid 1990s, Cox tapped Omaha as a city it planned to launched cellular service using existing its fiber-optic cable network, according to a story in the Omaha World Herald. The service was pitched as something that would cost half the price of existing cellular service. The effort was later dropped.

Related stories:

Posted in: Cell phones • Video & TV • • • • • • • | 27 Comments »

Cox offers cheaper TV prices but not all users qualify

February 4th, 2010, 12:30 pm by

Cox Cable logoOne 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: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • | 12 Comments »

Cox promises ‘unbelievably fair’ mobile service in March

January 14th, 2010, 8:32 am by

Cox wireless service begins in March 2010 in Orange County.Back in December, we learned that Cox picked Orange County to be one of three regions where it will first roll out wireless phone service. The service will begin in March 2010 and, as with any major move, a big marketing campaign begins this week.

In Cox’s ads, it promises “unbelievably fair” service and watching the commercial, that seems to say Cox is getting rid of surprise overage fees and vanishing minutes. Those interested can sign up on Cox’s new Unbelievably Fair web site to get notified (if you sign up and are a Cox TV customer, you’ll get a free movie on demand). You don’t have to be a Cox Cable customer.

cox-wireless2

The company expands further in a press release by pointing out how unfair it is that wireless phone customers have to pay for minutes in their plan that they don’t use. Cox’s research showed them that consumers want value and transparency in wireless plans.

It’s definitely a campaign of the 21st Century. Cox has set up a Facebook fan page to chat with customers Facebook to Facebook.

More commercials have been posted on Youtube.

Cox is also launching the mobile service this spring in Hampton Roads, Va. and Omaha, Neb.

More on Cox at the Gadgetress Cox Cable page. Recent news from Cox:

Posted in: Cell phones • Video & TV • • • • • • • • • | 7 Comments »

Cox getting EPIX movie channel in April

January 13th, 2010, 11:27 am by

Epix HD, a new movie channelNoted: Cox Communications is the latest to sign up to get EPIX, a newish HD network featuring movies from Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer STudios and Lionsgate. Cox plans to offer the channel as a movie tier to customers nationwide beginning in April 2010.

Cox customers in Orange County should get the channel at the same time as the rest of the nation, according to the local Cox folks.

A few EPIX movies coming in April include Star Trek, GI Joe, Paranormal Activity and the Tyler Perry film franchise.

EPIX launched in 2008 and signed up its first customer, Verizon FiOS, in July 2009. FiOS TV customers began receiving the channel in the fall. The three studios launched EPIX in early 2008 after pulling its movies from CBS-owned Showtime. Showtime wanted to cut the fees it paid to broadcast their movies.

Terms of the Cox deal were not disclosed.

Update, Jan. 14, 2010: EPIX also signs cable provider Mediacom (Paid Content)

Latest news on Cox:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 3 Comments »

Cox Cable: No price hikes planned for 2010 yet

December 16th, 2009, 2:54 pm by

Cox Cable logoCox Communications customers in Orange County can hang on to their money for just a bit longer. The Rancho Santa Margarita cable TV provider said that no cable price increases are planned for 2010. At least not yet.

“As far as rates, at this point Cox has nothing set in stone regarding rate increases in 2010,” said spokeswoman Lana Ong in response to my query about 2010 price increases.

December and January tend to be prime time to notify customers of upcoming rate hikes. During these months a year ago, Time Warner, AT&T U-verse and Cox all told customers monthly bills were going up.

So far, for 2010, Time Warner has notified customers that some will see their monthly bills increase a few dollars in January. See the earlier story: “Time Warner 2010 price hikes mostly affect those who order the least.”

More on 2010 price increases:

Of course, this doesn’t mean Cox won’t raise its rates in 2010. This year, the company upped rates in March. Last year, rates also went up in March. The official word today, however, is no increases are planned.

Cable providers are losing subscribers and not making as much money as they used to. A big reason for annual price increases is because the TV networks they offer are asking for more money themselves.

The nation’s largest cable company, Comcast Corp., took steps this month to offset some of those rising costs by buying a TV network. The deal, valued at $30 billion, will make Comcast the owner of NBC, which includes the channels such as USA, Bravo, SyFy, CNBC, MSNBC and Universal.

Currently, Time Warner is negotiating with News Corp. (Fox TV) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Food Network, HGTV). In an effort to publicize what it considers unfair price hikes for the channels, Time Warner launched a marketing campaign asking customers whether it should cave to the increases or get tough, even if it means losing the channel. While the campaign is obviously a marketing tactic, it attracted 400,000 consumers who told Time Warner to get tough.

Cox, meanwhile, just let go of the Travel Channel, selling most of it to Scripps Networks. Cox kept a 35 percent ownership.

For their part, both Orange County cable providers have added several new channels this year. Most recently, Cox customers should have seen 15 new HD channels show up this week. See the earlier story, “Cox adding 15 HD channels in December.”

Related stories:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • | 13 Comments »

Cox working on restoring Internet outage

December 7th, 2009, 12:57 pm by

Cox CableInternet still on the fritz? Cox Communications in Orange County knows about it but you can still call if you’re experiencing Internet issues.

Most customers are already back online and the company is restoring service to the rest, said Lana Ong, a Cox spokeswoman.

“Last night, a software upgrade in our network, which is part of our routine maintenance, caused an unexpected outage for some Internet customers,” she said. “Engineers at both local and national levels began troubleshooting the event immediately.”

Reports of the outage began at 10:23 a.m., according to Cox. The company rebooted the system at 10:45, which restored service to most customers. Cox won’t disclose how many customers were affected.

“The duration of the outage lasted approximately 22 minutes and most customers were back online within 20 minutes. We are working as quickly as possible to restore services to the remainder our customers,” Ong said.

If you know a local Cox customer still experiencing Internet issues (since, presumably, they are unable to read this online report), you should call customer service at (949) 546-5955. Online help is also available through live chat or e-mail. Contact info is on this page.

Visit the Gadgetress’ special page for Cox customers at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/cox.

Recent Cox Cable stories:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

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