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Review by BryanInPHX See Profile

  • Location: Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ, USA
  • Cost: $74 per month
  • Caps of 300 gigabytes/month
Reliable Connection
Phone CS, and Tech Support not very Tech savy
Downloads vary from 50Mbps to 100Mbps w/ 4x4 modem
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:

Update 09/11/14
Cox High Speed Internet Premier (100Mbps/10Mbps)
Cox has delivered overall excellent service and reliability over the last 13+ years
I still have a 4x4 SB6120 modem, so the download speeds can drop to 40-50Mbps during peak times. I am sure this would be more consistent if I upgraded to a 8x4 modem, I just do not feel the need at this time.

Click for full size


Update 02/16/12
Cox has not delivered on advertised speeds in almost 1 year. The best sustained download with Premier HSI at off peak times I can achieve has dropped to 17Mbps, I would drop to Preferred HSI, but I would lose my grandfathered bundle discount which is a substantial discount.

Update 05/28/11
Received new firmware SB612X-1.0.5.1-SCM00-NOSH, firmware is very stable.

Update 04/20/11
Cox Arizona claimed they were raising speeds, But Cox eliminated or substantially limited PowerBoost. Sustained Downloads now only average 19Mbps, so increase was actually a decrease. Also, burst speedtests are now capped at 30Mbps with Premier HSI, Where before burst speeds could easily exceed 60Mbps.

Update 09/01/10
Premier HSI - Sustained Download speeds are still averaging 22Mbps, Good job Cox.
Firmware updated to SB612X-1.0.3.1-SCM00-NOSH on 08/30/10

Update 05/08/10
Sustained Download speeds are still averaging 22Mbps, Good job Cox.
Reclaimed DL speeds by moving back to SB6120-1.0.1.7-SCM00-NOSH, after Cox finally admitted SB6120-1.0.2.4-SCM01-NOSH did indeed have a speed issue: »Re: SB6120 1.0.2.4 Speed Concerns

Update 4/28/10
Download speeds are back up today with sustained DL speeds averaging 22Mbps, Thank You Cox, I hope the issues are resolved.

Update 4/27/10
Seriously, often I actually have to wait for images to load, Did I switch to DSL during an Ambien coma???

Update 4/21/10
I have Premier HSI - 20/4Mbps Service, 25/5 w/ PowerBoostŪ
I switched to an SB6120 modem on 4/3/10. At that time my sustained download speed was an average of 22Mbps, and was fairly consistent for about two weeks. I noticed my modem logs were gone at 10pm Thursday evening 4/15/10, and thought it odd, and posted it online. I noticed Monday morning 4/19/10 that my sustained download speeds now averaged only 12Mbps. I then discovered my modem firmware had been updated on 4/15/10. That explains the missing modem logs. Does it explain the 50% reduction in download speed? You do the math!!! I am paying for 20/4Mbps service and getting 12Mbps. Preferred HSI is 15Mbps @ $46.95, I think Cox owes me an $18.06/mo credit as long as this continues.

I have had Cox HSI since it was Cox@Home, many years ago, about 10 years. Cox@Home started out at $29.99/mo w/ 10Mb/s download speeds. At that time it was not always reliable. The past several years have been mostly reliable. My connection now is always reliable, and speeds tend to be as advertised. I am on the Premiere service w/ Phone and DVR/HD Cable, with two tiers and HBO & SHO. Pay a total of $202.00/mo.

Every Tech to visit my home by both Cox employees and Cox contractors, have been a pleasant experience. Techs have been respectful, well prepared, knowledgeable and have always resolved my issues, including pulling a new line from the pedestal to replacing splitters to calling other Techs for advice. Phone CS and Tech Support on the other hand is usually not very helpful. The same goes for Live Chat and email support.

Modem: SB6120, Firmware: 1.0.1.7-SCM00-NOSH
Router: DIR-628, Hardware Version: A2, Firmware Version: 1.23NA
Desktop: XP Pro SP3
Laptop: Win7 Toshiba Satellite A505-S6973

Connection speeds w/ Powerboost: Updated 05/03/10
Average Download Speed
36.32 Mb/s
Average Upload Speed
6.11 Mb/s

Average Sustained Download Speed: 22 Mb/s

member for 23 years, 1924 visits, last login: 132 days ago
updated 9.5 years ago


BryanInPHX
Premium Member
join:2001-03-06
Phoenix, AZ

4 edits

BryanInPHX

Premium Member

4/27/10 - Download Speeds back up to Advertised 20/4Mbps

Click for full size
My YouTube Video Speed History for 4/27/10
Click for full size
My YouTube Video Speed History for 4/26/10
»www.youtube.com/my_speed#

I never had any reboots on SB6120-1.0.1.8-SCM02-NOSH, for me it was stable and fast. SB6120-1.0.2.4-SCM01-NOSH is also stable but has cut my download speeds in half.

»Re: [AZ] Are the Moto SB6120 problems resolved in AZ?
»[AZ] Are the Moto SB6120 problems resolved in AZ?

Bandwidth Testing before Firmware Update:
»azspeedtest.cox.com/ - Averaged 74 Mbps
»www.speedtest.net - Phoenix - Averaged 32.6 Mbps
»test.lvcm.com/sustained/ - Averaged 24 Mbps

»nitro.ucsc.edu - Averaged 34 Mbps
»netspeed.stanford.edu- Averaged 35Mbps

-------------------------------------------------------------
Bandwidth Testing after Firmware Update
»azspeedtest.cox.com/ - Averaged 51.1 Mbps
»www.speedtest.net - Phoenix - Averaged 17.9 Mbps
»test.lvcm.com/sustained/ - Averaged 9.2 Mbps

»nitro.ucsc.edu - Averaged 14.7 Mbps
»netspeed.stanford.edu - Averaged 10.2 Mbps
mhnlv702
join:2010-03-09
Las Vegas, NV

mhnlv702

Member

Re: 4/27/10 - Download Speeds back up to Advertised 20/4Mbps

Unfortunately the new firmware upgrade to 1.0.2.4 does indeed break the download speeds. I've been fighting with Cox for nearly 3 weeks on this issue and I'm payin' for their most expense HSI I have a local Las Vegas Cox broadband engineer I've been working with on this issue - had techs out today to verify issue with their modem. They took screenshots and info and supposedly they are going to esclate to their Tier 3 support in Atlanta to further troubleshoot....

Will let ya know how it goes.

AGBM01
@68.111.124.x

AGBM01

Anon

Slow speeds

Get a 8X4 modem or even 16X4 modem

Your 4X4 modem is your problem, if all 4 down channels are swamped you will have slow speeds. you are paying for a service thats going to be affected buy your modem, you need to be using a 8 Down X 4 Up or 16 Down X 4 UP (channels)

BryanInPHX
Premium Member
join:2001-03-06
Phoenix, AZ

BryanInPHX

Premium Member

Re: Slow speeds

Yes, I realize the 4x4 modem is the issue, At this time I do not feel the need to upgrade, as I really have no use for speeds above 40-50Mbps.

AGBM01
@68.111.124.x

AGBM01

Anon

Cox upgrades and you have slow speeds

1. Upgrade modem
2. Upgrade router must be compatible to modem to get = performance
3. Are you wired or wireless? Being wired you will see speeds your looking for.
4. If you are like many, most people use wireless and not wired, Wireless going to be slim to get those speeds and may need an AC router. AC routers performance is great, and can get you up to the speed increase you are looking for. Are your wireless cards in your computers up to the speed increase of an AC router?

Cox offers the best products available to it's customers. Customers need to make sure there equipment is capable of even getting the new speed increases. As a customer you must realize Cox can give you all the speed you want, but if your Equipment is outdated its your fault you are not getting the speed you want.

BryanInPHX
Premium Member
join:2001-03-06
Phoenix, AZ

BryanInPHX

Premium Member

Re: Cox upgrades and you have slow speeds

My Router is an ASUS RT-N66U, Speeds are equally as good wired vs wireless. Desktop is wired, Laptop is WiFi.