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Data Usage FAQs

Last Updated: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 > Related Articles

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Summary

Provides FAQs about Cox's Data Usage Allowances and the Data Usage Meter.

Solution

To help you manage your monthly data usage, you can access the Data Usage Meter by logging into Internet Tools. The Data Usage Meter provides detailed information on the amount of data consumed by your household using your Cox High Speed Internet services.

The following FAQs provide additional information about Data Usage Allowances and the Data Usage Meter.

Data Usage Allowances

What is data usage?

Data usage is the amount of data, sometimes referred to as bandwidth, that customers consume when sending, receiving, downloading, or uploading information through their Internet service. This data includes, but is not limited to, images, movies, photos, videos, streaming media, system download updates, application and system updates, and other files. It also includes network and application overhead which are necessary elements to send and receive the traffic to its proper destination.

What are Cox's data usage allowances?

Cox offers multiple packages of high-speed Internet service to best meet the needs of our customers. Cox offers a monthly data usage allowance for each Cox High Speed Internet package to help ensure a high-quality online experience for all our customers. The allowances are published at Speeds Usage Information. Monthly data usage includes data downloaded and uploaded with calculations based on the customer’s individual billing cycle.

What happens if I exceed my monthly data usage allowed by Cox?

If you exceed your allowance, Cox will attempt to notify you by one or more methods; email, phone, or messages on your computer. You can choose to reduce your data usage or select a different Cox High Speed Internet package that better fits your needs. In some cases, you may not be aware you are exceeding your allowance because your computers are infected with a virus that is sending spam or otherwise consuming bandwidth or you are sharing your Internet connection through an open Wi-Fi access point. Cox strives to work with you proactively before taking action to suspend service. However, in rare cases of extremely high usage, Cox will suspend your service until you call Cox. In even rarer cases, Cox will terminate your service if you do not decrease your usage after consultation with Cox. See Cox Online Privacy Policy and related terms and agreements for additional information.

Why does Cox have data usage allowances?

Data usage allowances are one way to ensure that extremely high bandwidth users do not negatively impact other customers using Cox's broadband network. While today a very low percentage of Cox High Speed Internet customers reach their data usage allowance, some customers far exceed their allowance and impact other Cox customers. Moreover, Internet usage is growing exponentially with all of the new devices, applications and streaming media available. Cox continually invests in its Internet service network to meet increasing demand, but data capacity is not infinite. Cox High Speed Internet is on a shared network, so your experience could be impacted by your neighbor’s usage.

Will I be billed if I exceed these allowances?

Cox does not currently charge you additional fees if you exceed your allowance. If you determine that your Internet data usage will continue to exceed your allowance, we recommend that you consider a Cox High Speed Internet package that more closely matches your use of the service. If you are consistently going over your data usage allowance, you will also benefit from the faster speeds that come with a higher Internet package.

What if I need more data usage allowance each month?

If you need a higher data usage allowance each month, then you should review your monthly usage and determine if a different package of Internet service would be better suited for you. The allowances are published at Speeds Usage Information.

Do Cox Digital Telephone calls count toward my data usage allowance?

No, Cox Digital Telephone is a separate service for which you pay; therefore, traffic associated with Cox Digital Telephone calls does not count toward your monthly data usage allowance. However, if you use an over-the-top phone provider, such as Vonage or Skype, that usage is considered a data service so the data usage from those calls does count toward the allowance.

How do I know how much data I have used?

Cox provides a Data Usage Meter for you to monitor your monthly data usage. You can log in to view daily, monthly and historical summaries of their data usage.

To view broad estimates of what you would have to do to reach your monthly data usage, see Speeds and Usage Information for High Speed Internet Service. Estimates vary based on the specific content you download or upload.

Data Usage Meter

What is the Data Usage Meter?

The Data Usage Meter is an easy-to-use tool that you can use to monitor your daily, monthly and historical data usage.

How do I access the Data Usage Meter?

Cox High Speed Internet customers can access the Data Usage Meter by logging into the meter directly at https://myaccount.cox.net/internettools/datausage/usage.cox, via Internet Tools at myaccount.cox.net, or from the My Connection page on cox.com.

How often does the Data Usage Meter update data usage?

The Data Usage Meter is updated once per day to reflect usage from the previous day.

What should I do if I believe the information in the Data Usage Meter is higher than I expected?

There are numerous factors that can impact your data usage. These factors may include someone in your household consuming a lot of data, an unsecured wireless network being used by someone outside your household, automatic application or system updates, such as McAfee, Microsoft Office, or ITunes or possibly even a virus. Therefore, we recommend you take the following actions.

  • Speak with other members of your household or other parties with whom you may be sharing your computer(s) or Internet service to ensure you are aware of the total usage for your account.
  • If you are operating a wireless network, check the security settings and ensure that you are not unintentionally sharing your Internet service with your neighbors or other unauthorized users. Securing a wireless network is an easy process that takes only a few minutes and protects both you and Cox from potential abuse. For information on how to secure your wireless network, this link provides a list of manufacturers and their support websites: http://support.cox.com/SecuringYourWirelessNetwork.
  • One or more systems connected to your Cox High Speed Internet Service could be infected with a Trojan virus which is using your connection to further spread itself or conduct other malicious activities. You should immediately remove any infected systems from the network, back-up your personal data, re-image and then re-secure the system. If you are not familiar or comfortable with this process, you should seek the assistance of a trained professional or at least someone who is knowledgeable and capable of performing these tasks. To learn more about how to prevent spyware and viruses and download a free copy of Cox Security Suite, a $199 value. Visit: http://ww2.cox.com/residential/internet/cox-security-suite.cox.

We are aware of some situations where the meter is under-reporting usage and your meter may actually reflect less data usage than used by your household. This is a known issue and we are working to resolve this in the future.

Why does the Data Usage Meter show usage even when I am not actively using my Internet service?

Your computer may be sending or receiving data even if you are not actively using your Internet service. For example, your computer could be automatically downloading operating system updates, security software updates, and application updates like ITunes, games, etc. Also, if you use a cloud-based storage service and have configured that service for automatic uploads to back up files, this will also add to your data usage.


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