Cox and Warmington Residential Showcase 'Smart Home'

Event in Rancho Mission Viejo demonstrates the "Gig Life" with online celebrities, telemedicine, virtual reality and other technology powered by gigabit internet speed; Home open to the public October 1 - 2

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications and Warmington Residential are showcasing a new era in digital living, using gigabit internet service at one of Orange County's newest neighborhoods, Canopy at Esencia in Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif.  Esencia is the first master-planned residential community in Orange County completely wired with fiber-optic technology and every homeowner has the opportunity to access G1GABLAST^SM, Cox's residential gigabit internet service. Today, Cox Communications and Warmington Residential held a media-only event that included interactive demonstrations throughout the three-story, 2,800-square-foot home with services, products and activities reliant on high-speed internet and hefty bandwidth. The Warmington model home will now be open to the public Oct. 1 and Oct.2, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.

"The home of the future will have an increasing number of WiFi-enabled devices and it will become imperative for everyone in the household to experience the same level of connectivity, whether it's the teen gaming in the family room or the work-from-home professional sending or downloading large digital files to colleagues across the world," commented Sam Attisha, senior vice president and region manager for California, at Cox Communications. "Our event today brings together the most innovative, interactive products and services, such as virtual reality and telehealth, with online celebrities, innovators and businesses, to show the importance of reliable, gig-speed internet."

The event featured Southern California innovators, businesses and personalities. More than 10 interactive, visually stimulating demonstrations requiring heavy bandwidth ran simultaneously, including:  

• Podcasting with popular gaming producer and web-series host, Genese Davis
• Live gaming with the developer of several state-of-the-art games including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Chris Avellone
• Wi-Fi cooking and broadcasting on Facebook Live by food blogger and internet and television star, Whitney Bond
• Music lessons streamed live to his international students and fans by world-renowned violinist Jason Yang, who performs with Madonna
• Virtual reality instruction with Orange County-based Labcoat Studios, Inc.
• Distance learning technology that incorporates forensic science and history with Laguna Beach-based Thurston Middle School and Baylor University
• Telehealth sessions with CHOC Children's InTouch mobile robot
• Additional stations highlighting Wi-Fi devices frequently used such as laptops, tablets, smart TVs, smartphones, Wi-Fi pet feeder and gaming systems.

The Warmington model home is located at Canopy at Esencia, 100 Vasto St. in Rancho Mission Viejo. Media interested in receiving photos and B-roll can contact Joe Camero. The model home is open to the public Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cox Communications was the first broadband communications company to deliver gigabit-internet speed service to Orange County business and residential customers. G1GABLAST, Cox's residential gigabit internet service, is 100 times faster than the average speeds offered in the U.S. Today's average household connects six devices to the internet, from laptops and tablets to gaming and smartphones. That number is expected to increase to 50 devices by the year 2022.

Esencia is the new South Orange County hillside village on Rancho Mission Viejo and was recently named "Master Planned Community of the Year" by the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California. The community was also voted 2016's "Best New Home Community in Orange County" by readers of the Orange County Register. Rancho Mission Viejo worked with Cox to bring fiber optic cables to every home site during the early construction stages for Esencia.

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 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 broadband, voice and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For nine 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 11 times. 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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SOURCE Cox Communications

For further information: Joe Camero, 949-563-8353, joe.camero@cox.com