Cox Mobile now supports the iPhone on its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service.
Jeff Moore, principal of Wave7 Research, noticed the iPhone on sale last Friday at a Cox store in Kansas City. And the company’s website now advertises iPhone support, as well.
People can now sign up for Cox Mobile and bring their own iPhone. The company is also offering a $100 discount for customers who want to buy an iPhone when they activate on Cox Mobile. A Cox spokesperson said, “Customers can bring all versions of iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, SE 2nd Gen (2020), and SE 3rd Gen (2022) models.”
Cox first rolled out its new MVNO service in the fall of 2022 with Samsung devices. Today the spokesperson said customers can “bring select Samsung devices” to Cox Mobile. They should first check its device compatibility checker online to determine if their device is eligible.
Asked if Cox Mobile supported eSIM provisioning, the spokesperson said it supports eSIM for the iPhone 14, which only uses eSIM.
The company made its official Cox Mobile debut in January at CES in Las Vegas.
Its service rides on Verizon’s network via a wholesale agreement. The MVNOs of its cable kin Comcast and Charter also use Verizon’s network.
Moore said no smartphones from manufacturers, other than Apple and Samsung, have been seen in Cox stores or on the Cox Mobile website.
Other wireless moves
In 2020, Cox acquired Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum for $212 million. But it hasn’t commented on its plans for the spectrum. Comcast and Charter are working to use their CBRS spectrum to offload some of their mobile traffic from Verizon’s network.
At the recent MWC Barcelona event, Cox said it was conducting proof-of-concept fixed wireless access (FWA) trials, using 5G technology, outside of Macon, Georgia; Tucson, Arizona; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to deliver high-speed internet to customers in underserved and rural communities.
The company did not say what spectrum it’s using for the trial.
“We're committed to creating digital equity in the communities we serve. We're hopeful this is another tool we can provide to help connect people to what matters most,” a spokesperson told Fierce via email.