Cox vs EarthLink: Infrastructure Owner vs Reseller

The Cox versus EarthLink comparison highlights a fundamental divide in the internet service industry: infrastructure-owning providers versus resellers. Cox owns and operates cable and fiber networks across 18 states, maintaining direct control over service quality, customer support, and network upgrades. EarthLink, founded as an internet pioneer in 1994, now functions primarily as a reseller leasing network access from providers like AT&T, Verizon, and regional carriers, then rebranding and reselling that service under the EarthLink name.

This analysis examines both providers across 14 key dimensions including network ownership, speed consistency, pricing transparency, customer support quality, service reliability, and long-term value. Understanding the infrastructure difference is critical—when you choose EarthLink, you're actually using AT&T fiber, Verizon DSL, or another provider's network with EarthLink as the middleman, while Cox provides direct service on their own infrastructure.

The reseller model creates complexity: EarthLink's available speeds, pricing, and service quality vary by location depending on which underlying network they're leasing in that market. Cox delivers consistent service characteristics across their entire 18-state footprint. For most households valuing predictable performance and direct support relationships, Cox's infrastructure-owner model proves superior to EarthLink's reseller approach.

Speed Comparison: Variable vs Consistent

Cox delivers consistent cable speeds of 100-2000 Mbps across their entire footprint, with every address in served markets capable of at least 100 Mbps and most areas offering gigabit or multi-gigabit options. Upload speeds range from 10-35 Mbps on cable infrastructure, scaling higher on fiber deployments. This uniformity means Cox customers can research available speeds before moving or relocating within Cox territories.

EarthLink's speed offering depends entirely on which partner network serves your specific address. In markets where EarthLink resells AT&T Fiber, you might access up to 5 Gbps symmetrical fiber—technically faster than Cox. In areas where EarthLink uses Verizon DSL, you're limited to 1-100 Mbps with poor upload performance. The same EarthLink brand name represents completely different service levels depending on location, creating uncertainty that Cox's consistent infrastructure avoids.

When EarthLink uses quality fiber networks (AT&T, Ziply), performance can match or exceed Cox. When EarthLink relies on legacy DSL or older fixed wireless, performance falls far short. The critical issue is predictability—Cox customers know what they're getting, EarthLink customers must verify underlying network quality.

Pricing Breakdown: Complexity vs Transparency

Cox publishes relatively transparent pricing that remains consistent across markets with variations typically within $5-10/mo for equivalent tiers. Their $50/mo starting point, $70-80/mo for 500 Mbps, and $100-110/mo for 1 Gbps allows prospective customers to budget before contacting sales. Cox's data cap economics ($50/mo unlimited upgrade) add cost for heavy users but remain clearly disclosed.

EarthLink's pricing varies significantly by market and underlying network, making pre-research difficult. Fiber markets might see $50-80/mo for gigabit, while DSL areas pay $30-60/mo for far slower speeds. EarthLink's included unlimited data provides value versus Cox's capped plans, but the reseller markup often means paying more than subscribing directly to the underlying network provider would cost. In markets where EarthLink resells AT&T Fiber, for example, checking AT&T's direct pricing often reveals better rates without the middleman.

Total cost calculations favor Cox for customers valuing transparent pricing and direct relationships, while favoring EarthLink only in scenarios where their privacy focus and unlimited data offset higher costs or when direct access to underlying networks isn't available.

Coverage & Availability: Wide but Variable

Cox serves approximately 6.5 million households across 18 specific states (Arizona, Nevada, California, Louisiana, Virginia, Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio, and others) with consistent service availability throughout served markets. If Cox covers your city, they typically reach 80-90% of households in that area.

EarthLink's availability is theoretically wider through partner networks spanning most of the United States, but actual service quality varies dramatically by location. EarthLink may be "available" in an area but only offering slow DSL through an aging partner network, while Cox provides modern cable. The breadth of EarthLink's footprint is misleading without understanding underlying network quality.

Customer Support: Direct vs Middleman

Cox provides direct customer support handling installations, repairs, billing, and technical issues without third-party dependencies. When Cox customers experience problems, Cox technicians can directly access and repair their owned infrastructure. Service calls involve Cox employees working on Cox equipment.

EarthLink customer support faces inherent reseller limitations—when network issues arise, EarthLink must coordinate with the actual infrastructure owner (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) to dispatch technicians and resolve problems. This introduces delays and complexity absent from direct provider relationships. For installations and repairs, EarthLink customers often interact with the underlying network provider's technicians, creating confusion about service responsibility.