Cox vs. T-Mobile: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
T-Mobile’s convenient and affordable service is perfect for average internet use, but Cox has more variety and faster plans.
Jul 27, 2023 | Share 
Provider Comparisons (Versus)
-
Best for Customer Service
- Customer rating: 3.6 / 5
- Price: $49.99–$109.99/mo.*
- Speed: 100Mbps–1,000Mbps
- Internet type: Cable
- Data cap: 1.25TB
- Contract: 1-year contract, month-to-month, and prepaid options
-
Best for Value
- Customer rating: 4.1/5
- Price: $50.00/mo.†
- Speed: 72–245Mbps
- Internet type: 5G fixed wireless
- Data caps: None
- Contract: month-to-month
* w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.
† for 12 months with 1-yr. term agreement
Compare Cox and T-Mobile head to head
T-Mobile’s only internet plan provides one of the most hassle-free and all-inclusive services we’ve seen yet. Cox has more options and faster speeds but tends to be more expensive.
Pros and cons: Cox vs. T-Mobile
Pros:
- Faster speeds
- Good plan variety
Cons:
- Expensive installation
- Price hikes after 12 months
- Extra fees
Want to know if Cox or T-Mobile are in your area? Take a look by typing in your zip code below.
Plans and pricing: Cox vs. T-Mobile
T-Mobile has one stellar internet plan while Cox packs in a ton of variety. Which is best for you comes down to whether or not T-Mobile’s bandwidth meets your needs.
Cox plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Download speed | View on Cox's site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Internet Preferred 250 | $49.99/mo.† | 250Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Internet Ultimate 500 | $69.99/mo.† | Up to 500Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Gigablast | $99.99/mo.† | Up to 1,000Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox StraightUp Internet | $50.00/mo.* | Up to 100Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Essential 100 No Contract | $49.99/mo.§ | Up to 100Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Internet Preferred 250 No Contract | $59.99/mo.§ | Up to 250Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Internet Ultimate 500 No Contract | $79.99/mo.§ | Up to 500Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Cox Gigablast No Contract | $109.99/mo.§ | Up to 1,000Mbps | Shop Plans |
*No term agreement. Same price for 3 yrs.
† for 12 months with 1-yr. term agreement
§ No annual contract or early cancellation fees
Cox certainly has more choices than T-Mobile and faster speeds. Cox’s cable internet is the main broadband workhorse in the U.S.; it’s fast, reliable, and readily available. But keep in mind, Cox’s advertised prices are not as worry-free as T-Mobile’s due to extra fees like modem rental and installation fees. The installation is also more of an ordeal because of the need for coaxial cabling to and throughout your home. However, if you want ultrafast speeds, Cox has them.
T-Mobile plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | View on ISP site |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | $50.00/mo.† | 72–245Mbps | View Plan |
† w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.
T-Mobile only has one internet plan, but it’s a good one; mainly because the plan covers everything for one low price: there are no hidden monthly fees, rental costs, or price hikes. You get fast service, unlimited data, no annual contract, and a free rental gateway.
With speeds up to 245Mbps, T-Mobile’s fixed wireless is fast enough for the majority of households. In our home test of T-Mobile’s home internet, we almost always clocked speeds at or above the advertised speed range, but the quality of service will depend on how good your home’s 5G reception is.
In general, a 5G wireless signal, like that used for T-Mobile’s internet service, is going to be less stable than Cox’s cable internet. But, again, we didn’t experience any issues in our home test, and according to our annual customer satisfaction survey, reliability isn’t an issue for most T-Mobile Internet customers.
Deals and promotions: Cox vs. T-Mobile
Want to know if Cox or T-Mobile are in your area? Take a look by typing in your zip code below.
Extra fees: Cox vs. T-Mobile
| Equipment Fee | Installation Fee | Other Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | $13.00/mo | $100.00; free self-installation | $10.00/mo. (early termination), late fees based on state laws and regulations |
| T-Mobile | Free rental gateway | None | None |
T-Mobile has no extra fees: no install fee, no equipment rental fee, and no data charges. Cox, is the opposite, packing all the usual ISP charges, with the $100 installation fee being a particularly tough pill to swallow.
Customer ratings: T-Mobile vs. Cox
| Overall | Reliability | Customer service Rating | Speed | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | 3.6 / 5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
| T-Mobile | 4.1/5.0 | 4.0/5.0 | 4.0/5.0 | 4.1/5.0 | 4.0/5.0 |
T-Mobile received some of the highest scores in our annual customer satisfaction survey. T-Mobile customers reported being satisfied with nearly every aspect of this relatively new internet service. The majority of Cox customers said they’re satisfied with their service as well, but, between the two, T-Mobile takes the cake when it comes to customer satisfaction.
Best TV and internet bundles
| Internet speed | TV channels | Price | View on Cox site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox Internet Essential 100 + Contour Stream Player | 100Mbps | N/A | $115.99/mo.* | View Plan |
| Cox Internet Preferred 250 + Contour TV Preferred | 250Mbps | 140+ | $148.99/mo.* | View Plan |
| Cox Internet Ultimate 500 + Contour TV Preferred | 500Mbps | 140+ | $168.99/mo.* | View Plan |
TV and internet bundles are one area where T-Mobile can’t compete as it doesn’t offer TV service. Cox on the other hand has 14 different TV and internet bundles to choose from, making it easy to find something that fits your needs. Cox’s bundle discounts are modest, but it is convenient having your internet and TV service grouped under the same bill.
Internet types: Cox vs. T-Mobile
| Internet type | View on provider site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cox | Cable | View Plans |
| T-Mobile | 5G Fixed-wireless | View Plans |
Cox’s cable internet has a leg up on T-Mobile’s fixed-wireless. Cable internet is faster, more reliable, and has better latency than fixed-wireless. This is why Cox is able to offer faster speeds. Internet tech has come a long way in the last decade, but you still can’t beat a solid wired connection. If you need uncompromising stability and ultra-fast gig speeds, Cox is the way to go.
That being said, our experience with T-Mobile’s fixed wireless was outstanding. We had it running side-by-side with a Cox cable internet connection and didn’t notice much difference. The T-Mobile connection was a little less stable, but it was barely noticeable. The low price and added convenience of T-Mobile’s service easily make up for this minor shortcoming.
Data caps: Cox vs. T-Mobile
| Data Cap | View on provider site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cox | 1,280GB | View Plans |
| T-Mobile | Unlimited | View Plans |
T-Mobile’s unlimited data means you don’t have to stress counting gigabytes or worry about data overage fees. Cox imposes a standard 1.28TB data cap, but that’s more than enough for most households. In the US, average internet monthly data use is around 600GB, about half of Cox’s 1.28TB data cap.
Contracts: Cox vs. T-Mobile
| Contract length | View on provider site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cox | 1-year, month-to-month option for $10/month extra, or prepaid (new) | View Plans |
| T-Mobile | month-to-month | View Plans |
T-Mobile continues the theme of simplicity and convenience with its month-to-month internet plan that you can cancel at any time with no penalty. Cox takes a more standard approach, with 12-month contracts on most plans. You can get a month-to-month plan with Cox, but it costs extra.
Installation: Cox vs. T-Mobile
| Installation options | View on provider site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cox |
| View Plans |
| T-Mobile |
| View Plans |
Both T-Mobile and Cox offer a free self-installation. T-Mobile’s self-installation is a lot easier due to not requiring any networking cables. For a self-install to work with Cox, your residence needs to have an active connection to Cox’s cable internet network.
To learn more about Cox and T-Mobile internet installations, see our install guides:
Availability: Cox vs. T-Mobile
Both of these ISPs have huge coverage areas, but T-Mobile’s wireless delivery gives it the edge. Cable internet networks also have excellent coverage in the U.S., but usually, only one cable ISP is available in any given area. The good news is you can skip the guesswork and use our handy zip code search tool below to instantly get a list of ISPs in your area.
To see if Cox or T-Mobile is in your area, enter your zip code below:
Final call: Cox vs. T-Mobile
If you have average internet needs and want a hassle-free internet service at a great price, T-Mobile is the way to go. It’s fast enough, the setup is super easy, and you don’t have to worry about any pesky fees or data limits. On the other hand, if you need a lot of bandwidth for a large household or intense internet use, Cox’s cable internet is technically superior. It delivers up to gig speeds and comes with the reliability of a wired network.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
More about Cox and T-Mobile
Disclaimer
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Author - Austin Aguirre
Austin worked as a broadband technician installing and troubleshooting countless home internet networks for some of the largest ISPs in the U.S. He became a freelance writer in 2020 specializing in software guides. After graduating with a BS in technical communication from Arizona State University, he joined the team at HighSpeedInternet.com where he focuses on home network improvement and troubleshooting.
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