How to cancel Cox internet? Cancellations from Cox Internet accounts can be made by phone or at a Cox store from 9 am to 6 pm PT. Cox will calculate the final bill on a pro-rata basis and will only charge a fee if the customer has a contract or does not return the rented equipment (modem, DVR, etc.) within 10 days of cancellation. Contract termination fees range from $120-240 for 1 to 2-year contracts, while equipment costs range from $15 to $350 depending on the item.
Cancelling Cox’s Internet service is a multi-step process that requires phone, store, and UPS visits for most customers.
It’s no accident on their part; after all, updating or adding services can easily be done online.
Like most cable companies, Cox simply has a financial incentive to make it harder to cancel plans, cut cables, and downgrade. Plus, they still use contracts to trap customers — so be prepared to pay an early termination fee of up to $120 if you still have a contract.
With that in mind, this guide will walk you through the process so you can avoid delays and get everything done in under an hour.
How To Cancel Cox Internet?
1. Make sure you are under contract
Most Cox plans have 1-year contracts, including basic internet-only plans.
Cox doesn’t require contracts for internet-only plans but does charge an additional $10 per month if you want no-contract service.
As such, most customers choose to sign a contract (or simply don’t realize there is one during the signup process). In short, you’re probably in it.
Customers who cancel before their 1-2 year contract will be charged $10 for each month remaining on the contract – which can go up to a maximum of $120 for an annual subscription or $240 for a two-year subscription. You’ll want to be aware of this bill before cancelling and consider waiting closer to the end of the contract if you’re canceling for a price-related reason, such as switching to another ISP.
The easiest way to check if you have a contract end date for your subscription is to view your invoice or ask online via live chat on the Cox website.
2. Settle the remaining balances on the statement
Regardless of your contract status, you must ensure that there are no outstanding balances on your account. Otherwise, they will use it to slow down the account closing process.
You can resolve this by simply paying the bill to your account online – allow the payment to go through before proceeding with the cancellation.
3. Notify Cox of your cancellation date
You have two options to notify Internet Cox of your subscription to cancel the service:
- Via phone by calling 1-844-227-3943.
- In-person at a Cox Communications storefront.
| Cancellation method | Permitted by Cox |
| In-store | Permitted |
| By phone | Permitted |
| Online Account | Not Permitted |
| Online Chat | Not Permitted |
I recommend that you opt for the store because you can easily tell them the cancellation date, drop off the equipment, and close any outstanding balances in one go.
If you choose to notify them by phone, please note that you will need to call during normal business hours, which are:
- Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm
- Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm
- Closed on Sundays
Important point: Cox prepares the final accounts pro rata. That’s fine, and they’re one of the few cable companies that still do this (all the others like Spectrum and Xfinity shut down around 2019).
Because they calculate the bills pro-rata, make sure to set a cancellation date on the last day you want to receive internet, not the last day of the billing period. Days you haven’t used the service will refund you, but if you don’t set a specific date, they’ll just take the last day of your billing period and charge for the entire month.
4. Returning rented Cox equipment
Most Cox Internet customers choose to rent equipment from the Cox plan rather than pre-purchasing it. This includes the modem, WiFi gateway, and various other items such as DVRs, receivers, etc.
Every internet-related box and doo-dad in your house, you probably rent from Cox. That means you have to return it when you cancel the service.
You have two options for returning your equipment:
- Drop it off in person at a Cox store.
- Return it by post to a UPS location.
Note: Cox equipment must be returned within 10 days of the disconnection date, not the end date of your normal billing cycle. Please ensure that you receive a receipt confirming that you have returned the equipment, either in-store or via UPS. Otherwise, equipment replacement costs may apply.
| Equipment return option | Description | Price |
| In-store | Best to ensure no fee disputes | Free |
| UPS | Best for convenience | Free (Cox provides the shipping label and packaging) |
How to return Cox equipment via UPS
Returning your Cox equipment to UPS is easy, although I still recommend that you drop it off at a store if possible to avoid the possibility of problems with your return process. It’s easy to lose a receiver or remote, and when you return to the store they’ll let you know if anything is missing.
Returning to the store also eliminates the possibility of UPS losing its equipment or having someone from Cox confuse him in some way.
You need two things to complete a UPS return:
- Packaging for the equipment.
- A prepaid UPS shipping label.
Cox will deliver both to you free of charge by post. You can order the return kit via live chat on the website or by calling customer service in your account. You can also call the Cox store near you.
5. Check for Surprise Fees
At this point, you should have completed all of the steps above, including returning your equipment. You should have:
- A receipt showing that you have returned your equipment (from Cox and/or UPS).
- A “0” on your account balance when you log in online.
The last step is to verify your credit card or bank statement on the day your account is normally automatically withdrawn each month to make sure Cox has removed any direct debits.
You should also call them and verify that your balance is zero a few days after the last month of service, in case charges have been added in connection with returning your equipment.
If you find surprise fees… read on for information on how to dispute them.
Cox Communications Missing Equipment Cost
These equipment replacement rates are estimates based on Cox’s current 2022 rate schedule and reader account subscriptions. Actual costs vary by hardware type and location.
| Equipment type | Example replacement fee |
| WiFi modem/routers | $63–122 |
| Gateway | $122–200 |
| Mini Box | $32 (all models) |
| Contour 1 DVR/accessories | $225–350 |
| Contour 2 DVR/accessories | $125–350 |
| remotes/extendors | ~$15 |
If you lose or fail to return equipment rented from Cox, you will be charged for the equipment after cancelling your account.
The cost of each make and model of modem, gateway, etc. is different. Since it is not published online, I contacted Cox and bought a full list of every model they currently use and their associated costs.
How to Combat Cox’s Early Termination Rate?
Short disclaimer: This is not legal or financial advice and I am not a legal professional. This is just some information based on my research and feedback from the thousands of readers of this site each month.
It’s not common, but now and then you cancel your Cox account and you get all sorts of charges that could be errors such as Cox’s loss of your equipment or errors such as automatic billing continuing after closing.
First of all, keep in mind that if you don’t return your router and other equipment, it’s normal to be charged for this.
Second, keep in mind that when you sign up for the Cox service, the fine print you agree to includes a clause that guarantees you can’t take any of these claims out of small claims court.
It allows customers to “turn this off” within a certain period, but once customers close their accounts and run into issues, that deadline is over.
Small claims court is suitable for this type of action as it is designed for low-value cases of a few hundred dollars or less. The maximum claim varies by state; however, you’re unlikely to get a claim in your favour unless Cox doesn’t send a representative to challenge your claim in court, which is quite common in large companies.
I wouldn’t recommend it, but it’s an option, although going beyond small claims and FCC claims isn’t allowed under your service agreement, as noted above.
How to downgrade, upgrade or change your Cox subscription
Like most cable companies, Cox allows you to upgrade subscriptions quite easily through your online account.
Please note that for each plan, you are signing up for the “final price” of the service, not the “new customer price” you may have seen or listed on comparison sites.
Cox Gigablast may seem worth it at the advertised price of $99.99, but the actual price for existing customers is $119.99…plus $10.99 per month for Gigablast WiFi gateway…plus $30 or so for unlimited data, assuming you want to use your gigabit connection to its full potential.
- Plan Upgrades: This can be done via your online account. Just select “change plan” from the navigation.
- Scheduling Downgrades: This can only be done over the phone or in person at a Cox store, both during normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.
Downgrading your plan may not be convenient, but it’s a great way to save money. Especially if you’re paying for an outdated cable and phone package, “cutting” non-Internet services with Cox will likely save you $100 or more per month.
However, as mentioned above, the price of an internet-only plan for existing customers is not the price you see advertised online. We maintain a database with prices and terminal rates for every major cable company; Here are the details of each plan:
| Plan Name | Contract requirement | Final Price of service |
| Cox Internet Starter 10 | Contract default | $44.99/mo. |
| StraightUp Internet | No contract | $50/mo. |
| Cox Internet Essential 50 | Contract default | $65.99/mo. |
| Cox Internet Preferred 150 | Contract default | $83.99/mo. |
| Cox Internet Ultimate 500 | Contract default | $99.99/mo. |
| Gigablast | Contract default | $119.99/mo. |
Possible reasons to cancel Cox Internet
There can be many reasons why you want to stop the Cox Internet service.
Some of these reasons are listed below:
Hidden Costs
Regardless of what the customer service or seller claims the final rate is, this is rarely the case.
There are often hidden costs associated with Cox’s Internet service that the customer did not expect.
Internet Speeds
While Cox Internet, like us, is relatively popular, it’s more than a reason to cancel your subscription if you’ve been experiencing below-average internet speeds that you originally signed up for.
Unannounced price tags
Almost every year, Cox will likely increase your monthly bill by $3 to $5.
This may seem like a meagre amount, but over time, it’s likely to be a lot more than you thought you’d pay.
Unsatisfactory customer service
It’s no secret that Cox lacks a little in the customer service department.
Suppose you have contacted them several times as we have done so and have not received a satisfactory response. In this case, switching to another ISP is more than justified simply because there are ISPs with better customer service reps.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to cancel Cox internet
Can I keep my Cox email if I leave Cox?
New. It will be deactivated in about two months. However, if you need to transfer your cox email to another account, they have a provision for that.
Does Cox cable internet have a satisfaction guarantee?
Cox Communications’ terms of service allow customers on most residential plans to cancel free of charge if for any reason they are not satisfied within the first thirty days of service. This includes internet-only subscriptions as well as TV and phone packages and all product lines of the Cox Homelife brand.
Does Cox Communications settle bills on a pro-rata basis?
Cox is one of the few cable companies that currently settle bills on a pro-rata basis. This is a great benefit for customers who want to cancel without incurring charges for days that they haven’t used the service in the past month.
Can I just remove the TV and keep the Cox internet?
Cox offers a variety of internet-only plans, including a basic, prepaid, no-contract plan. All Cox plans have enough downstream bandwidth to support TV streaming on OTT services such as Netflix and YouTube TV.
Does Cox charge cancellation fees?
Cox places contract requirements or options on most plans, including Internet-only plans. It is common for the term to be one year, although some packages may have a longer term of 2 years. Customers who cancel before the end of their contract must pay an early termination fee of $10 for each month remaining, resulting in a maximum potential cancellation fee of $120 to $240. In practice, most customers cancel with fewer months remaining and they pay more modest double-digit fees.
Is it difficult to cancel Cox internet?
Cancelling Cox Internet can be time-consuming over the phone, as agents can be encouraged to persuade customers to pause or reduce their subscriptions rather than cancel them altogether. The fastest way to cancel Internet Cox is to do it at a Cox store, as personal agents are more concerned with processing your request quickly than producing a particular result.
Can you cancel Cox Internet online?
Cox Internet service cannot be cancelled completely online at this time. If you try to unsubscribe using online chat or account options, you will be prompted to call them during normal business hours or visit a Cox store.
What is the phone number for Cox’s retention department?
Cox customers wishing to cancel the service may do so by calling the Loyalty Department hotline: 1-800-234-3993. The Loyalty Department is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, with part-time hours from 9 am to 6 pm on Saturdays.
How do I get my money back from Cox?
You will only get the deposit back that was paid when renting the modem/router. Contact them at 401-383-2000 to request your refund.
Final Thoughts on How to cancel Cox internet?
Keep in mind that if you opt for the non-net-only plan, it will cost you an additional $10 per month.
Return leased equipment from Cox within ten days; otherwise, you will likely be charged.
After returning the equipment, remember to keep the receipt in case you need it in the future.
When returning the equipment, you can avoid costs by going directly to the store or, if you order a prepaid box online, you can return the equipment from the comfort of your home.
Otherwise, you can drop it off at any UPS store with all the necessary tags.
Whatever you do, don’t settle for a “tech shot” that Cox can provide because this pick-up will set you back at least $20 and you won’t have to pay that if you can do it for free.
