Cox wireless service now official

Nearly a year after launching network trials, and two years after announcing its intentions, Cox Communications commercially unveiled its wireless service. The offering’s initial launch will include its trial markets of Hampton Roads, Va.; Omaha, Neb.; and Orange County, Calif.
The company said the service, marketed with the tagline “Unbelievably fair,” would be available as a stand alone offering or as part of a bundle with existing services, which include cable television, high-speed Internet and wired telephone services.
The initial service launch will use CDMA technology running over Cox’s AWS spectrum holdings and rely on a roaming agreement with Sprint Nextel Corp. for nationwide coverage as well as fill-on coverage in the launched markets. Huawei Technologies Inc. is deploying the CDMA-based network for Cox.
The move to launch its own network has been questioned by many who have noted the billions of dollars required to manage and maintain a mobile network. Many of Cox’s cable brethren have bypassed building out their own networks for now and have instead relied on going to market as a mobile virtual network operator, many of which focused on mobile data services using Clearwire Corp.’s WiMAX network.
Cox noted that it was continuing to trial LTE services using its AWS and 700 MHz spectrum holdings with equipment from Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent. Cox owns 12 megahertz of spectrum licenses covering 76% of its wireline footprint.
A number of new entrants into the mobile space have decided to forgo 3G technologies for the expected cost efficiencies and improved performance of so-called “4G” technologies, a move that Cox noted was somewhat unexpected.
“The LTE ecosystem has evolved much faster than I think any of us thought,” noted Stephen Bye, VP of wireless at Cox.
Rate plans
Single-line rate plans begin at $40 per month for 450 anytime calling minutes, unlimited calls to other Cox mobile devices and wired services and unlimited night and weekend calling beginning at 9 pm. An unlimited calling plan is available for $70, with unlimited calling, messaging and Internet access runs $100.
For family plans the base offering is $70 per month for two lines sharing 800 anytime calling minutes ratcheting up to $120 per month for unlimited talk across two lines. Additional lines on the bucket plans run $10 per line, while additional lines on the unlimited plan runs $50.
For those looking to add messaging Cox offers an unlimited package for $20 on individual plans and $30 across a family plan. The carrier also offers a 300 message plan for $5 per month or 1,500 messages for $15 per month. Or for those that like bundles, individual lines can add unlimited messaging and web access for $30 per month.
Rate plans are mostly inline with established wireless players, a move Cox said was intentional.
“It’s a switchers market,” Bye explained. “We want to offer rate plans that allow for easy comparison shopping. An apples-to-apples comparison, then show the extras that we offer.”
Bye added that “radical new plans would take longer to explain to consumers.”
This could be the biggest challenge for Cox as domestic wireless consumers for the most part have shown an inclination to sign contract extensions with their current wireless provider for the lure of device subsidies on rapidly evolving mobile devices.
Differentiation
One differentiator for the Cox mobile service is that customers will receive 5 cents per minute back on unused calling plan minutes each month up to $20. This option is sort of a different take on the Rollover plan used by AT&T Mobility that allows customers to keep unused minutes for up to one year. There was no word from Cox on what they would charge for overage.
Cox said it will also send text alerts to customers as they near their allotment of calling minutes. The company is also looking to take advantage of its other offerings. The company said it will allow customers to program their digital video recorders from their mobile device and trialing a mobile video service. And when customers elect to add wireless service to their current bundle they are eligible for a free upgrade of either a premium movie channel for their cable television service, an upgrade on their high-speed Internet or unlimited domestic long distance to their wired calling plan.
And while past bundled offerings have for the most part met with tepid reception in the mobile space, Cox thinks this time it will be different.
“There is more interest now in bundles from consumers,” Bye said. “Past bundling attempts were more of a fa