In today’s connected world, living without reliable internet access is like being cut off from a lifeline. It not only isolates people from friends and family, but also hinders educational opportunities, job prospects, healthcare options and even the ability to pay bills online.
As the largest private broadband company in America, Cox Communications (part of the Cox family of businesses) is uniquely suited to make a meaningful difference in this aspect of people’s lives. For years, Cox has been helping bridge the digital divide through affordable connectivity solutions.
“We had some foresight to the gaps and inequities across the country when it came to connectivity and we saw the difference it makes,” said Avia Blocker, a public affairs manager for Cox Communications. “People are able to find better jobs and get better grades in school; people were able to get promotions for the first time and find online work.”
While Cox Communications has undertaken this mission of improving digital equity for well over a decade, efforts have been scaling up in recent years as part of Cox’s 34 by 34 social impact initiative.
What is 34 by 34?
Cox’s 34 by 34 social impact initiative aims to expand access to programs to help 34 million people live more prosperous lives by 2034. This initiative focuses on six pathways where we have the tools and know-how to make a real impact in the communities we serve: technology access, breaking down barriers to education, employment skills, social equity, environmental sustainability and good health.
Cox Communications’ ongoing work to help families bridge the digital divide became the cornerstone of 34 by 34’s technology access pathway.
“We had really made a stamp in the work that we were doing from a digital equity perspective, and that ties into the technology access pillar for 34 by 34 and how we think we can contribute to the vision,” Avia said.
Since 2020, Cox has empowered 4.4 million people in need of reliable internet access through our digital equity and affordability offerings. Here’s a closer look at how our teams are making it happen.
Connecting more people with affordable programs
It all began in 2012 in California with the Connect2Compete program, which offers low-cost internet access to families with K-12 students at home.
That program went national the following year, Avia explained, and Cox has continued to ramp up with similar programs, such as ConnectAssist, which is available for households enrolled in at least one government assistance program, such as SNAP, Medicaid or Veterans Pension.
“We are on a mission to ensure that our communities know that we’re still committed to low-cost internet, and that we’re there for them,” Avia said. “Our goal is to make sure that families who are worried about their internet service don’t feel like they need to disconnect because they can’t afford it.”
Maximizing impact through partnerships
Affordable internet programs are only one piece of the puzzle in bringing connectivity into people’s lives. Cox also works with partner organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club of America and PCs for People, to improve access to technology.
Cox has funded innovation labs at Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide, where students can use computers to get their homework done and play with newer tech, like 3D printers and VR goggles.
“The point is for them to be able to go into these spaces and be exposed to new things,” Avia said. “We have about 100 of those [innovation labs] across the country right now, and we’re still actively working on building new ones and refreshing the technology in those ones that we already have.”
In addition to national partnerships, Cox’s team continually seeks new, trusted partners in local communities. One area where access to affordable internet can make a huge impact is in the healthcare space, explained Jennifer Tillman, head of internet digital equity for local activation and partnerships.
“Your ability to connect to the internet has tremendous influence on the access to healthcare that you have,” she said. “By pursuing these signature partnerships, we can make a difference, and we can scale the number of folks that we're reaching.”
Supporting families with digital literacy tools and resources
For families who are becoming fully connected online for the first time, the world wide web can seem like the Wild West. From learning the basics of the internet to understanding safety and privacy, Cox’s Digital Academy is a free resource with tips, educational videos and interactive games for kids.
“It’s an opportunity to boost literacy for the youth and education category, but it’s also a way to help adults upskill and improve their employment,” Jennifer said.
Connecting underserved communities with new infrastructure
The next phase in Cox’s ongoing efforts toward digital equity is growing its network infrastructure, laying the groundwork toward better connectivity in communities across the country.
“There’s an access issue, meaning there’s no physical infrastructure in place,” explained Whitney Yoder, public affairs manager for Cox Communications. “A lot of places where this is more of a problem are in your less-densely-populated states, where it’s been too costly for companies to build out.”
In the past year and a half, the company has expanded its fiber-to-the-home network to rural and hard-to-reach areas in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Virginia that had insufficient broadband access.
“We made a commitment to look at what's 30 miles outside of our current network footprint that lacks an adequate broadband connection, and if we can build those,” Whitney said. “That’s how it started.”
These expansion efforts have now reached more than 60,000 households that were previously unserved (with broadband speeds below 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload) or underserved (with broadband speeds below 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload).
According to a recent survey from Cox Communications, 86% of consumers in these previously underserved communities say the newly available high-speed internet service has improved their lives.
Looking ahead, Cox is as committed as ever to making a community impact by bringing the same level of connectivity that powers homes, business and even some of the world’s largest venues across the country.
“We provide top-tier fiber optic cable to some of the largest stadiums across the country, but we’re also making sure that a family in northwest Arkansas has the internet connectivity that they need to do their day-to-day as well,” Avia said. “We want to do good work in the areas in which our employees and communities are — we want to take care of those folks. This is just one way of many that we’re giving back.”
