What Network Does Cox Mobile Use?

Cox Mobile is a small carrier, or MVNO, that sells a range of cell phone plans that are available to Cox Internet customers. Like every small prepaid carrier, or MVNO, Cox Mobile rents space on a larger cellular network to provide service to its customers. In this case, that network belongs to Verizon.

This is good news for Cox Mobile customers, since Verizon offers some of the best 4G LTE and 5G coverage in the country. Wherever a Verizon signal is present, a Cox Mobile signal is present.

In this article, we'll give you the ins and outs of Cox Mobile's coverage map, so you can decide whether signing up with the carrier makes sense for you.

Cox Mobile Network

Cox has a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement with Verizon. An MVNO is a company that doesn’t own its own licensing or towers but sells mobile services using another provider’s cellular network and licensing.

For the MVNO, it saves the costs associated with licensing as well as building and maintaining the network. Rather than building networks from the ground up, which is costly and takes a long time, they use an already established network. This is how MVNOs, like Cox, are able to provide their customers with savings.

In this case, Cox uses Verizon’s licensing and network. They first launched in the fall of 2022 and have been aggressively adding to the variety of devices their service supports.   

Cox Mobile Coverage Map

Since Cox Mobile provides wireless service via Verizon's network and Verizon offers nationwide coverage, Cox Mobile does as well. You can expect the same level of 4G LTE and 5G coverage with Cox Mobile as you’d get with Verizon (assuming your phone is 5G-compatible). To check Cox Mobile coverage, use the Verizon coverage map below as a proxy.

Cox Mobile 4G LTE Coverage

One look at the map shows just how widespread Cox Mobile's 4G network is. Apart from some isolated dead zones in rural areas of the Western United States, that 4G network is present just about everywhere.

Cox Mobile 5G Coverage

Cox Mobile's 5G coverage network is a bit more limited than its 4G network, with dead zones throughout the Mountain West, Southwest, and Northwest. However, wherever there is a 5G signal, it's likely to be fast: much of Cox Mobile's 5G network is comprised of Ultra Wideband 5G, which offers faster speeds, lower latency, and better reliability than standard 5G.

Cox Mobile Phone Plans

Cox offers one unlimited plan called Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited and a capped plan option called Cox Mobile Pay As You Gig.

Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited

You might be wondering if the Cox Gig Unlimited plan is a good option for you. The short answer is that it depends on your data usage. If you’re looking for a no-frills, budget-friendly-unlimited plan and you don’t have high data needs, Cox’s Gig Unlimited could be a great fit. For example, if you talk or text within the US and don’t use your phone for video streaming or online gaming, this plan has you covered.

But if you use your cell phone to binge-watch your favorite shows, spend hours surfing the web, post a lot on social media, or do other things that eat up data fast, this might not be the plan for you. 

It’s important to know that while Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited does give you unlimited data, it’s not all premium data. Once you reach the premium data allotment for a given month, your speed slows significantly. Basically, you’re stuck with speeds that are reminiscent of 3G until the next month’s billing cycle begins.

Check out our full guide to Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited for a deeper dive into plan details. 

Remember, finding your fit starts with understanding how much data you need. If Cox Mobile Gig Unlimited offers enough data for you, it’s well worth considering. If not, you might want to compare it to what the big three carriers have to offer with our overviews for Verizon unlimited plans, T-Mobile unlimited plans, and AT&T unlimited plans.

Cox Pay As You Gig

As the name suggests, with Cox Pay As You Gig, you pay by the Gigabyte. If you’re a light phone user who only needs a couple of GBs per month, then this is a great deal. But, beware of going over your GBs—that’s when this plan will cost you—which is easy to do if you use your phone for high-data activities like surfing the web, scrolling social media, watching videos, or online gaming. In other words, this Cox Pay As You Gig is best for those who don’t use their phones for anything much other than talking and texting.

Cox Mobile Requirements
Cox ONLY offers mobile service to Cox Internet customers. If you’re not a current Cox home Internet customer, Cox Mobile cell phone plans are not available to you. If you are a customer, or if it’s offered in your area and you might consider switching/purchasing, keep reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

What carrier does Cox Mobile use?

Cox Mobile uses Verizon's network to provide service to its customers. This is good news, since Verizon offers some of the best combined 4G and 5G service available.

Is Cox Mobile's coverage better than Cricket's?

Cox Mobile runs on Verizon's network, whereas Cricket runs on AT&T's network. Verizon—and by extension, Cox Mobile—offers better national 4G LTE coverage than AT&T/Cricket,

Does Cox Mobile have 5G Ultra Wideband?

Yes, Cox Mobile customers have access to 5G Ultra Wideband, which offers faster speeds and lower latency than standard 5G.