Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/477238
72 Hartford Business Journal • November 26, 2012 www.HartfordBusiness.com 170 Utopia Road, Manchester, CT 06040 | 860.432-6000 | www.coxbusiness.com L ike the Hartford Business Journal, Cox Communications is also celebrating a significant anniversary this year: 50 years in the cable television business. There are many memorable milestones that have shaped the company's history since its first acquisition in 1962. Locally, this includes the establishment of Cox services in Con- necticut, and more recently, Cox Business services. It was long before that when James M. Cox founded the company that is now Cox Enterprises purchasing the Dayton Evening News in 1898. Sixty-four years later, Cox Communications was born when the com- pany purchased cable systems in Lock Haven and Tyrone, each a town in Pennsylvania. Cox continued to acquire cable systems and began building its own in 1971. Cox was also the first multi-service operator to offer phone service. The first ever call over a PCS system was from Cox to the FCC in 1997. Locally, "Cox Greater Hartford" was estab- lished in 1973, so next year we'll have another major anniversary. Connecticut is the home of several "firsts" for Cox Communications. The first telephone call via Cox's hybrid fiber- coax broadband network occurred in Man- chester, when now-Vice President of Field Services David Colli phoned into a Cox lead- ership meeting in Atlanta. Cox in Meriden was the second place nationwide to launch a three-product (video, voice, data) Bundle in 1997. The local Cox Business team has pioneered managed services for commercial clients. And it's the birthplace of Cox Tech Solutions and Cox Business Tech Solutions. These are technical support services for everything from computer software, to hardware, peripherals, and networking issues. Cox Communications has long been recognized for its pioneering spirit and val- ues, but superior customer service is where Cox truly shines. This is a direct result of 50 years of outstanding employees, with standards and ideals passed from one generation to the next. This is especially apparent with Cox Business. Cox first began offering business services in response to telecom carriers demand for reliable local network connec- tions in Hampton Roads, Va. The company's success in wholesale connectivity was quickly followed by retail broadband Internet and voice offerings for small busi- nesses. Cox was the first large cable operator to bring competition to telephone com- panies after the 1996 Telecom Act opened the door for consumer choice. In 2000, Cox established Cox Business as a formal business unit with approximately $100 million in revenue that year. Cox Business services were first made available in Connecticut in 2000 with the launch of the voice product. That portfolio has grown to include data, video, and technical support services. But more specifically, Cox Business has pioneered Voice- Manager services, HD video to hospitality locations, managed Wi-Fi hotspots, SIP trunking as well as traditional PBX features, collocation, and Metro Ethernet for multiple-location network connections. Cox Business Connecticut has been partnering with Hartford Business Journal for over 10 years. Our collaboration extends beyond advertising in the paper and online to being a long time sponsor of events such as the 40 Under Forty, the Busi- ness Champions and the Connecticut Business Expo. The relationship with Hartford Business Journal is a key component of connecting with the communities we serve in Connecticut. Nationally, Cox Business provides services for more than 290,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers, K-12 and higher education, finan- cial institutions, and federal, state, and local governments. The company also serves most of the top tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the United States through its wholesale division. According to Vertical Systems Group, Cox Busi- ness is one of the largest providers of business Ethernet services in the U.S. based on customer ports and has been consistently recognized for its leadership among small/ midsize business data service providers. Cox is currently the seventh largest voice service provider in the U.S. and supports more than 950,000 business phone lines. Despite Cox Business's large portfolio of products and services, it is the com- pany's employees that remain its greatest asset. They take pride in delivering local businesses' most important connections, which radiates out to customers. It is those individuals who will make Cox Communications' next 50 years even better than the first. Cox Business Cox Communications Celebrates The Last 50 Years R e t R o s p e c t i v e Special advertiSing Section 20th Anniversary Issue Seated L to R: John Crouse, Yvette Collins, Lorne Roux. Standing L to R: Brian Schulz, Suzette Roberts, Kerrie Salmon, Kim Procaccini, Denene Thompson, Doug Barber. ' Cox Business Connecticut has been partnering with Hartford Business Journal for over 10 years. Our collaboration extends beyond advertising in the paper and online to being a long time sponsor of events such as the 40 Under Forty, the Business Champions and the Connecticut Business Expo. e relationship with Hartford Business Journal is a key component of connecting with the communities we serve in Connecticut. '