Is anyone using Cox (@Home)?

[MarinerOne]

Man, I tell you, I am disgusted with Cox's service of late. There are times when the Internet is slower than a darn 14.4 modem, and I ain't kidding.

I live in Southern Orange County, CA, and we are in the process of converting over from the @Home service by Cox to their own dedicated system. I haven't done that yet, but nonetheless, the work they're doing on the system is really affecting the download speeds dramatically. Literally from hare to tortoise! It's totally frustrating as you're basically at their mercy, but what can you do?

I can't wait till this darn conversion is behind us and we can return to normal consistent download speeds ... because this is getting ridiculous!:mad:

[MaxPower]

on one side is DSL and on the other is Cable. I've jumped from one to the other. By far my DSL service (Southwestern Bell) has been the most horrible customer service experience I have ever had. Cox service hasn't been bad at all. Although I am a little fearful of experiencing the same connection problems you have when more people in my area get on the cable bandwagon.
;)

[thatch]

I used to have Cox@Home in my last residence. I got it when it first became available because I couldn't get DSL there since I was more than three miles from the central switching office. Anyway, it was so fast. But I did get tons of spam.

Now, and since I am in a different neighborhood where it is ruled by Comcast and they don't have the fiber optic lines here yet for cable modem technology, I am on a Verizon DSL connection. Agreed that the customer service is horrible, (thank goodness I haven't needed to use it too often either). But the speed is one third as fast as the cable modem was. And the price is way higher in percentage terms, (once I got through the owning of my cable modem by comparison, but then it did get struck by lightning later on and that's another story). On the plus side, no more spam at all.

[MarinerOne]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with DSL ... funny thing ... I was going to go for PacBell's DSL but we don't have that service in our area either, so we were left with no choice but Cox cable service. We were already a Cox customer with their digital Cable TV, so it was the logical choice. Now we're even on with their telephone service. Yikes ... we're doomed now!

Seriously, I think much of what is concerning me is a temporary aberration due to their conversion to their own proprietary system. Once we're through February, I think it'll be relatively smooth. In all honesty, it has only been recently that I've had any major complaints. The only other issue is the SPAM, but I don't even use their email services anymore, so that's a moot point.

It was nice hearing the flip side of the coin, as I have a better appreciation for what I do have now (glass half full), as opposed to the other options and drawbacks.

;)

[olfolks1326]

I have Cox High Speed internet and been using it for about a year, I have
the value service and it Wonderful, if you are having slow downloads you should contact the service and have them help you regarding your settings,
the high speed is un-beatable, I have had NO problems!!

[cameranerd74]

I'll second olfolks1326. I've had Cox at home for about 4 years and we have they're service at work as well. I have few, if any, comlaints.

[CAlvarez]

Once you get moved to their system, you'll be much happier. It's certainly far better than any DSL I've had the misfortune of having to support.

[Las_Vegas]

Las Vegas switched over to Cox about 3 years ago. The conversion was rough since all of the hardware was much older than Cox was used to. As a result, we were among last in the country to be upgraded to 4Mbps operation. The conversion is finally complete and I wouldn't consider another of the available providers right now. Even at 4Mbps, we're about half the price of Comcast at 2Mbps in MN.

[Xd]

Thankfully, not anymore. Although my current provider RCN is essentially the same company and engages in the same unethical business as COX does. Selling my personal info to solicitors, not sending my e-mails to their destination. They each have access to sensitive information and abuse their positions.

[CAlvarez]

Nearly all companies sell your mailing address and name to other companies unless you ask them to stop. Name 10 companies you do business with and I bet 8 of them have that practice. Not that it's right, but it is normal.

Blocking your outbound e-mail? No, they're not, unless you're sending viruses or spam.

[Xd]

I completely disagree that its the same thing because ISP's have access to way more sensitive information than just your home # and address. Medical records, banking information are just the tip of the iceberg. When companies that have access to sensitive information about you like COX and RCN and they sell that information I personally believe it is every bit as equal to breaching the confidentiality that a person has with their doctor or an attorney and should be punishable within those same perimeters.

No virus or spam was sent. In fact they were resumes to companies that never received the email. I contacted the companies who say they never got the email and I never received confirmations from the receiving party or the confirmation of delivery from COX and now RCN. YES, contrary to your experience as I gather you were an employee of COX at one time, both COX and RCN through their inept(?) services fail to deliver a very large number of emails and RCN continues to be inconsistant with its deliveries and I receive solicitation everyday because of this pathetic company and COX for 2 years prior, both selling my info to the most annoying bidder.

[Craig R. Arko]

YES, contrary to your experience as I gather you were an employee of COX at one time, both COX and RCN through their inept(?) services fail to deliver a very large number of emails and RCN continues to be inconsistant with its deliveries and I receive solicitation everyday because of this pathetic company and COX for 2 years prior, both selling my info to the most annoying bidder.


Maybe you can get them to sell you Yahoo's phone number.


By the way, for future reference, ad hominem's are one of the things that can get you kicked out of here.

[Xd]

Craig I was a customer of COX cable for 3 straight years pal, I think that more than qualifies me to answer this question concerning COX@home.

You are the Site Admin and you are calling out my Yahoo thread? Why? What is your point? I tried to make a difference with that thread and you offered nothing but 2 terse comments so lose the sarcasm although that was funny, I guarantee you they would sell it..

Ad hominem:
1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect
2 : marked by an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made

my responses:
1 : I offer my opinions with experience and intellect, not void of it.
2 : The contention was bad service and I agreed with MarinerOne.

[cameranerd74]

Let me play Gilligan for a second... Remeber guys... we're all in this together. We all have things in common that draws us to this forum. Also, one of the bad things about email, forums, etc. is that there is no tone or inflection invloved... sometimes a comment strikes a nerve it was never intended to hit, and an e-argument insues. We don't need anymore closed threads. ;)

Cox does block port 25 for all but thier own SMTP servers. For me, its smtp.central.cox.net... perhaps that is the problem with undelivered emails?

[CAlvarez]

Medical records, banking information are just the tip of the iceberg.
You actually, really believe that?? Seriously, explain to me how your ISP has access to that. If you tell me it's because you access that data via your internet connection, I'm gonna have a real laugh.

that never received the email
A somewhat common occurence with e-mail. Most of it arrives just fine, sometimes something happens. With every provider. Currently I'm battling with Qwest DSL mail server problems, really serious, documented ones. They don't care. At least when I call Cox, they care and do something immediately. I have no idea who RCN is or how their mail servers work, so I can't address that directly, but Cox's mail servers are very reliable. Certainly they are not selectively scanning or blocking mail other than for viruses and spam.

as I gather you were an employee of COX at one time
Interesting assumption. No, never worked for them. I support hundreds of users on various residential connections that use them to connect to corporate networks. Cox is the most common AND the least problematic. I hear problems from users of other networks far more than Cox users, even though there are probably five times as many Cox users as all others combined.

You are the Site Admin and you are calling out my Yahoo thread? Why? What is your point?
I'd relate this to the Yahoo thread because it shows that you're quick to jump on a bandwagon against this or that internet company, and then to get nasty with the people on this forum who try to narrow down your misplaced blame and perception. I have some experience with people who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, and you sound just like them. That's not an attack, nor an insult, but I'm curious if you are aware that maybe your thought processes are different. If you can, try to think through some of the things that people on this forum with vast experience in these matters have said to you. Do you really believe we are all wrong or trying to cover something up?

Cox is not selling your medical secrets, nor any other secrets. They do sell your name, address, and phone number, just like the vast majority of companies. I detest that, and always tell companies that I want to be excluded from all marketing efforts, but it is normal across most industries.

[Xd]

I can tell you I sent email to the correct address and it was not received which means it was not correctly sent. Over and over again. COX even acknowledged problems with their service.

what you call quick to jump on a bandwagon is 3 straight years of completely horrible service from COX. I had periods of weeks that was offline. I am on record with that company as having called to work orders because ot the various glitches for years. They credited my account so often that I acually received a month for free once because it was so bad.

I never said they selected me out, I said their service is very poor in my 3 years as a customer. And that is just a fact.

Paranoid about what? I never said they were selling my medical records I said they are selling my info to solicitors and they are. I said they have access to whatever it is you do online and they do? They have already proven they will sell your phone # so I was implying what is to stop them from giving out other information, like banking or medical, not that they are.

As far as my trojan Yahoo thread, that has been occuring with regularity for over a year. There is no bandwagon calverz, I couldn't care less about your opinions because that fact is if I open my email right now I will have a fresh new virus to delete. I think you are paranoid and psychotic for thinking you know anything about me. Take a drive out to canyon lake and chill out dude.

[CAlvarez]

You said:
have access to way more sensitive information than just your home # and address. Medical records, banking information
They do not, simple as that.

I'm done, and figure this thread will be closed soon anyway. I'm sorry you've had issues with Cox. If they happened during the @Home days, it doesn't shock me, as @Home was a crap network. When dealing with a pure Cox network, my experience has been nothing but fantastic, across hundreds of users in various cities. Their downtime is measured in seconds, and network issues such as with the mail servers are basically non-existent. I have no allegiance to them nor any connection other than telling people that if they want a fast and reliable home service, they deliver it better than anyone else I've dealt with in my career as a network tech.

[Xd]

Dude I am from the valley so I know first hand about COX and will defend my right to express my bad experiences because that is essentially all you can do as a consumer. What do you think I am going to praise this company because you are here? The truth is when it worked it was great but it was very inconsistant pal. I don't need you telling me I am paranoid about something you have no knowledge of. Unless YOU think you can read other peoples mind. Who do you think you are?

CALVarez you are dillusional and have serious mental issues asserting an attack on my character because I shared my experiences with COX as a consumer of which you have no knowledge of. Furthermore you have clinical anger issues calling me a paranoid schizophrenic because I was not satisfied with COX services who sold my personal information without my consent and offered such unstable service that I was completely ripped off until I just dropped the service entirely.

The e-mail virus is my problem and it is a very real threat to my PC not my Mac but if you don't care fine, just drop the sarcasm, take it home with ya...

[Craig R. Arko]

We don't need anymore closed threads. ;)



It's not looking real promising from where I sit. Take it out back, fellas.

[griffman]

Xd: We're all sorry to hear you've had problems with Cox. The point has been made. But if you do not stop attacking the respondents who are trying to provide you with helpful information, then I must conclude that you have no interest in having a real conversation about the subject.

And yes, like Craig, I'm also an "Admin." But I'm also the site owner, and I really don't like behavior such as you've shown in this (and other) threads -- this site is designed for Mac users to get together and share their experiences, both good and bad. But it is not designed as a place for random attacks on others just because they respond in a way that you do not agree with. Time and again, that's what I've seen from your posts.

Please change the tone and content of your replies to focus on the issues, and not the people posting replies, or you'll soon have to find another forum on which to post (there are lots where such behavior is the norm, but we're doing our best to make sure that macosxhints.com isn't one of them).

If you have follow-up issues to discuss, please private message me; this topic is closed.

-rob.