Consider this: you just checked your internet service bill and saw that you’ve been paying a lot more than you thought you were. Sounds familiar? Well, you’re not alone. 

According to a Forbes report, internet service has been getting cheaper across speeds for the last five years. Even during the pandemic when most goods and services faced inflation, internet service prices remained consistent. But that’s not what we’ve experienced. 

ISPs seem to have increased the bills far beyond what we initially agreed to pay. Cox Internet is putting an end to this trend. It’s promoting internet service at standard everyday prices instead of offering low promotional rates only to charge higher standard rates.

Here’s why internet plans that seem inexpensive actually cost more in the long run and how Cox Internet gives consumers a more transparent option.

Cheap Internet Service May Cost More Than You Think

Internet service plans that seem inexpensive at first may not be the most cost-effective overall. You may end up paying more without realizing it if you don’t consider everything. Here are some specific ways you may end up paying more for a cheap Internet plan.

You’re Only Shown the Promotional Rates

When you’re looking at an internet offer, see if the shown price is standard or promotional. You only pay the promotion prices for 3 to 24 months, after which you’ll pay more. While promotions aren’t inherently bad, they may mislead you into mistaking the temporary promotional price for the long-term actual price. 

This is made worse by some ISPs that only show promotional prices on their marketing pages. They deliberately tell you only half the story and you’re left puzzled when the bill increases after 12 months.

High “Standard” Rates Are Hidden

When the actual standard rates are not shown on the marketing pages, they’re often much higher than the promotional prices. 

Customers generally don’t think to dig into the fine print and hidden details to see the prices after the promotional period—so the standard prices don’t even have to be competitive with the market. They can be as high as the ISP thinks the customers are willing to pay.

Included “Free” Services and Equipment Will Also Cost You

Many internet service plans include equipment and service for free, but what may look like a perk may come back to bite you. 

For instance, some internet service offers may include a rental modem or router at no additional cost. The key word here is rental. The equipment is only free during the promotion period. 

The rental fee is automatically added to your bill once the promotional period ends—and if you’re not careful, you may start paying it without even realizing it. 

The worst part is, you don’t need to rent the equipment in the first place. If the equipment wasn’t included in the offer, you’d have bought your own modem and router, which would have cost you about the same as how much you pay for rental equipment in a year.

You can get out of paying for the rental fees by removing the equipment once the promotional period ends. 

Standard Rates Can Increase Any Time

The standard rates and rental fees you may find after digging through the ISP’s website are the current standard rates. They may have increased by the time your promotional period ends, so may end up with an even higher bill. 

Since the standard rates aren’t displayed in the marketing materials, they don’t severely impact sales. The ISP can increase the rates on a whim.

With Cox, What You See is What You Get

Cox is in it for the long game. Everything is disclosed and all the information is easily accessible, so there are no surprises and you know exactly what you’re paying for. Here’s how Cox is breaking the cycle of hidden prices and rate hikes.

Everyday Low Prices

Cox offers internet plans at everyday low prices instead of promotional prices. These are also the standard prices, transparently displayed on the marketing materials. 

Compared to promotional rates offered by other ISPs, these may be a bit higher. But they’re lower than the standard prices other ISPs charge—they have to be as they’re transparently displayed on the offer pages.

No Added Hidden Fees

There are taxes, surcharges, and other fees that vary and are subject to change. However, there are no hidden fees and Cox won’t trick you into paying for a service you don’t need and didn’t sign up for. 

If you go over the 1.25 TB data limit, an extra 10 GB will cost you $50. If you’re among the relatively small percentile of subscribers that use more than 1.25 TB a month regularly, you can add 500 GB or unlimited data to your plan. But there’s a silver lining to these additional changes too: autopay and paperless billing aren’t required.

Autopay and Paperless Billing Not Required

With many ISPs, you’re required to sign up for autopay and paperless billing with a bank account to get an internet offer at the advertised price. If you instead want to receive the bill via mail and pay it manually, you have to pay a higher monthly rate.

The problem with autopay and paperless billing is that you get used not seeing bills. You already ignore tens of promotional emails every day—some from the ISPs themselves. It’s convenient to just pay automatically and never read the statement.

But the cost of this convenience is that you may not notice when your promotional period ends and you start paying the higher standard rates for internet and other previously “free” services. You also may not notice if they mistakenly overcharge you.

Cox doesn’t require you to sign up for autopay or paperless billing. You know exactly how much you’re paying each month. 

Cox Internet Plans

Cox has four internet plans available in all its service areas. A new 2 Gbps plan is also available in some areas. You can call Cox customer service for more details and availability info of Cox internet plans.

Here are the internet plans Cox has currently.

Cox Go Fast

Go Fast costs $49.99 a month and features speeds up to 100 Mbps. It includes Panoramic WiFi, which comes with a router/modem combo device, home network security, and Elite Gamer service for lower ping while gaming online. There’s no annual contact.

Cox Go Faster

Go Faster cost $69.99 a month for 250 Mbps max download speed. This plan also doesn’t require a term contract.

Cox Go Even Faster

Go Even Faster features a top download speed of 500 Mbps. The standard rate of this plan is $89.99 a month, but it’s currently available at $69.99 a month for the first 12 months. There’s no term contract so you can downgrade once the promotional period ends.

Cox Go Super Fast

Go Super Fast has a 1 Gbps max download speed. This plan is available at a promotional price of $99.99 a month for the first 12 months with a 1-year term agreement. 

The standard price of this plan is $119.99 a month. If you don’t want to get into a term agreement, there’s another option that lets you pay $109.99 a month for the first year and $129.99 a month for the second year.

Cox 2 Gig

Cox 2 Gig features a max download speed of (unsurprising) 2 Gbps. It costs $149.99 a month with no term contract or early termination fee. This plan is only available in some service areas.

FAQs

Why Is Cox Internet So Expensive?

Cox Internet is actually less experience in the long run. Cox advertises its standard rates for internet services. Yes, compared to the promotional prices of others, Cox’s prices are high. But, Cox’s standard rates are much lower than the standard rates you pay after the promotion period with other service providers.

Does Cox Internet Have A Contract?

No, Cox doesn’t require a term contract for its internet service. The 1 Gbps plan gives you the option to get a 1-year term contract for a $20 per month discount, but you can also get it without a contract.

Is Cox Internet Worth It?

Cox is among the fastest internet service providers according to Ookla network intelligence. Its standard prices are consistently lower than its competitors, making it a better option in the long run. The Elite Gamer feature makes it especially worth it for gamers by lowering latency for online games.

How Much Is Cox Internet Only?

Cox internet-only plans start at a standard price of $49.99 per month. The current most popular plan features 500 Mbps max download speed for a promotional price of $69.99 per month for 12 months.

Is Cox Internet Good For Gaming?

Cox is among the fastest and most reliable ISPs in the US according to Ookla Speedtest data. Its Elite Gamer service lowers ping by finding a shorter route to the game server, making it excellent for competitive online gaming.

Conclusion

Cox has transparent everyday-low standard prices that make it more cost-effective than other major ISPs in the long run. It also doesn’t require autopay, paperless billing, or term contracts, so you always know how much you’re paying and have the option to cancel anytime.