Cox narrows Digital Divide in East Las Vegas with new Cox Tech Center and targeted rollout of Connect2Compete at two Zoom and seven other CCSD schools

Cox Communications-Las Vegas is taking a proactive approach to narrowing the Digital Divide in Southern Nevada through the opening of a Cox Technology Center at the newly unveiled Desert Pines Boys & Girls Club in East Las Vegas. The Company has also launched a re-deployment of Connect2Compete (C2C) - a program offering discounted high speed Internet service to qualified low-income families - targeting nine Clark County School District (CCSD) schools near the Club. Cox is conducting a press conference at the Desert Pines Boys & Girls Club, 3750 E. Bonanza Rd. in Las Vegas on April 14 at 3 p.m. to launch the Cox Tech Center and provide key details on its targeted rollout of C2C. Scheduled to appear are elected officials, FCC commissioner Michael O’Rielly, CCSD representatives, Boys & Girls Club staff, senior Cox executives and community leaders.

“Connecting youth to technology is a core value of Cox Communications, and we are thrilled to see the tremendous momentum with our Connect2Compete program,” said John Wolfe, senior vice president and region manager for Cox’s Southwest Region. “Families are recognizing that the Internet is a critical educational resource for today’s students to stay competitive in the classroom.”

According to results from Connect Nevada’s 2013 Residential Technology Assessment, 81% of households in Nevada subscribe to home broadband services, up from 78% in 2010. However home broadband adoption in the state varies across economic and demographic lines; the adoption rate for low-income households is 55% while for Hispanics it’s 70% and African Americans 82%. Data from the 2014 Las Vegas Perspective places the median household income in the 89101 zip code at $22,375: Arturo Cambiero and Robert Lunt elementary schools – two of CCSD’s Zoom schools designed to boost performance of English language-learning students, which are also part of the Cox targeted school group – are located in the 89101 zip code.

To help narrow the Digital Divide, Cox is strengthening its C2C campaign in the “Desert Pines Corridor,” a three square mile area served by nine East Las Vegas schools near the Desert Pines Boys & Girls Club where the Cox Technology Center is opening. Cox worked with the CCSD Partnership Office to have bilingual C2C flyers distributed to children at the “corridor” schools. These schools include Bracken, Edwards, Earl, Gragson, Hewetson and Ronnow elementary schools, Cambeiro and Lunt elementary schools – two CCSD Zoom schools – as well as Robison Middle School. The Company is also airing C2C PSAs on its cable channels and purchased radio and newspaper ads with the C2C offer. Since mid-March a total of 20,000 bilingual flyers with the C2C offer of $9.95 Internet service to qualified families were distributed to the nine schools in the corridor as well as eight other schools and community organizations in the Las Vegas Valley.

“Cox has a long history of supporting broadband adoption programs in Southern Nevada and across the country,” said Shawn Duncan, executive director of field service for Cox Las Vegas and a board member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. “These programs connect the most vulnerable members of our society - our children - so they can compete and have a greater chance of success in the digital world.”

Nationally, nearly 25,000 families, representing 100,000 people, are now connected to the Internet through the company’s Connect2Compete program. Cox has actively promoted the Connect2Compete program in partnership with dozens of community organizations, agencies and community leaders to help spread the word about the program. Across its 18 state footprint, more than one-million promotional flyers have been distributed to families in 6,500 schools, and more than 500,000 public service announcements have aired on its cross-channel cable network lineup. Cox’s support of the Connect2Compete program exceeds $20 million since 2012.

Cox Communications is a founding partner, along with the FCC, of the Connect2Compete program, which is modeled after a broadband adoption program Cox established in 2002 in California. Cox Las Vegas officially launched C2C in Southern Nevada at a press conference on June 26, 2013. Connect2Compete provides eligible families who have at least one K-12 child enrolled in the National School Lunch Program access to discounted high-speed Internet service. Visit www.connect2compete.org/Cox for more information.

Low cost computers and free digital literacy courses are also available as part of the program through EveryoneOn, national nonprofit working to eliminate the Digital Divide. Connect2Compete is EveryoneOn’s flagship program.

“Home Internet access is no longer a luxury good. You need it to do everything from completing homework, checking your child’s grades, and applying for college,” said Zach Leverenz, CEO of EveryoneOn. “Through the collaboration and commitment of corporate partners like Cox Communications, we will have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure all American students have the tools and education necessary to be competitive in today’s digital economy.”

Cox has established Tech Centers at several youth-serving organizations in Southern Nevada including the Henderson, Boyd/Montandan, Lied and now Desert Pines Boys & Girls Club units as well as at Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada and Andre Agassi Preparatory Academy. The Desert Pines Tech Center will feature 15 Dell desktop computers with 20-inch monitors, 4GB memory and 1TB hard drive as well as a Microsoft software package.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and home security and automation services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and digital media advertising. Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For eight years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity nine times, including the last eight years. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

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For further information: Juergen Barbusca, (702) 545-1004 or juergen.barbusca@cox.com