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Progress Report as to COX COMMUNICATIONS SUCKS, reported here earlier this week:

Rather than suffer through any more of the protracted, time-consuming, non-resolving telephone calls to Cox, I went into a local Cox Store and complained. They gave me a new and replacement cable modem without charge (pending return of my existing, failed modem) and scheduled a service call for today, now completed.

I installed the new, replacement modem myself after returning home from the Store Wednesday afternoon and my cable access speeds were immediately improved to the point of being more responsive than anticipated (so no complaints there).

The service call guy today tested the existing (new) modem in place and found it functioning very well (which it has been and is) and advised me that due to the area I am in at present, that regardless of how much Cox increases the service in this area, the use increases accordingly so the recurring "slow downs" in access speeds is due to too many in this service area using the service simultaneously and for extended periods of recurring time.

Like building more roads, I said to the cable guy, if you build more roads or more lanes on existing roads, all that does is produce more cars on more roads and he said, that was about the size of things in my current service area with the cable internet access, adding that they continue to "divide nodes" but when they do, the demand divides and multiplies accordingly -- citing a few neighbors who were intense and frequent downloaders and responsible all by themselves for a great deal of the slowdowns in this one two-block radius.

However, the fall-off of access speeds I was experiencing earlier in the week and throughout the past month (if not many past months since it appears I've been living with the slow speeds in some foolish attempt to "live with it") were beyond an issue of competition for bandwidth in my service area, but literally no speed at all, since resolved (at least at this time and I hope this continues) by replacing the modem.

However, this does not resolve the billing issues I've experienced over the years (see previous entries). At least now I am receiving the service I anticipate, for which I am paying. And that gives Cox -- for now -- a Happiness Test result of "B."

I am still considering purchasing a SDSL from Covad, which would not provide me with the same access speeds I receive from Cox (when I receive them) but would provide consistency of speeds. Covad also offers several rotating "free equipment (DSL modem and router) and free installation" which makes their SDSL service more appealing.

Thus, that decision is pending; and while I can again use the internet via my Cox cable access -- when it functions well, it's superior -- the ongoing issues otherwise (previous posts here) add-up to ongoing unresolved, significant issues.