Cox's Residential Price Lock Guarantee: a helping hand or a headlock?
Cox’s Residential Price Lock Guarantee (PLG) gives you the option to have a fixed monthly cost, protected from price increases. In exchange, you are locked in to a two year contract with Cox.
While it has a fancy name and fancy benefits, the bottom line is that the PLG turns your month-to-month service contract with Cox into a long-term, two year contract. Remember, as buddy-buddy as companies like to be (especially large telecom companies), a company generally will not act unless it is in their best interest. Why would a company promise you a low (arguably) price--guaranteed!--for two years? Because you give Cox a guarantee profit for two years! Cox doesn’t have to fight or claw or do anything above and beyond providing you service to your home. Well, you say, what if you decide to get out of the contract and deny Cox of its sweet sweet profits? My friend, you have just entered into the realm of early termination fees, or ETFs.
ETFs are a little built in safety net that helps companies guarantee it’ll reap the profits from your service contract one way or another. If you stay in the contract for two years, great news for Cox. But if you cancel early, Cox hits you with a fee as high as $120 for your untimely escape. ETFs also play a starring role in many other service contracts, especially cell phone contracts.
With Cox’s PLG, you get a fixed guaranteed price. And in light of Cox’ recent 20% hike on basic tier service, a fixed price sounds pretty great. But with the guarantee and its added rigidity comes a loss of flexibility. Check out the language of the PLG agreement that a member so kindly provided to us. After the initial 30 day cancellation period, Cox imposes an ETF if you cancel your service before the end of your two year contract.
So is this a good deal for consumers? Perhaps, if you know that you are going to stick with your service for two years and want to lock in a low price. To be fair, Cox’s PLG is pretty much the same as the service contracts offered by cell phone companies. Cell phone companies offer you a fixed month rate for phone service in exchange for you being locked into a two year contract, which is exactly what Cox is doing.
However, here at UCAN, we hate to see consumers penalized for changing their mind. If you like the rigidity and stability of two years contracts, go ahead and sign up for Cox’s PLG. You may save a bit of money when Cox raises its rates. But, if you like the freedom and flexibility offered by not being in a long-term contract, Cox’s PLG might be a good thing to pass on. Besides, with Netflix and Hulu streaming to your phone, who needs cable TV service?
If you want some more information, check out the attached PLG agreement and some more information from Cox’s website.
Questions about your cable bill? Give the Fraud Squad a call at (619) 696-6966 or fill out our online complaint form.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Cox PLG.pdf | 7 MB |
| Cox PLG website.pdf | 180.59 KB |
Communications: Cable & Satellite TV -
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contract
I tried to cancel my Cox Cable because I was no longer working. When doing so they said I was in a locked two year contract for that and the home phone which I don't need. I wanted to keep only the Internet. I was never told I was in a contract, they said when I paid the first bill I was then oblicated to pay the bill for two. My cancellation fee would be $240.00. The person installing the box said I could even cancel the phone in a few months if I didn't need it, I assummed I could cancel the cable as well. The bill is in my wifes name and she is trying to build credit. We have to many bills and have no chioce but to try and cut cost. Should I take cox to small claims? Please someone answer who is not from cox
PLP
I signed up with price lock with cox, and around 4 weeks later I got the $100 check from them. I am going to be paying for their service for the forseeable future anyway so why not? While I was on the phone with the operator he also told me that while this locks me into keeping my service on with them for 24 month's I can still make changes if I choose to. I watch alot of TV and unlike some satelite services I have not seen cox come across the screen saying they will no longer offer a certain network channel. I have been a DVR bundle customer with them since 8/2008 and obviously from my above statement I am happy with their service.
paying extra for nothing
I just looked into cox digital phone service for my home.
one of the sub items that seems bogus to me is that they want $1.99 a month extra if we don't want to be listed in the directory
pay extra to get nothing?
seems like a scam to me
early termination
I signed up for Cox about a month ago--and it's been ok. but I found a better deal for me, and now want to switch. The Cox rep of course said that there is an early termination fee of $120. Early termination? I never signed a contract. She replied, "it was a verbal agreement." I quoted Sam Goldwyn: verbal agreements aren't worth the paper they're written on. She didn't get it.
How can they enforce a verbal agreement??? Just want to check before I take the plunge and end up in a huge hassel.
Pricelock Guarantee
I am a cox employee who is in agreement with everything said here. The Pricelock guarantee, PLG or Pricelock Plus, PLP ($100 cashback) is not for everybody, the important facts are that you are not locked into your current services, you can make changes at anytime as long as you keep the minimum level of service agree upon. Some people are offered PLP depending on your service area, this means you should receive a check in the amount of $100 within 60 days. A verbal agreement is just as good as a written agreement if the call is recorded,which at Cox Communications,all calls are monitored or recorded for quality and training purposes.
If you have any questions, please call your local Cox Communications.
There are plenty of Cox customers who would not prefer another service regardless of price/services since Cox takes pride in delivering quality customer service. Unfortunately there are good Customer Support Representatives and there are bad ones, you take the same gamble when you go to the doctor/mechanic/lawyers office, you may not always get somebody who is good at what they do, so if you get an idiot on the line, hang up and get somebody who can help, We do exist!
--Be advised, Cox is also launching mobile services, check with your local office today!
$100 check plus Price Lock Guarantee
Good evening,
You forgot one extra point about the Price Lock Guarantee,,,, a $100 check from Cox in addition to the benefits of Price Lock.
Where's my check ?
I called Cox up to followup on this agreement of which I was to receive the $100 check, but was told, that I was placed in the price lock guarantee, but not the price lock plus with the $100 check, so they are suppose to get back with me, otherwise I will go to the BBB next.
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