I had made several attempts to enroll in the Emergency Broadband Benefits program using the instructions provided by Cox (cox.com/ebb). It lead me in circles going nowhere. Today I passed the Cox instructions and went to the actual fcc.gov Emergency Broadband Benefits page. I was able to apply and get approved in minutes. The draw back is you stull have to contact Cox and fill out their application.
I am presuming that LisaH is a Cox associate/employee.
I have the same problem. I just spoke with a Cox broadband representative.
PROBLEM STATEMENT: CATCH-22: Cox apparently has no process - or, at best, a completely broken process, with several dead-ends - for handling EBB approval numbers provided by Federal government subcontracted provider USAC (Universal Service Administrative Company).
PROBLEM SUMMARY: I have been approved for the EBB benefit, through the US government's USAC subcontractor and have an approval number.
Although I first went through the Cox EBB application process - apparently subcontracted to whomever owns/runs the ID.me website, I had problems with that process - in particular, after going through the Cox website, it failed to make the transition to ID.me.
I then went to ID.me to see if I could open an account separately there, although I assumed that would lack any connection with Cox. ID.me opened an account for me, but when I clicked on the link in their confirmation email, one of my malware sites identified the URL to which I was forwarded as on one of their flagged malware lists, so I spiked any further action there.
I then went to the US government's contracted website for EBB approval and within a day or so, I was approved and emailed a confirmation number.
I called Cox Customer Support to provide the EBB confirmation number. I was informed that they had no real process place to input my EBB approval number. They would accept the number, as an FYI only, and that the government would contact Cox regarding my $50 EBB.
I told the Customer Support rep that the government was NOT EVER going to contact Cox, as I had not indicated Cox as my broadband provider.
I had the rep contact an internal supervisor line, who told me to reapply through the Cox website.
I said that I could not do that, as multiple submissions for EBB approval are essentially fraudulent.
The rep spoke to the internal supervisor again, and came back with an EBB support line number, which, as I presumed, went into infinite, scrozzled hold. I refuse to countenance that.
1.) My next steps are to call my Congressman's office, to request that one of the office's legislative aides dig into the situation, to see why Cox has no, or a completely broken, process, with multiple dead-ends, and is unable to handle the US government issues EBB approval number.
2.) I had other thoughts, but they have currently slipped my mind, and/or are not appropriate for polite company.
I will email this dialogue, as LisaH, above suggests, but am not necessarily optimistic about any resolution - though I will be pleasantly surprised should one surface - any time soon.
Thank you and best regards,
Guenther Bedoo
Same problem here, the id.me website is trash, the approval process through Cox is impassable, despite my approval with the government going through in about ten seconds.
I also immediately suspected that companies might lag the benefits just enough to collect government money for a couples months for each person before they start to pay out. Corporations are cesspools of theft and intentional harm.
I sent my complaints directly to the FCC. Let us know how complaining to your congressman goes!
Also, let us know if you get approved!
