I am a Computer Programmer with a BA in Business Information Systems and Seven Microsoft Certifications including MS Professional and MS Specialist as DBA. I use the internet extensively and until the new cap came in, our usage was less than 800 GB a month. Now, I am supposedly going over every month. My wife and I have cut our internet usage in half, yet we still go over and, because of the over charges, last week I changed our wi-fi passwords, loaded the MAC ID of every device in our home and locked the router from allowing any new devices from connecting. We purposely avoided using data on a single day so we have a good bottom level usage with all the cameras and all the computers going. On that day we used (supposedly 11 or so GB) On Thursday, December 28 my wife and I turned off all but one computer and our video cameras, and we left town. Today I get email stating I have used 86% of our data, but we aren't even home! I logged onto the Cox.net website and it shows that we have been using data for the last three days at the same rate as they claimed we was using last month. No one home, one computer and six - three and four year old - surveillance cameras with a 320x280 video over the internet when I log into them remotely through the internet. Their daily data meter shows that we are using just as much data while we are four hundred miles away as we do when we spend all day steaming on two computers at the same time. On Thursday, when we left town, according to the current reading on our daily usage, we had supposedly already used 25 GB, then Friday when we weren't even home, and still aren't and computers are turned off, Router is secured as of the 26th, we supposedly used 30GB of data!!! I am sure they will say that I am using 30 or more today as well even though I am 420 miles from home. So, to me it appears as though Cox is faking the data usage data and I think we need to start a class action law suit against them for fraud.

Hello Gerald, I can certainly understand your frustration. Please send us an email with your full address to cox.help@cox.com so we can research and discuss the account. Thanks, Allan - Cox Support Forums Moderator

This is precisely what I mentioned in a previous thread here (http://forums.cox.com/forum_home/internet_forum/f/5/t/19458.aspx?pi287=2), that "the reality is also that Cox as well as their competitors are all experiencing increased complaints of greatly increased data usage, far beyond what had typically been routine daily consumption. The reasons for this are many and varied. Some are the result of forgetfulness or a lack of vigilance on the part of the customer, while in many cases there may also exist a definite source or cause of intrusion, penetration or "leak" in their network, the solutions of which may also be far beyond the remedies that Cox supplies." Tell me again, Cox, how Gerald Howell's anomaly can be mitigated by your Data Usage Meter, Data Usage Meter Calculator or by visiting the recommended https://www.cox.com/residential/education-center/internet/data-usage.html?

@chaloots, We have a system in place so that a customer can challenge the usage amount if a discrepancy arises. We can submit an escalation ticket that address such discrepancies. These escalations take on average 7 to 10 business days to be completed. Thanks, Allan - Cox Support Forums Moderator.

@ Allan We should not have to challenge the usage limit and tie up our time (or Cox's) when it should be customary that companies provide customers with ways to determine HOW the data is being used!!! Why is this such a difficult concept for Cox to grasp!? Going through all that will be a waste of time any way as Cox will still likely say the usage is accurate. And Gerald Howell, I was having the same issue, and have since started unplugging my router while my family is gone during the day. We had usage of 70GB one day when no one was home!!! We are gone for a minimum of 10 hours on a work day and cox couldn't explain HOW we used that much data when no one was home. We shouldn't have to do that, but if it prevents me from having to give Cox any more money that what they are entitled for the services I used, it's a minor inconvenience.

Point blank if cox is going to have a data meter I want an actual reading. Not just oh you used 1082GB this month you are over. I want an hourly break down for their system. This is the second month we have gone over and this really started happening when they said the grace period ended. I think cox is inflating everyone's data meters just to make more money. I mean they already were offering unlimited data on all of their plans but then someone decided they could make more money if they instilled a cap. Only 2% of their customers are supposed to go over but I hear that over 35% of clients are incurring an additional data charge because they went over. *** my 85 year old grandmother went over and all she has is a tablet and a cell phone and I'm the one that restricts it. All cox could do was shrug and say "uuuuhhhhhhh, we aren't sure." They will never fix this because they don't want it fixed. This makes them a but load of money. And if you get the unlimited data THEY STILL THROTTLE YOU!!! My family is a family of gamers but we monitor ourselves very closely and my husabnd and I both work in IT. If we had another opinion for internet we would take it in a heartbeat. I'm {} this close to cancelling everything and telling them to take a hike just like their data plans and prices have. Point is if you are going over your data you will continue to until there is an investigation that cox is not only inflating their customers data to make them go over but if you get the unlimited they throttle you because you are using too much. Cox is not longer a ISP they are a gateway to something that is free. Used to the ISP offered software and different things like that but internet wasn't there strong suit. Cable and phone was the big money maker. With Netflix, Hulu, and the stations themselves offering you a better price you can always switch. So then Cox changed up it's game plan and charged more for internet than anything else. They realized that this is the only way they could make money by capping data and inflating not just the price but their users data in a meter form. Also we used to track our data on a daily and when cox rolled out the data meter it never matched what we had. With net neutrality being removed it is only going to make things worse. If you have time and want more information I have started a petition. I don't know if it will do anything but it is worth trying and the other link is from the creators of the internet explaining why it should be open and free. It is extremely long so I understand if you pass on reading it. I wish I could be of more help but something has to be done and I don't think things will change for the better. https://www.change.org/p/sharon-s-truxillo-stop-imposing-in-personal-lives-by-adding-data-caps https://static.tumblr.com/unowjew/1b8p0vnxq/comments_of_internet_engineersfcc_nn.pdf

Why are you faking the data usage monitor information???

12 Replies

Allan
Moderator
7 years ago
Hello Gerald,

I can certainly understand your frustration. Please send us an email with your full address to cox.help@cox.com so we can research and discuss the account.

Thanks,

Allan - Cox Support Forums Moderator
tonguetwister
New Contributor III
7 years ago
This is precisely what I mentioned in a previous thread here (http://forums.cox.com/forum_home/internet_forum/f/5/t/19458.aspx?pi287=2), that "the reality is also that Cox as well as their competitors are all experiencing increased complaints of greatly increased data usage, far beyond what had typically been routine daily consumption. The reasons for this are many and varied. Some are the result of forgetfulness or a lack of vigilance on the part of the customer, while in many cases there may also exist a definite source or cause of intrusion, penetration or "leak" in their network, the solutions of which may also be far beyond the remedies that Cox supplies."

Tell me again, Cox, how Gerald Howell's anomaly can be mitigated by your Data Usage Meter, Data Usage Meter Calculator or by visiting the recommended https://www.cox.com/residential/education-center/internet/data-usage.html?
Allan
Moderator
7 years ago
@chaloots,

We have a system in place so that a customer can challenge the usage amount if a discrepancy arises. We can submit an escalation ticket that address such discrepancies. These escalations take on average 7 to 10 business days to be completed.

Thanks,

Allan - Cox Support Forums Moderator.
Nolegirl
New Contributor
7 years ago
@ Allan

We should not have to challenge the usage limit and tie up our time (or Cox's) when it should be customary that companies provide customers with ways to determine HOW the data is being used!!! Why is this such a difficult concept for Cox to grasp!? Going through all that will be a waste of time any way as Cox will still likely say the usage is accurate.

And Gerald Howell, I was having the same issue, and have since started unplugging my router while my family is gone during the day. We had usage of 70GB one day when no one was home!!! We are gone for a minimum of 10 hours on a work day and cox couldn't explain HOW we used that much data when no one was home. We shouldn't have to do that, but if it prevents me from having to give Cox any more money that what they are entitled for the services I used, it's a minor inconvenience.
mcclaunch
New Contributor
7 years ago
Point blank if cox is going to have a data meter I want an actual reading. Not just oh you used 1082GB this month you are over. I want an hourly break down for their system. This is the second month we have gone over and this really started happening when they said the grace period ended. I think cox is inflating everyone's data meters just to make more money. I mean they already were offering unlimited data on all of their plans but then someone decided they could make more money if they instilled a cap. Only 2% of their customers are supposed to go over but I hear that over 35% of clients are incurring an additional data charge because they went over. *** my 85 year old grandmother went over and all she has is a tablet and a cell phone and I'm the one that restricts it. All cox could do was shrug and say "uuuuhhhhhhh, we aren't sure." They will never fix this because they don't want it fixed. This makes them a but load of money. And if you get the unlimited data THEY STILL THROTTLE YOU!!! My family is a family of gamers but we monitor ourselves very closely and my husabnd and I both work in IT. If we had another opinion for internet we would take it in a heartbeat. I'm {} this close to cancelling everything and telling them to take a hike just like their data plans and prices have.

Point is if you are going over your data you will continue to until there is an investigation that cox is not only inflating their customers data to make them go over but if you get the unlimited they throttle you because you are using too much. Cox is not longer a ISP they are a gateway to something that is free. Used to the ISP offered software and different things like that but internet wasn't there strong suit. Cable and phone was the big money maker. With Netflix, Hulu, and the stations themselves offering you a better price you can always switch. So then Cox changed up it's game plan and charged more for internet than anything else. They realized that this is the only way they could make money by capping data and inflating not just the price but their users data in a meter form. Also we used to track our data on a daily and when cox rolled out the data meter it never matched what we had. With net neutrality being removed it is only going to make things worse. If you have time and want more information I have started a petition. I don't know if it will do anything but it is worth trying and the other link is from the creators of the internet explaining why it should be open and free. It is extremely long so I understand if you pass on reading it. I wish I could be of more help but something has to be done and I don't think things will change for the better.

https://www.change.org/p/sharon-s-truxillo-stop-imposing-in-personal-lives-by-adding-data-caps

https://static.tumblr.com/unowjew/1b8p0vnxq/comments_of_internet_engineersfcc_nn.pdf
mcclaunch
New Contributor
7 years ago
And then of course we get the generic response which basically to me says "Aww, gosh! Bless you're heart you are so stupid you don't understand we have this great application that tells you how much data that you use and here is how you monitor you activity." Enough of the **. I work in IT and have for the last 15 years. I understand that ever response anyone is going to get is going to be automated but can't we get some real answers? If you are going to cap my usages and throttle my speeds then I am entitled to not a general overview, where you could have inflated my data the entire month, but a detailed breakdown. I want to know what time the data has been used. Every device has an IP address and I want you to tell me where it is coming from. If you are going to check my data usage then I want every detail about it. Otherwise I'm going to start sending and email or calling or you know what I will just write it down. Every time I lose signal and every moment my data is not running at 300mbps I'm going to make a note. Then at the end of every month before I pay my bill I want to be credited for that time and speed lossed. But I'm not going to give you a full on breakdown. For example:

My bill is due on the 28th and I haven't paid that yet. From the 28th to current I have encountered some issues.

28th of dec - Speeds were below 300mbps for a total of 6hrs
29th of dec - I lost signal several times for a total of 4 hrs downtime and my speed was not at 300mbps for 2hrs
30th of dec - speeds again not at 300mbps for a total of 3hrs and I dropped connections for a total of 1hr
31st of dec - my kids complained several times that netflix was starting and stopping. When I ran a connection test we were under 100mbps and that was for at least 6hrs

1st of Jan - Slow speeds and dropped connections 6hrs
2nd of Jan - Slow speeds and dropped connection 2 hrs

Yeah that's a little detail but I would expect more from cox. If I called in and told an agent what I listed above I would get " Sorry about the inconvenience sometimes data speed and lost of connection is possible. The system is not perfect." But then that also means that your data meter isn't perfect either. Because you only track a daily breakdown we has the consumer can't track you. I used 75GB yesterday. Ok I say you data meter is wrong because no one was home yesterday from 1pm to 10pm but you can't tell me when the data was used so I just have to pay it right?
stinkfoot63
Contributor II
7 years ago
chaloots said:
"the reality is also that Cox as well as their competitors are all experiencing increased complaints of greatly increased data usage,

WHAT competitors? The sad reality is that for high speed internet most have only one choice and THAT is the root of these problems. DSL is not on par with cable and cannot be considered a viable alternative.
Vtwin
New Contributor
7 years ago
My recommendation is to buy (or set up) an internet router with software which will monitor your own traffic.

For example, I use a linux machine with bandwidthd as my router, which allows me to monitor my usage.

As a "Computer Programmer with a BA in Business Information Systems and Seven Microsoft Certifications including MS Professional and MS Specialist as DBA", I would expect you would have already done this, so you could give us some hard statistics, before coming on the forum.

There are several very well known hacks for various internet-accessible security cameras. It is entirely within the realm of possibility someone is running a botnet on your cameras, for example.
iluvdachies
New Contributor
7 years ago
Thank you Gerald Howell --

I'll jump on this thread - you betcha - same issue, same questions, and isn't it funny that I have received the exact same response (which is actually no response) from Cox over the years. Just call me Ditto on all the above.

I have a degree in Information Systems with several certifications (I won't bore you with my entire resume) -- trust me Cox, when I say it's not me, it's you that has a problem .... I have been in this field for .... more than a minute (I cut my teeth on Win95 .. yea) so when I ask you to tell me exactly how I am using my data - which devices, which sites, time of day and the total device per site I KNOW, you can tell me.... I KNOW YOU CAN ..... you just CHOSE NOT to ....because an educated consumer frightens you I suppose. And yet you want us to believe that:

"Cox is committed to an open internet experience for our customers."

GREAT!! Open up the silos that are stuffed to the brim with data and tell us what we want to know - SHOW US your commitment level, we want to believe your words but when your actions do not match your statements .... well...... it's like listening to Charlie Brown's teacher - whaa, whaay, whaa, whaay, whaa, whaay, whaa -- and translated that means... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING .... just a bunch hot air.

My situation is simple... it's just me   ... all I have is Internet (Essentials 30) .... I do not own a TV (I cut the cord several years ago) and my cell service is with another company .... 1 human using 1 PC hardwired to ASIS 6141SB Modem ..... I am NOT a gamer either so there's no freaking way I'm going over 1TB of data. But for each 30 day period, there appears 1 day that is an anomaly - every single month I have 1 day that shows my data usage shoots way the heck up almost off the graph and then...... back to normal (what I would consider normal for my data usage). Let's look at this most current period:

From Dec 8 - 16 The highest point on the graph is 17 Gb of data in one 24 hr period.

BUT..... on Dec 17th --- according to Cox I used a whopping 48 Gb of data .... WTFlapjack?? That's the day I would like to have broken down for me please - I'm asking you to itemize my data usage for that 1 day (Dec 17) - I have a right to know and you have an obligation to provide that information to me upon my request.

From Dec 18 - Jan 5, just like the beginning of this charted period, nothing higher than 17 Gb of data used in one day.

I wish I could provide more than one 30 day period as an example but, for reasons only known to Cox ... I can only go back 1 month and see my daily usage charted on the graph.

Something else I do not understand is how come my billing dates are different than what shows for my data usage meter? Shouldn't those dates jive? If the meter is running then how come I'm being billed on 2 different meter cycles?

My billing cycle runs from the 10th through the 9th (i.e. Nov 10 - Dec 9). The dates on the data usage meter run from the 8th through the 7th (i.e. Nov 8 - Dec 7) ....they begin and end differently for reasons that make sense to Cox.... I can only surmise ...... another way that Cox continues to (try) and keep the PAYING public confused.

Please, I am asking you to adjust my billing cycle OR my data usage meter so they will start on the same date for each 30 day period. I have asked so many times in the past and I get one excuse after another - I got tired of asking. It is well within Cox power to start the meter the same day Cox starts my billing cycle - I have faith in you Cox ... please don't tell me "But, but... I can't!"..... YES, you can, how do you know you can't unless you try?

If the city water department can bill me for the exact same dates that my water meter is read then I have all faith in Cox being able to adjust those dates so they are exactly the same --- there's more red-tape in the city government offices -- so if they can do it you can do it Cox -- right?
Conundrum68
New Contributor
7 years ago
What I find disgusting is that you can pay for an extra 50GB of data if you happen to go over, but the thing you just paid for evaporates at the end of the month instead of rolling into the future. If we pay for a chunk of data, we should get to use that chunk of data indefinitely. This is 1st class BS.