Cox Communications joins world of VOIP

Cox Communications began its first foray into VOIP in its 12th telecom market -- Roanoke, Va.
     Cox Digital Telephone subscriptions grew 40% in 2003 compared to the similar period in 2002, said Cox, noting that 40% of those customers subscribe to the firm's high-speed internet and video.
     The firm is the nation's #4 cable firm with about 6.6 million customers -- about 6.3 million buying basic cable.
     The firm reported getting "highest honors" in the JD Power 2003 residential local telephone customer satisfaction survey in the western region.
     VOIP adds "greater operational efficiencies" and includes "the same lifeline service as traditional telephone service," including enhanced 911, call waiting, caller ID and voice mail, the Atlanta firm wrote.
     The system uses a self-managed VOIP architecture and supports number portability, noted Cox.
     Its other phone markets are San Diego; Orange County, Calif; Phoenix; Omaha; Connecticut; Rhode Island; Hampton Roads, Va; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kan, and Tucson, Ariz.  (Story originally published in Restructuring Today 12/16/03)