Forum Discussion
Yes it is, according to Cox. For Cox TV, I am using Cox provided wifi streaming box because I don't have a cable outlet where my TV is. Cox confirmed when I first got this about a year ago (and since then) that using this wifi box for TV does not count towards my data usage. Same is true (according to Cox), for watching TV via Contour app on my mobile device.
I want to echo that I was told the same thing by Cox - my Contour 4k Streaming boxes would not count against my metered data usage. If you're saying this isn't the case even for regular live TV viewing (not on demand, Netflix, etc.), then this is very deceitful on their part.
I wasn't given an option during my install back in Feb'19 and was told MoCA-type boxes were no longer being issued, despite having coax already wired to all room locations it was desired. I imagine Cox prefers this approach to avoid having to address unique issues with old, outdated coax networks within each customer dwelling. Now they can just connect the incoming coax straight into the internet modem - no splitters, unterminated ends, etc. Despite this one benefit, I had originally pushed back against this due to concern that it would cut into my usable WiFi bandwidth (I try and hard wire as much as possible and ideally reserve WiFi for roaming devices like phones & tablets). Note that here I was told another lie - that my WiFi wouldn't be affected because "these boxes work on a different frequency". It seemed unlikely but still somewhat believable that Cox would be using anything outside standard 2.4 or 5 GHz for these boxes. But then when the tech told me I could use my own mesh WiFi system I knew this was BS since the access point would have to also broadcast on the special frequency used by the streaming boxes. I have one box connected through ethernet and two others on WiFi. The two boxes on WiFi have given me nothing but headaches.
On top of all this it would be extremely disappointing to learn that of another disadvantage to these wireless boxes being that they count against your data usage limit. It doesn't seem fair that customers with traditional MoCA-type boxes (like I wanted) don't have this limitation. I would reluctantly be understanding if Netflix and on demand were forced to count towards data usage (note that I've tried to watch thru the Contour box rather than my Apple TV to prevent data usage, despite the Apple TV having better picture/sound... 😕). But I strongly object to traditional TV being metered. We pay for a TV service for a reason. We shouldn't have to pay for the internet service needed to use our TV service on top of that. TV-only customers obviously wouldn't be subject to this penalty, so neither should we.
Another concern I had with the Wireless system I was forced into was that our DVR is now "in the cloud" rather than stored locally. Sure there are some small advantages to this, but also many cons; including added stress on what appears to be an overly-strained Cox network. In addition to live TV, I also would have an issue with my cloud-based DVR usage being counted towards my data limit. It wasn't my decision to change to cloud-based storage, why should I pay the consequences for this?
Hopefully someone can clarify all of this because this seems beyond an unfair practice by Cox...
- Bruce5 years agoHonored Contributor III
Jeesh...I thought I typed a lot. (I don't type a lot but some contributors may disagree.) Somewhere buried in this post, a moderator already clarified live TV through your Wireless 4K Contour Stream Player does count against your data cap.
Get rid of that awful Panoramic and get a traditional cable box.
- bearone25 years agoContributor III
even if they get rid of the pano unit, wifi still isn't a freebie unless they've got a few dumb neighbors, who choose to not encrypt their wifi!!
- Bruce5 years agoHonored Contributor III
i was replying to Matt not the OP.
WiFi is actually free because Cox can't meter my wireless network. The only data Cox can meter transverses across the wires of Cox. Ha-ha, you!
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