Cox integrates voice, data and messaging

Cox Communications today announced new integrated messaging tools for its voice and data customers in Georgia and Florida. Cox Phone Tools allow customers who subscribe to both Cox Digital Telephone and Cox High Speed Internet to listen to voice mails online, view a log of incoming and outgoing calls, save voice messages on a computer, and forward voice mails as e-mail attachments.

The new services are available for no extra charge within Cox franchise territories in middle Georgia, the Gulf Coast of Florida and central Florida, the company said.

The company will roll out the new services "to our entire telephony footprint, including our circuit-switched customers," a spokesman said, but is not providing a time frame.

"It will be sooner, rather than later," he said. "We think this is a great differentiator for us. We are forging ahead with what we call Bundle 2.0, which is merging the bundle."

In addition to getting Cox Phone Tools, the Gulf Coast residents also are getting ITV, which integrates some computing features onto the television set, including the ability to check emails and view basic information such as news, weather and movie listings on the TV set as well as pay a Cox bill via the remote control, the spokesman said.

On Monday, Cox announced it was turning up digital telephone service in Las Vegas, one of its largest markets.

The integration of voice and data networks is expected to gain much more momentum when wireless networks are tied in, as well, enabling customers to operate with a single phone number and messaging center across multiple networks and platforms. Cox is one of the cable companies that earlier this year partnered with Sprint on fixed-mobile convergence.

Cox Phone Tools are accessible via a graphical user interface at www.cox.net that enables customers to listen to their voice mails online and view a log of incoming and outgoing calls.