ATLANTA, Aug 14, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cox Digital Telephone rates favorably with customers in all categories--specifically customer service, reliability, sound quality and value--according to recently conducted consumer research announced today by Cox Communications, Inc.

The research was conducted in May 2001 by an outside research firm retained to evaluate customer satisfaction levels with Cox Digital Telephone, which includes both local and long distance services. The research findings show that:

• More than nine out of ten Cox Digital Telephone customers would recommend the service to a friend.
• 92% rate Cox's customer service as better than or the same as their former phone service provider.
• 51% consider Cox Digital Telephone to be more reliable than their former service (41% say it's about the same).
• 82% say Cox's service is a better value than their old service, while an additional 15% rated it about the same.
• 94% rate the sound quality of Cox Digital Telephone higher than or the same as their former phone service.
• Nearly nine out of ten say they are satisfied with the service.

"In developing our digital telephone service, we focused on all aspects of the product that are important to consumers - price, reliability, quality and service," said David Pugliese, Cox's Vice President of New Product Management. "In all of those categories, more than half of our customers rank Cox Digital Telephone better than their former phone service, proving our success in delivering a competitive choice for consumers in local and long distance service."

As of June 30, Cox Communications served approximately 344,500 residential telephone customers in eight states. Cox initially launched its digital telephone service to 1,500 households in Orange County, California, in 1997. Today, Cox Digital Telephone enjoys over 24% total market penetration in Orange County, and Cox is now the third largest telephone service provider in California. Cox also launched telephone service in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1997, and now has nearly 40% penetration to telephony-ready homes in areas of the Omaha market where the service has been marketed for at least 24 months.

"The success of our telephone service provides benefits beyond simply the revenue generated by that service," said Pugliese. "Research also shows that customers who subscribe to Cox Digital Telephone and another Cox service, such as cable or high speed Internet access, are more likely to remain long-term customers of Cox and have a more positive opinion of Cox as a company."

Cox Communications (NYSE: COX), a Fortune 500 company, serves approximately 6.2 million customers nationwide, making it the nation's fifth largest cable television company. A full-service provider of telecommunications products, Cox offers an array of services, including Cox Cable; local and long distance telephone services under the Cox Digital Telephone brand; high-speed Internet access under the brands Cox@Home, Road Runner and Cox Express; advanced digital video programming services under the Cox Digital Cable brand; and commercial voice and data services via Cox Business Services. Cox is an investor in telecommunications companies including Sprint PCS and Excite@Home, as well as programming networks including Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel. More information about Cox Communications can be accessed on the Internet at www.cox.com/espanol.

CONTACT:
Cox Communications, Atlanta
Susan Leepson, 404/269-8260