Cox names new VP of wireless operations

Cox Communications turned to a trusted name to head up its wireless business, announcing the promotion of Kelly Williams to VP of the company’s wireless product and operations. Williams will take over for previous VP Stephen Bye, who left the company earlier this year to become VP of technology development at Sprint Nextel Corp.
Williams previously was responsible for the enterprise project management organization at Cox, which developed and executed the overall project plans for deploying the company’s wireless offering as well as ran the wireless operations team, which included operating and maintaining the core wireless network elements as well as the back-office systems that supported the wireless line of business.
In his new role, Williams will be responsible for the development, management and support of wireless products and services.
“Kelly was instrumental in creating and executing the overall project plans for the initial deployment of Cox Wireless,” said Len Barlik, EVP of product development and management at Cox, in a statement. “Kelly’s experience and proven leadership will benefit Cox greatly as we further the availability of Cox Wireless and continue to enhance the Cox customer experience.”
Prior to joining Cox, Williams spent 23 years with BellSouth Corp., Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and AT&T Inc. in various domestic and international roles.
Cox recently expanded its wireless offering into Oklahoma on its way to covering 50% of its cable footprint by the end of the year.
Cox earlier this month named a new CTO, appointing former Clearwire Corp. CIO Kevin Hart to be responsible for providing “overall leadership, strategic and operational direction to the planning and development of an integrated technological platform.” Hart had left Clearwire earlier this year as part of a management shakeup.