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When 6 million Americans want their MTV, they turn to Cox Communications, the fifth largest operator of cable television systems in the U.S. Cox was founded as a radio broadcasting company by James M. Cox, an Ohio publisher who was the Democratic party's presidential candidate in 1920. Currently, Cox wholly owns and operates 26 U.S. cable systems. Despite its wide reach, 85 percent of its customers are clustered in eight large urban areas. While cable distribution remains its main business, the company is involved in ventures in long-distance service, wireless communications, and satellite dishes. It also invests in cable programming networks such as the Discovery Channel, E! Television, and several U.K.-based channels. Recent developments such as high-definition digital television, telecommunications deregulation, and the rapid expansion of the World Wide Web all spell growth for Cox in the near future. With the Cox@Home network, the company will offer cable access to the Internet hundreds of times faster than that provided by typical telephone access; users will be able to surf the Web at record speeds while watching the game on ESPN at the same time. In the first 2 quarters of 1999 Cox snapped up cable customers in a frenzy of buying. First Cox swapped $2.8 billion of its AT&T stock to acquire cable systems in the South and West. Then the company arranged a $4 billion deal for TCA Cable's 883,000 subscribers. In July 1999 Cox reached a $2.7 billion agreement with Gannet Co. for its 525,000 subscribers. This deal is particularly significant because it has raised the bar in terms of the valuation of cable customers. It has recently bought smaller providers in the Tulsa, OK area and is in competition with telecom provider USWest to provide an internet/phone package deal to residents of Phoenix, AZ. These deals have placed Cox behind only four other cable providers with a total of 6 million subscribers. New Ventures Cox is stepping into the ring with telecom giant Bell Atlantic in an effort to become a residential telephone service provider. Cox already provides phone services to business customers in the New Orleans area, but is looking to take full advantage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act and compete with the Baby Bells. At the same time, Cox is increasing its broadband offerings, both through laying down new cable and by widening the scope of its services. Says President and CEO Jim Robbins, "We are transforming ourselves into a modern broadband company." This is in addition to the $10 billion the company has spent in acquiring smaller cable companies which gave it a presence in over 20 states. Cox is also branching out into government and commercial contracts after improving their cable infrastructures. Oops! While Cox is certainly poised to make a major move at the top-tier cable companies, it needs to make sure it does not committ anymore blunders like the one it made when it released over 11,000 formerly unlisted phone numbers to PacBell for inclusion in PacBell's White Pages. After 400,000 of the 1.3 million phone books were distributed, Cox finally noticed the error which has resulted in the company doing everything from offering to switch the affected phone numbers to paying out a rather large settlement to parties who as a result of the breach are possibly in danger, such as those in law enforcement. PacBell has continued to distribute the phone books, prompting threats of legal action from an embarrassed and peeved Cox Communications.
Cox is placing its JobLine a listing of all available positions nationwide on a Web page located at www.cox.com/jobline.html. Applicants can obtain a printed copy of the JobLine by sending a letter of inquiry to human resources office at the corporate headquarters. The Web page also lists an e-mail address through which one can request the hard copy of the job listings.
Cox has gained an industry-wide reputation for its customer service, and its employees feel that this has helped make the company a friendly, encouraging place to work. Cox stresses an interactive environment in which teams of employees meet challenges together. Those who work in developing new wireless services and Internet technology appreciate Cox's aggressive stance toward cutting-edge research. Employees also enjoy free cable and the sterling reputation that Cox has cultivated through corporate involvement in many of the communities its serves.
Human Resources
Cable distribution;Wireless services;Internet access;Cable programming
Time Warner;TCI;Cablevision;Comcast More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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