Port Forwarding - we block all ports for your protection - the ignorant tech support people

After several frustrating hours on the phone with Cox tech and making connecting with 6 different cox support representatives, I was told by the last one that "We block all ports for your protection", and you can't do port forwarding on your Cox Panoramic modem.  I insisted that makes no sense, and that I've setup dozens of routers with port forwarding successfully, until I ran into the problem with the Cox Panoramic (Arris).  So the representative (who I don't recall his name), said that you could pay  $10 per month and cancel after 3 months to get the "complete solutions" support who could set this up for you.  I indicated, I already spoke with them and they won't do that, and referred me to the "self install" department (which was the idiot I was speaking with now).   So he said there's no one else you could talk with since this is for "my protection".   I indicate, even if the Complete solutions department could/should do it, it sounds like blackmail (pay up and will release the block).   So in frustration, I said that nothing more you can do?  He said no. And that ended the conversation.   Later in the day, I actually solved the issue, by adding the port forwarding address to the Port Trigger list on the router, and that then opened the port to my app.   Why 6 people could not tell me was the solution, speaks very badly about the kind of tech people Cox hires.    So if you are having problems with port forwarding, this might be why you need to add to the virtual ports and the trigger.