Survey Says Affordable Internet Improves Lives | Connected Life
It’s more important than ever for families to have access to affordable internet so they can stay connected to family, friends, school and work, as well as thrive in today’s economy. To broaden Internet access, we help administer the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and provide financial relief to families in need.
To better understand the impact of affordable internet, Cox Communications commissioned a survey of more than 2,000 of our affordable internet customers who use the ACP benefit and/or Cox’s Connect2Compete (C2C), a home internet service that designs was used for families with K-12 students. The results show an undeniable positive impact.
Close the digital divide
Ninety-six percent of respondents said Cox Internet access had a positive impact on their overall household. Among the positive impacts, 93 percent of ACP and C2C customers indicate they can more easily pay their bills on time, and 95 percent of C2C customers say it provides a way for their family to spend more time together.
Other key findings from the survey include:
- About half of the respondents have home internet for the first time
- 70 percent credit home internet for finding a new job or a better job
- Half said they got a promotion or a raise
- 90 percent said they or their children now do homework at home
- Half said they or their children could now apply to college and apply for financial aid
- Half said they were certified in a specific skill or trade
- One-third reported being a first-generation college graduate in their family because of home Internet
This research proves that our customers’ lives are better by having access to affordable home internet connection. At Cox, we are committed to pursuing digital equity efforts to continue to break down the digital divide and improve the lives of more people.
Real lives, real impacts
Meet Anabel Santos. She is a Cox customer enrolled in the ACP benefit and a valued student at Arizona State University (ASU). Anabel is an active community volunteer who thrives educationally and stays connected with her family using the ACP and Cox’s C2C internet service.
“The $30 ACP credit gave us a little extra money to help with other living expenses, like groceries, gas, utility bills and textbooks,” Anabel said at a recent Cox event. “It was also a relief when it came to my elderly parents living in Florida.” Anabel and her sister can now help manage their parents’ lives all the way from Arizona by checking in and helping with their smart home devices like thermostats and cameras.
“This enables us to help them with the use of their devices and gives us peace of mind knowing that we can easily connect with them at any time,” said Anabel.
Using Cox’s affordable home internet, Anabel is also working on a prototype for a final engineering class project. She and her classmates meet on a virtually weekly basis to research, collect data, and work on a platform they hope to launch as a functional website designed to provide downloadable textbooks for students for free or for a fee. to provide a reduced price.
By administering the ACP, and providing access to affordable Internet, people across the US can thrive educationally and, like Anabel, make their own contributions to help close the digital divide.
The power of private and public partnership
Cox is committed to digital equity, and to further that commitment, we are continually working with the White House to further expand the ACP across the country. We want more households to experience the positive impact of affordable home internet. Closing the nationwide digital divide requires support from both private and public organizations to make far-reaching and long-lasting change.
Through Cox’s partnership with the White House, ACP-eligible households have access to Cox’s 100 Mbps high-speed Internet service at little to no cost. Customers who qualify for the ACP likely also qualify for other Cox affordable Internet options, and with the $30 ACP credit, these home Internet services can be free or available at a significantly reduced cost.
To learn more about Cox’s commitment to digital equity and our portfolio of affordable Internet options, visit cox.com/digitalequity.
