Public-Private Partnerships: Cox Communications & the State of Oklahoma

The following case study highlights yet another impactful Public-Private Partnership (“PPP”) formed between a major broadband corporation and the public sector to expand necessary, fast, and affordable broadband to underserved and unserved communities in counties across Oklahoma.

The legacy of Cox Communications (“Cox”) dates to the founding of Cox Enterprises. Founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox, Cox Enterprises began as the Dayton Evening News and then expanded across a variety of industries and locations in the 1920s. Upon the founder’s passing, Jim M. Cox Jr. followed in the steps of his father by leading the corporation’s acquisition of three Pennsylvania television systems in 1962 and several more systems across the nation in the decades that followed. It was not until 1995 when another major cable division acquisition doubled the customer base and Cox Enterprises’ cable division became what it is known as today – Cox Communications. Since then, the private corporation has developed a global presence as a leader in the communications and automotive industries through their major divisions.

Cox is known today as the nation’s largest private broadband company with fiber broadband networks operating in more than 30 states and providing key connections and services for nearly seven million homes and businesses nationwide. Cox is strongly committed to ensuring all members of the community have the fast and affordable connectivity they need by offering affordable internet plans for individuals and families requiring government assistance, individuals who need prepaid connectivity as they are always traveling, and devices and services with accessible features for those with sight, hearing, and mobility needs.

On January 25, 2024, Cox announced a PPP with the state of Oklahoma in their joint effort to connect unserved and underserved homes in 13 counties outside the greater metro areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Specifically, Oklahoma awarded $85 million to Cox during its first round of funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”). In doing so, Cox commenced its project last year to build a fiber-to-the-home network with multi-gig, symmetrical speeds on the latest technology for the first time to 22,500 homes in the area. The PPP between Oklahoma and Cox continued to develop later in the year during Oklahoma’s second round of funding through the ARPA. To expand broadband to an additional 28,000 homes and businesses spanning 28 counties, Oklahoma awarded several recipients, with Cox Communications receiving nine contracts totaling the largest award of $61 million.

From a ‘big-picture’ perspective, the PPP between the state of Oklahoma and Cox speaks to the significant impacts that the right amount of funding and resources can have in bridging the digital divide. Funding awarded under ARPA has been a key contributor in the formation of these types of partnerships, allowing both the public and private partner to fill the gap in funding required and to undertake these major initiatives in expanding broadband across the nation. Furthermore, this PPP between Oklahoma and Cox serves as an example of how such projects can impact not only underserved communities, but also the ‘unserved’ communities that do not have access at all – especially the predominately rural areas that make up this project. Because of the awards received thus far, Cox will be a major player in providing high-speed internet access to more than 66,000 locations in 57 of the state’s 77 counties.