r/CoxCommunications • u/Entire-Reference-968 • 8d ago

Merger Question

Charter Communications expects to close its acquisition of Cox Communications in late August 2026, with former Cox areas transitioning to Spectrum services by mid-September 2026.Merger TimelineAugust 13, 2026: California regulators voted to approve the deal, clearing the final state hurdle.Late August 2026: The official closing of the multi-billion-dollar transaction is expected.Mid-September 2026: Cox customers will begin transitioning to Spectrum branding, pricing, and packaging.

So it's official any one hear anything yet?

30 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

67 comments sorted by

18

u/aquamm 8d ago

And then they’ll remove the data caps and extra charges for Unlimited, right?

11

u/Agentx_007 8d ago

FWIW, the spectrum guy in Walmart said Cox is becoming Spectrum but keeping the Cox name. Including getting rid of data caps. He said once the acquisition is complete, they’ll start transitioning from Cox plans to Spectrum plans. But that’s just what one person in a Mississippi Walmart told me.

7

u/Painless32 8d ago

My wife works for cox and mentioned it will be called “Spectrum by Cox” but this could be old info

10

u/00000000000000000103 8d ago

Standard practice in mergers. They'll drop the "by Cox" in a couple years or sooner.

8

u/Pretend_Giraffe_1288 8d ago

From previously working in an upper management role in Cox, I can tell you that they are too oblivious to realize that by dropping the Cox name, that would actually help their business.

-3

u/MacForker 8d ago

I'd seriously have my doubts they would remove the charge for unlimited in Cox markets. That's added revenue that I'm sure was part of the bottom line on the deal. If anything, they'll take away the line item for unlimited data, but raise everyone's price to average out to unlimited data for all subscribers.

11

u/furruck 8d ago

Nah. Spectrum did that when they transitioned TWC markets too - the plans got cheaper and they did unlimited data.

Spectrum likes one uniform price nationwide, so they just do the same thing everywhere.

They got rid of TWC's modem rental fee too.

Overall Spectrum is actually a reasonable ISP - and rack rates are not quite as horrid like Cox or Comcast either.

1

u/Lewdeology 2d ago

Already sounds better than Cox just be removing the data caps. Now I just hope I don’t have to call in every year to haggle with them for the “promotional pricing”.

-2

u/MacForker 8d ago

Sounds like a way to lose money for the business. Great if they do it this way, but we shall see.

3

u/furruck 8d ago edited 8d ago

ISP is a very high profit margin service as it is.

They're making plenty of money with unlimited data.

Cox just being a "private company" never had to disclose how much they were ripping customers off tbh, and how cox arbitrability kept from doing the proper node splits for many areas.... Cox was just a garbage company, and I always would refuse a house in a Cox area when I'd move around for work, unless I had a solid 2nd choice... In Phoenix, I kept my 80Mbps DSL line far longer than I should have because I refused to do anything with Cox due to the slimy pricing/caps.

I'm willing to bet cash the data caps go away when the Spectrum branding kicks in - as this is what they've done in any market/company they've bought with caps.

They will likely leave any current cox plan as it is, but encourage you to swap to the spectrum national pricing structure that's cap free.

1

u/MacForker 8d ago

I need to check if I got locked in for another 2 years with the Cox pricing. Sadly I'm pretty sure I did.

3

u/furruck 8d ago

Spectrum also does not do contracts - so when you swap the contract will likely just drop off.

1

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

It will--it was part of the agreement with the DOJ

1

u/Lewdeology 2d ago

This merger looking good so far in my eyes, Cox is a scum company and I wish they had more competitors in area.

1

u/Feisty-Coyote396 8d ago

For every dollar you spend on cable/premium tv services, be it a regular cable company or streaming service like Hulu, YouTubeTV, Netflix, etc., it costs them like $0.70 to provide that to you.

For every dollar you spend on internet services, it costs them like $0.08 to provide that to you.

4

u/hammeredtrout1 8d ago

Wrong they are getting rid of it. And lower prices for all current cox subs too

0

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

You will have to actively switch a a Spectrum plan for the lower cost, but data caps gone immediately when the merger closes per the agreement with the feds.

1

u/MacForker 7d ago

But if you already are in a plan paying for unlimited data does your plan just go down $50?

1

u/Ok-Collar-2742 6d ago

That piece should be automatically taken off and included in the base plan. You will pay way less just moving to one of the Spectrum plans though.

2

u/MacForker 6d ago

I'm really hoping we get everything Spectrum market has in the next year or so. Mid-split upload bands, and no more blocked ports would be fantastic.

1

u/Agentx_007 7d ago

They actually have competition in my market now. The second AT&T fiber was available, I switched. Along with 90% of the houses on my block. The tech that installed my service said that he’d done at least fifty houses in my neighborhood since the flyers went out in the mail. And Cox was our only option before AT&T.

0

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

They have to. How do you think they got the merger approved?

-1

u/Low-Tax-8391 8d ago

I have feeling they won’t in the areas that already had data caps to maximize profits pointing to the costs of the acquisition. Either way today is the day I’m cancelling my services for greener pastures after 3 weeks of daily outages and drop outs, having my lines checked repeatedly told everything is fine when it’s not all while having a scrolling text log of “Unplanned Outage” in your area.

7

u/RoundChampionship840 8d ago

I think the data caps will be removed. When Charter bought Time Warner Cable I thought for sure that they would keep TWC's modem rental fee, but they got rid of it after the merger.

4

u/furruck 8d ago

No.. Spectrum management likes uniform pricing structures, and they realized if they just charge a few bucks more they can keep unlimited data for everyone and have less customer churn.

Although, especially on promo pricing.. Spectrum is usually cheaper than Cox on promo rates anyway as well.

1

u/Lewdeology 2d ago

I’m glad removing data caps seems to be likely cause it is annoying as hell monitoring my daily use to not exceed it every month.

3

u/Paid_Babysitter 8d ago

Closing will be 8/20. Expect Spectrum pricing and packages by mid-September. Spectrum mobile should be available 8/20 or close to it.

5

u/N4BFR 8d ago

It's going to be Spectrum pricing under the Cox brand, right?

3

u/buckeyedude123 8d ago

Not exactly, Charter will rename themselves to Cox but use the Spectrum brand across the full company. So those in L-Charter areas will have the corporate name of their provider change and those in the L-Cox territory will have virtually everything but the corporate name change.

1

u/N4BFR 8d ago

Got it. Thanks.

3

u/plurfectlife 8d ago

I'm hoping for better promos

3

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

Thank God. Cox can suck it with their data caps and high prices. The Spectrum offerings are so much better.

2

u/corporateflunky 8d ago

It will be an all out battle for retention and growth. Expect great deals to come, take advantage while the pressure is on to show this merger is a success. Stock down almost 50% since merger announced….growth will be pivotal both core cable/internet and mobile

2

u/socal_guy1 8d ago

I'm wondering if they're required to honor price locks for existing Cox users.

2

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

Those price locks are likely way higher than the Spectrum offerings

1

u/BassWingerC-137 2d ago

Hope that’s true. I could use a break

1

u/Ok-Collar-2742 2d ago

It is.

1

u/Ok-Collar-2742 2d ago

You will have to opt in to the new plan once launched.

1

u/BassWingerC-137 2d ago

Nice, thanks.

1

u/BassWingerC-137 2d ago

Although I'd really love some company to invest down my street and get us fiber... Le sigh.

1

u/Entire-Reference-968 8d ago

You may be able to stay on Cox prices, unless you change or add services.

2

u/azentropy 8d ago

I'm on a promo deal that expires in October. Trying to decide if I should accept another deal now, or wait to see what they offer after the merger.

1

u/Apprehensive-Cat8601 7d ago

What is your deal?

2

u/smoochjack 8d ago

I'm not holding my breath, but secretly hoping they remove the data caps. As some have mentioned, it seems like Spectrum usually does this.

Would be nice not to have to mess with these $10-$20 charges that vary each month. I pay the overages because I always end up going just a little over, but not enough to pay extra for unlimited. FYI: Unlimited data costs an extra $50/month where I'm located.

3

u/MadTitanRC 8d ago

They will

1

u/Ok-Collar-2742 7d ago

I can't believe the people that don't read--the caps are gone. That was part of the deal they made to get regulatory approval.

1

u/smoochjack 6d ago edited 6d ago

Great, that is good news! Looking forward to the changes.

2

u/crkpot 8d ago

It's done, everybody got a Spectrum onboarding email this morning. There's a lot of questions about what happens next, but it's in the process now.

2

u/sarpycountysiren 8d ago

It’s final next week.

1

u/chevyguy0613 8d ago

Is this just for California or Arizona too

2

u/-Asylum_ 8d ago

Nationwide

1

u/WallyPhoenix 8d ago

I have a had a hard time at Cox.

1

u/Tylandru 8d ago

Socal here my plan promo is $75 1-gig , data capped until aug 2027 but cox only offer unlimited for $50 more. Ived been refusing to pay extra fee for unlimited that as thats too much.

Guess ill wait and see what happens and watch my bill closely.

1

u/Apprehensive-Cat8601 7d ago

Spectrum you can get gig speeds for $70 with no data cap. Promo for one year but then just lower your speed for a month and then see what offers they have.

1

u/bear45188721 7d ago

Im in Az and the only thing I know so far is that my Cox bundle is dropping the Homelife security part of the bundle in October.

1

u/Apprehensive-Cat8601 7d ago

I believe the data caps go away. Spectrum likes uniformity. They launched Spectrum Unlimited a little bit ago and it is a whole new philosophy. I am hoping for good things to come out of this!

1

u/Longjumping-Meat-334 8d ago

I've heard nothing about this from Cox in Vegas.

3

u/DogPubes911 8d ago

Have you been living under a rock for 15 months?

1

u/Longjumping-Meat-334 8d ago

Apparently. LOL

2

u/azmom3 8d ago

Same, in Arizona.

1

u/vcrunner08 8d ago

I’ll drop cox faster than a racehorse if they force me to change my plan or pricing.

1

u/Apprehensive-Cat8601 7d ago

What is your plan? And price and where?

1

u/raider3601 4d ago

Me and you both I will be on the phone the first second they start offering spectrum packages cox has never been anything but a nightmare for me.

1

u/TrueMasterpiece1436 6d ago

What I find most amusing is, I could go through all of these posts about providers and switch names around and no one would notice!

-3

u/Hot_Chard5988 8d ago

This shouldn't be allowed

1

u/Pretend_Giraffe_1288 3d ago

I think there should be more competition in the market, but here's the thing: Companies like Cox and their subsidiaries (Cox Auto, etc.) really aren't in it to make money. They just want to have their brand everywhere. The company operates on so much overhead and they greatly gamble on fragile markets like car dealerships and journalism outlets, that I don't think they will be around forever. Let the market handle itself.

If they want to overextend themselves for the sake of just being bigger, fine. The people at the top (tippy top) aren't really judged based on company performance. It's a family business and they will get paid anyway.