How to Cancel Cox Internet

Whether it’s for price, performance, or any other issues, the time has come for you to break away from Cox High Speed Internet.

As with any respectable company, they don’t want to lose you, and they will do everything in their power to keep you on board. If they do lose your business, there may be all kinds of cancellation fees to pay.

Let’s take a look at how to cancel Cox internet service in the most effective way possible, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Why Cancel Cox?

Though Cox Communications has been a leading internet service provider (ISP) for years, the company, like any provider, isn’t without its faults. There are many reasons that may lead you to cut ties with Cox. Here are a few.

• Price Hikes:Like many providers, you always need to be aware of Cox raising their rates, especially when they have little to no competition in the area. Many customers reported that at the same time every year, Cox would tack an extra three to five dollars onto their monthly billing statement. This may not seem like a lot of money at first, but over time, this can mean hefty increases to your monthly bill. Others expressed frustration that their Cox Communications bill increased from $55 to over $80 in just a few years. If you encounter this, it’s important to arm yourself with the latest information on Cox deals and see if you can negotiate with Cox for a lower internet price.
• Internet Speeds: While most of Cox customers are satisfied with the performance of their internet service, some have reported receiving far less than the advertised speeds they were promised.
  Others claim to experience frequent internet outages. Weather and maintenance are often the cause.

Here are a few other reasons why you may be considering canceling your Cox Communications service:

• To save money by switching to a more affordable ISP
• To avoid hidden fees
• To find better customer service
• Better performance and internet speeds

Effective Steps to Cancel Your Internet Service

If you’ve ever called Cox Communications before, you are no doubt familiar with the long series of questions that are presented to you via an automated voice system. Prior to speaking with an actual human representative, you will be asked to input account and billing information.

Once you finally get through to someone in the customer care department, they will more than likely have an additional barrage of questions to ask you.

Cox is going to put up a hard fight! Here are a few steps you can take to make the cancellation process a little easier:

Step 1: Give Them A Call

Since Cox doesn’t facilitate online cancellations, doing so over the phone is your best bet. The first step is to call and make your way through the automated menu to reach a customer care specialist in the retention department.

This is the number for cancellations: (866) 961-0027

The retention department is their “last resort” in their efforts to keep you on board with them. They have been trained to negotiate and are skilled in making offers sound appealing. Make sure you pick up the phone with the mindset that nothing can persuade you from canceling.

Step 2: Have a Solid Excuse Prepared

Having a good excuse ready is vital to a successful service termination. One of the first questions you will get from the retention team is: “What is your reason for wanting to cancel with us?” If you come back with a weak excuse, they will walk all over you with “workarounds.”

For example, if you answer their question by simply saying: “I’m moving,” they will immediately ask “where to,” and begin to check if their services are available in that area and continue their sales pitch to keep you on board.

To avoid this awkward situation, you need a detailed excuse that will be difficult for them to navigate their way around.

Here is a list of reliable excuses that can help you speed up and simplify your cancellation experience:

• I am moving back in with my parents/friend/ significant other, and they already have another ISP.
• I just started a new job, and my employer is paying for all of my services.
• I just had a new [other ISP] modem installed at my house; I need to cancel Cox.
• I’m moving out of the country for work.

These are just a few examples. The goal is to make it clear that there is no use in trying to get you to stay on with them. Excuses such as these ones are effective in cutting the length of your conversation down by reducing the amount of needless questions and offers from the retention representative.

Step 3: Be Firm With Them

Of course, you want to be polite and friendly as well. Cox representatives are people too. However, canceling your Cox high speed internet service requires you to be assertive and firm.

Keep in mind that you could have the greatest excuse in the world, and the customer care representative may still be obligated by Cox Communications policies to insist you keep their services. They will probably offer you discounts, special promotions, and incentives in an attempt to sway your decision as well.

In this case, be very clear, and in a kind manner inform them that you simply are unable to stay with them and that you need to cancel your Cox internet service.

Step 4: Get All the Cancellation Details

At the conclusion of your cancellation call, it is important that you confirm all the details of your service termination. There’s nothing worse than sitting there on the phone for 45 minutes just to find out that your account is still active, and that you have to call again to repeat the whole process.

Make sure to ask the representative in the retention department to verify that your internet service has been completely canceled. It is also wise to ask if there is any equipment that needs to be returned.

How To Avoid Surprise Fees

This is where things start to get a little tricky. If you’ve been paying a ridiculous amount for your internet service, the last thing you want to do is have to pay more money just to cancel. The truth is that Cox Communications not only wants to charge you early termination fees, but they will also try to hit you with charges associated with uninstalling and removal of equipment.

Is there a way around these fees?

There are a few ways to reduce your final Cox bill by avoiding fees, but there’s one thing you must do first.

Plan Ahead.

If at all possible, it is best to cancel your internet service at the end of your service agreement.

Cox internet service agreements typically last 12 months. These agreements allow you to cancel your service at the end of the 12 month period, or within 30 days of the start of the cycle. Any cancellations outside of this time frame could cost you up to a $120 early termination fee.

These fees can potentially double if your internet is part of a cable TV and phone bundle.

This is where the planning comes in; do the math, will you be better off paying the early terminations fees, or could you hold out for a few months and avoid them altogether?

Unreturned Equipment Fees

All internet service terminations with Cox Communications require equipment such as modems and routers are to be returned. Failure to do so will result in a hefty charge.

It is also important to note that to avoid unreturned equipment charges, all Cox Communications equipment must be returned within ten calendar days.

Cox may try to get you to agree to a “technician pickup,” which is just a sneaky way to charge you an extra $20 by unplugging your equipment and taking it with them.

You have a few options to avoid paying these extra fees:

• Return to Retail Store
  If you don’t mind driving to the nearest Cox retail store, you can simply drop off the equipment there.
• Return by Mail
  You can contact Cox online or over the phone to request a pre-paid box. This allows you to return the equipment without having to leave your house.
• UPS Drop Off
  For customers that may have moved to an area not serviced by Cox, they do offer a “return anywhere” option. This offers you the option to return Cox equipment to any UPS store located within the United States.

After you have returned all of the equipment, it is still best to contact them one last time to verify that your account is paid in full.

What if Cox Communications is the only ISP option in my area?

If you live in an area that is only serviced by Cox, it could be quite difficult to completely cut ties with them. Even so, there are steps you can take to save some money.

• “Cut the Cord” with Cable. If you are signed up for a Cox bundle that includes cable tv, you might consider downgrading to a simpler plan. This is a surefire way to save some of your hard-earned cash. Streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube TV, Hulu, And Amazon Prime Video are great alternatives to cable and come in at a fraction of the price.
• Negotiate. Typically if you wanted to negotiate a lower rate, you could pull out the “I’m going to leave Cox for a more affordable ISP if you don’t lower my rates” card. However, since they are the only option in your area, this complicates things a bit. Your best bet is to firmly express your frustration with the rising monthly rates.
• Insist that you deserve a lower rate. They will almost always come down. It may take a lot of complaining, but with some patience, you’ll be able to negotiate with Cox to work out a rate that you can live with.
• Cancel and Restart Under Another Person’s Name. If all else fails, there is another method that many Cox Communications customers have used to obtain the lower prices they desire. Cancel your service, and set up a new account under a friend, spouse, parent, or siblings name, allowing you access to new customer pricing. Be warned: this is risky and can lead to termination of your entire service, leaving you high and dry if Cox is the only ISP in your area.

Conclusion: Successfully Ending Your Relationship with Cox

Ditching your ISP can be a frustrating experience. Whether you want to completely get rid of all your Cox services or just negotiate a lower monthly rate, following these tips and tricks should make the overall experience a lot less painful.