Cox Internet Review - Still Worth It in 2023?

Wed, Sep 14, 2022 10:01 PM

Cox is one of the few TV providers that allows you to bundle four services: TV, internet, home protection, and a landline. Cox is a cable TV service that has the majority of your favorite networks, good on-demand content, and a good DVR. Each service has about four steps at checkout, including selecting a package, selecting equipment, and selecting add-ons. Cox has made the checkout process incredibly simple, and we haven't seen a more personalized experience than what Cox provides.

Pros:

Solid DVR options for the family
Local channels plan (which is rare to find)

Cons:

Expensive TV packages
Limited availability in the US

Cost of Cox TV packages

Cox's pricing is on the higher end of the price scale.

Despite the fact that Cox allows you to customize your house, the company's plans and pricing have recently changed, and the prices have sadly increased. (Keep in mind that the discounted rate is only good for a year, and it's unclear how much the service would cost after that.)

Cox used to offer a Starter package with local channels for half the price, but $50 for 75+ channels is still less than a live TV streaming service.

If you change to Cox's Preferred plan, you can add on more station packs and pay channels for a more personalized package (at an additional cost). If you want the perfect channel variety for your family, we suggest this package.

Finally, Cox's Ultimate strategy includes premium channels such as HBO and SHOWTIME, as well as the Sports channel bundle.

If you go for a live TV streaming service, you can skip Cox's TV service entirely and only get internet, home security, and phone service for your home.

How much is Cox TV?

Contour TV Starter    
$50.00/mo.    
75+

Contour TV Preferred    
$90.00/mo.    
140+

Contour TV Ultimate    
$130.00/mo.    
250+

Is there a contract with Cox TV?

Although you might be locked into a two-year deal with Cox, you'll be relieved to learn that your price won't skyrocket until the promotional period ends.

DIRECTV, on the other hand, has costs that more than double in the first year. In the first year, Cox's Contour TV kit rises by around 30%, which is still a bummer for budgeters.

Extra Fees

Both Cox Cable TV plans come with the standard fees:

Broadcast Surcharge: up to $10.00/mo.
Regional Sports Surcharge: up to $9.00/mo.

However, additional fees vary depending on the Cox standalone live TV package you choose.

Set-top box fees

Contour HD box: First included, $10.00/mo. for each additional
Basic box: $4.00/mo.
CableCARD: $4.00/mo.

Not only will you be charged a monthly fee for renting the set-top box, but you will also be charged a monthly fee for the DVR service (unfortunately, these charges are normal with most TV providers).

Cox’s DVR service fees

Essential DVR service: $10.00/mo. for one year (then increases by $4 per month)
Preferred DVR service: $20.00/mo.
Ultimate DVR service: $30.00/mo.

More details on the set-top box and DVR services can be found in the equipment section, however, this provides an estimate of how much you'll have to add to your monthly bill.

Cox TV Channels

Every one of Cox's schemes has a distinct personality.

The Starter package includes "local channels," the Preferred package includes "local channels and basic cable TV channels," and the Ultimate package includes "local channels with expanded cable and premium channels."

Now, let's see which personality appeals to you the most.

Cox’s Contour TV Starter includes the following channels in its lineup:

• ABC

• CBS

• CoziTV

• C-SPAN

• CW

• FOX

• HSN

• MeTV

• NBC

• PBS

• PBS Kids

• QVC

• Telemundo

• True Crime Network

• UniMás

• Univision

Cox’s Contour TV Preferred includes all of the above and the following:

• Cartoon Network

• CNN

• Discovery Channel

• Disney Channel

• ESPN

• Food Network

• Fox News

• FS1

• FX

• Golf Channel

• Hallmark Channel

• HGTV

• HISTORY

• Lifetime

• MSNBC

• NBC Sports Network

• PAC-12 Network

• TBS

• TNT

• USA Network

Cox’s Contour TV Ultimate includes all of the above and the following:

• Actionmax

• BBC America

• Cinemax

• Cooking Channel

• Destination America

• Discovery Family Channel

• Disney Jr.

• HBO

• HBO Comedy

• HBO Family

• HBO Latino

• Lifetime Movie Network

• Moviemax

• NFL RedZone Channel

• OWN

• Science Channel

• SHOWTIME

• SHOWTIME Family Zone

• Starz Cinema

• Starz Encore Family

Premium channels and add-ons with Cox TV

You can add four premium channels and five-channel packs to your Cox TV package.

HBO Max is included for free when you purchase the Starter package. For $20 a month, you can get all four premium channels when you upgrade to Preferred ($5 per channel? (It's not a bad deal.)

How much do Cox's premium channels and add-ons cost?

 HBO Max            $16.00/mo.
Cinemax            $12.00/mo.
SHOWTIME        $12.00/mo.
STARZ            $12.00/mo.
Sports and Info Pack    $10.00/mo.
Sports Pack 2        $10.00/mo.
Movies Pack        $12.00/mo.
Variety Pack        $12.00/mo.
Bonus Pack        $10.00/mo.
Latino Pack        $10.00/mo.

The channel packages are only available with the Contour TV Preferred or Ultimate packages, so here's how it works:

Sports and Info Pack: This pack gives you about 23 sports channels, including NFL Network, ESPNU, ACCN, and Big Ten Network.

Sports Pack 2: Get about 20 more sports channels, including the NFL RedZone Channel, MLB Strike Zone, NBA TV, and Longhorn Network. (Keep in mind, you can’t order this pack unless you order the Sports and Info Pack.)

Movie Pack: Spruce up your TV service with 16 movie channels from EPIX and STARZ.

Variety Pack: This pack is for everyone in the family. The 35 channels in this pack include Nicktoons, Disney Jr., BBC America, The Cooking Channel, and Boomerang.

Bonus Pack: This pack only has seven channels, but it will cost nothing if you order another pack alongside it. You’ll get the Science Channel, MLB Network, and Discovery Life.

Latino Pack: Good news for you and your abuelita: you’ll get 45 Spanish-language with this pack. Enjoy Galavisión, NBC Universo, FOX Deportes, Cine Latino, Univision Telnovelas, and CNN en Español.

Equipment and Features

There are two costs associated with your set-top box: a monthly rental fee and a DVR subscription fee (which, unfortunately, is normal with TV providers).

Every TV package comes with a Contour HD box, which gives you access to on-demand content and streaming apps. Not only would having everything in one location be easy, but you'll also get a voice remote to make watching TV more enjoyable.

Get the Basic Box and save $6 a month if you only want a basic setup and don't worry about premium networks, on-demand video, or pay-per-view.

 
Contour HD box the First box included, $10.00/mo. for each additional
Basic box        $4.00/mo.
Essential DVR service    $10.00/mo. (for year one)
Preferred DVR service    $20.00/mo.
Ultimate DVR service    $30.00/mo.

Now, let's talk about the DVR facility. This is where you would estimate how often you and your family can record live games, regular or weekly TV shows, and movies.

You get 250 hours of DVR storage space with the Essential and Preferred DVR services. Essential, on the other hand, allows you to record two shows at once, while Preferred allows you to record six.

We're not sure who would want to record 24 shows or movies at the same time, but Cox makes it possible. You'll also get 1,000 hours of DVR storage with the Ultimate DVR service.

How much is Cox TV?

Contour TV Starter    
$50.00/mo.    
75+

Contour TV Preferred    
$90.00/mo.    
140+

Contour TV Ultimate    
$130.00/mo.    
250+

Cox TV offers a checkout experience that is personalized to your needs. You can bundle TV, phone, home protection, and a landline, unlike any other TV provider.

We suggest Cox TV's Preferred plan because it offers a wide range of programming that will please everyone in the family. You can also get a set-top box for each member of the family, as well as 1,000 hours of shared DVR storage.

Despite the fact that Cox has a TV bundle for everybody, it is the most expensive cable TV network in the industry. If you live in one of Cox's 19 service areas and want the convenience of having four utilities in one package, it's well worth the money.

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