REPEAT Cox Communications pledges free cable modems for San Diego's students

Business Wire, July 9, 1996

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 1996--Cox Communications Tuesday announced its commitment to donate free high-speed cable modems to elementary and secondary schools in San Diego to enhance students' high-speed basic access to the Internet.

The value of the donation is estimated to be approximately $3 million over 10 years in hardware and monthly service fees.

Cox made its announcement jointly with Southwestern Cable and other cable systems across the nation in a comprehensive industry initiative called "Cable's High Speed Education Connection." This new education initiative builds on the foundation established by Cable in the Classroom, a commitment to wire cable to schools throughout the United States.

Reed Hundt, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and Decker Anstrom, president of the National Cable Television Association, made the national announcement in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., carried live via satellite by cable systems across the country.

Cox announced it would begin installing the high-speed cable modems to approximately 80 schools passed by cable within the Chula Vista Elementary, Poway Unified, San Diego and Sweetwater Union School Districts within a year.

Installation of the free basic cable modem service to other schools within the Cox service area will be phased in. Each school passed by cable will be equipped with at least one free cable modem and free basic high-speed access to the Internet.

"We are delighted to be able to provide San Diego students with free basic access to the Internet," said Bill Geppert, vice president and general manager of Cox Communications. "We view this commitment as a wise investment in the future of our children and the future of our community.

"Paying the toll for our students' access to the information superhighway is a small price to pay to enhance our schools' ability to take advantage of one of the most powerful sources of information in our time ... the Internet."

Cox announced its pledge to deliver high-speed basic Internet access via cable modems at a news conference attended by elected officials and school officials from throughout the county.

The national announcement of the "Cable High Speed Education Connection" included Deputy Secretary of Education Madeleine Kunin, National PTA President Joan Dykstra, Comcast Corp. President Brian Roberts as well as FCC Chairman Hundt and NCTA President Anstrom.

Cox Communications serves approximately 400 schools in San Diego county.

CONTACT: Cox Communications, San Diego

Tim Chelling, 619/266-5298

or

Scribe Communications, San Diego

Jan Percival, 619/452-8958