Cox joins Time Warner, Comcast in offering wireless

Cox Communications has launched converged services in two markets in partnership with Sprint Nextel Corp., offering consumers in Arizona and San Diego a bundle that includes wireless service and mobile access to some cable content.
Sprint Nextel has introduced similar services in Boston and Portland, Ore., with Comcast Corp.; and in Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas, with Time Warner Cable. Those markets are the result of a multi-year joint venture between the wireless carrier and the cable companies.
The basic outline of the product is the same as the offerings from the other cable companies: unlimited calls between the wireless phone and a Cox digital telephone home number; local Cox TV listings and some live cable programming available via the handset; access to Cox e-mail and the Internet from the wireless phone; a converged voicemail box; and a single bill for services.
Cox said that it will introduce additional converged services during the year, and expand the offering into additional markets. Cox is making three handsets available initially: the LG Electronics Co. Ltd. Fusic, Sanyo Corp. Katana and Sanyo 2400. Time Warner is offering those three handsets, plus the Sanyo 8400. Comcast offers the same phone line-up as Time Warner.
All three cable companies are offering their wireless services under the same brand, “Mobile Access from Sprint.” And Time Warner and Cox are using similar promotional images on their Web sites for the service. Comcast has a mini-site devoted to the service, which uses different graphics but the same brand name.
Each cable company also has its own set of pricing for service plans.