Support NeoGAF

[Afro Republican]

https://www.lightreading.com/services/gaming/cox-tests-premium-low-lag-gaming-service-/d/d-id/751062

In a move that will likely raise the hackles of network neutrality advocates, Cox Communications has begun to trial a low-latency gaming tier in Arizona for broadband customers who get speeds of at least 100 Mbit/s (downstream).

The trial offering, called Cox Elite Gamer, sells for $14.99 per month for two licenses (allowing two users in the home to use the low-latency capability). Additional licenses -- up to five per account -- run an extra $4.99 per month. Cox confirmed that Cox Elite Gamer is a white-labeled version of WTFast, a service based out of Canada that currently retails for $14.99 per month, or $149.90 for an annual subscription (roughly $12.49 per month).

Cox said it intends to run the trial for three months, and will later evaluate the results to determine next steps.

According to Cox, the new low-latency service provides "enhanced routing to gaming-related Internet endpoints," and is an optional add-on to Internet service but is not in itself an Internet service. The service, it adds, selects an "optimized" Internet path for each gaming session initiative by customers to reduce jitter and ping spikes and, more generally, to create a more stable connection to gaming servers.

Per some fine print posted online, Cox Elite Gamer is for PCs only. The company also mentions that, compared to standard Cox Internet service, users on the new gaming-optimized offering will experience up to 34% less lag, 55% fewer ping spikes and 45% less jitter.

Despite the fact that WTFast already offers the product in the direct-to-consumer retail segment, Cox's white-label version of the product will likely get some attention from network neutrality advocates as the "Save the Internet Act" aims to reverse the FCC's rollback of past rules.

However, Cox stressed that Cox Elite Gamer steers clear of network neutrality concerns in part because it does not prioritize gaming traffic ahead of other traffic on the MSO's network and does not boost the speed of any Internet traffic travelling its networks.

"This offering would be permissible regardless of regulatory environment as it does not alter speed in any way nor does it prioritize any traffic over others on our network," a Cox spokesman said in a statement. "Cox Elite Gamer solves a problem with deficiencies in the public Internet, NOT our network. No customer's experience is degraded as a result of any customers purchasing Cox Elite Gamer service as an add-on to their Internet service."

Low-latency gaming an emerging ISP opportunity
Cox's trial is likely the front edge of a larger trend, as cable operators and other ISPs are expected to explore premium low-latency services tailored for gamers that can aid with retention and create an important new revenue stream that extends beyond moving consumers to higher speed tiers.

And Cox isn't the only broadband service provider looking into premium services tailored for gamers. Verizon is reportedly testing a performance-focused gaming service that is already running on Android TV-powered Nvidia Shield consoles and will eventually make its way onto Android smartphones. The Verge speculated that Verizon's offering is using software from Utomik.

So you thought these were done eh? Huh, I feel like I've said that before. Well nope, we still got more companies working on gaming services that have nothing to do with gaming. Everyone all aboard the bankruptcy train!!

But to be fair, I know there's many users on Gaf and other wise that Load up on Cox daily. So this may be something that they are already familiar with inserting Cox into their daily life. We all know that Cox is going all in at somepoint, Cox is a very anti-competitive and aggressive company, s it's likely we will see Cox spread around to everyone.

Cox is likely trying to get in on the game after competitor Verizon announced it, and lots of people want Cox to my surprise. The question is, how much Cox do you want in your home? Do you want Cox to whip you with higher prices as they insert hidden feed with their Cox? Do you think in terms of internet caps Cox will give you all the leverage needed and complete access to the tunnel?

But seriously, we sure are getting a lot of these.

 

[A.Romero]

I rather keep my gaming Cox free. That's why I never played Uno.

 

[LuvOfThaGame]

Cox go hard.

 

[lefty1117]

This is exactly people were worried about with the net neutrality repeal. This is a tiered service that will prioritize traffic for those who pay extra. The company is betting there are enough Cox suckers out there to swallow it.

 

[Trojita]

It's just wtfast. It isn't anything new that online gamers haven't been using for the past few years to get better latency by choosing better network paths.

 

[Hinedorf]

I recently left Cox. It's amazing what corporate policy will due to make you lose a customer through your low paid employees.

It had become very clear through troubleshooting all on my part that the HD connection on the Cable box itself had broken where the same HDMI cables could be plugged into any port anywhere else and work except for the cable box itself.

Sounds like easy enough troubleshooting right? Call Cox explain this is the problem only to be told that there's an "outage in our area" so they can't technically do anything for us until the outage is clear.

Now keep in mind i have 2 boxs and 2 tv's. My Cable and internet ARE WORKING everywhere but on this broken Cox Cable box......explain this to the person on the phone again only to be cut off saying there's nothing he can do due to the outage.

So.....I know my service is working, I know that this particular piece of hardware is failing, and I'm being told that the only thing they can do is charge me 170+$ to send out a technician to look at the issue........ yes to look at an issue I've already diagnosed for them.

When my wife explained what shit service they were providing through this unhelpful behavior he then threatened that somebody in the house had illegally downloaded a file that that technically they could suspend our account at any time they wanted.

No idea what that was referring to, but that's the last conversation we had with anybody at cox. Happy to be on AT&T Uverse which IMO is better for WIFI.

Fuck Cox or be fucked by Cox.......

 

[{insert code here}]

Step your game up with Cox.
Sign up now and receive Cox monthly for only 14.99.
Rated E for Everyone.