ATLANTA, Dec 15, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cox Communications (NYSE:COX) today announced the availability of Cox Digital Telephone in Roanoke, Va., marking the company's 12th telephone market and first deployment of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Cox's VoIP technology enables phone calls to be transported over Cox's private, IP-based data network.

"The launch of Cox Digital Telephone in Roanoke is monumental for Cox," said David Pugliese, Cox's vice president of product marketing and management. "It furthers our commitment to providing customers with a full-service package of communications and entertainment services, while also allowing us to expand our phone service footprint and maximize the power of our nationwide IP backbone network with the use of VoIP technology. Telephony is a critical component of Cox's bundle of advanced services, as underscored by the fact that 40 percent of Cox Digital Telephone customers also subscribe to Cox High Speed Internet and video."

Cox Digital Telephone subscriptions have grown 40 percent in 2003 over the same period in 2002 largely due to its competitive value, reliable service and quality customer service. In just six years time, Cox has successfully pioneered cable telephony via circuit-switched technology -- garnering proven experience that has been central to its VoIP launch while also receiving highest honors in J.D. Power and Associates' 2003 Residential Local Telephone Customer Satisfaction Study in the Western Region. Now, with Cox's first market launch of VoIP technology, Cox delivers its quality telephone service to residential households in Roanoke, while providing opportunities for greater operational efficiencies. With Cox's VoIP architecture, customers receive the same lifeline service as traditional telephone service, including Enhanced 911 and the popular calling features that customers have come to expect such as call waiting, caller ID and voice mail. Cox's self-managed VoIP architecture also supports number portability, thereby enabling customers to switch their existing phone number over to Cox Digital Telephone service.

Cox Digital Telephone markets include: San Diego; Orange County, Calif.; Phoenix; Omaha, Neb.; Connecticut; Rhode Island; Hampton Roads, Va.; New Orleans, La.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Wichita, Kansas; Tucson, Ariz.; and Roanoke, Va.

Cox Communications (NYSE:COX), a Fortune 500 company, is a multi-service broadband communications company with approximately 6.6 million total customers, including 6.3 million basic cable subscribers. Cox is the nation's fourth-largest cable television provider, and offers both traditional analog video programming under the Cox Cable brand as well as advanced digital video programming under the Cox Digital Cable brand. Cox provides an array of other communications and entertainment services, including local and long distance telephone under the Cox Digital Telephone brand; high-speed Internet access under the brands Cox High Speed Internet and Cox Express; and commercial voice and data services via Cox Business Services. Telephone services in Virginia are provided by Cox Virginia Telcom, Inc. Local cable advertising, promotional opportunities and production services are sold under the Cox Media brand. Cox is an investor in programming networks including Discovery Channel. More information about Cox Communications can be accessed on the Internet at www.cox.com/espanol.

SOURCE: Cox Communications

Cox Communications Bobby Amirshahi, 404-843-7872 Bobby.Amirshahi@cox.com Laura Oberhelman, 404-269-7562 Laura.Oberhelman@cox.com