Cox activates more than 500 Phoenix-area Wi-Fi hotspots

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Jenny Aho/Cox

Cox Communications previewed its Gigabit Internet service at an exhibit outside Chase Field in downtown Phoenix this past summer.

Hayley Ringle

Reporter- Phoenix Business Journal

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Cox Communications has activated more than 500 Wi-Fi hotspots across metro Phoenix, with plans for 2,500 by the end of 2015.

The Wi-Fi hotspots are available for free to Cox high speed Internet customers and other Internet visitors who use a cable Internet provider participating in the Cable Wi-Fi collaboration launched in 2013, said Susan Anable, vice president of public affairs for Cox's southwest region.

"We have heard from our customers that the mobility and access to Internet data service is important to them when they're not in their home," Anable said. "We want to make sure they have the ability to use the Internet when they're out in the community."

The hotspots can be found throughout Phoenix's District 3, including the Phoenix Workforce Connection, Sunnyslope Community Center and Palma Park.

Cox is planning to activate 1,200 hotspots Valleywide by the end of this year, and then 2,500 hotspots by the end of 2015.

Phoenix Councilman Bill Gates, chair of the city's Finance, Efficiency, Economy and Sustainability Subcommittee, made the announcement Wednesday at the opening of the city of Phoenix's Technology Summit.

"As users' needs and behaviors continue to change over time, especially with the explosive growth of smartphones, tablets and other connected devices, Cox's launch of a Wi-Fi network, makes Phoenix a more attractive, livable, high-tech city," Gates said in a prepared statement.

Cox unveiled in October that the Phoenix metro area is its first market to offer residential gigabit Internet speeds. The speeds of 100 times faster than the average speed in the market today are now available.

Hayley Ringle covers technology and startups for the Phoenix Business Journal.