Oh I understand fully why they're moving everyone to docsis 3.1. I used to run into old modems all the time (talking docsis 2) and I'd tell them to order a new one off Amazon and call Cox to activate it. in some cases they were paying for faster speeds (100/10) but still on a modem that couldn't get anywhere close to those sleeds.

As you said, most people don't need Gigabit or even anywhere close. But I've had friends and clients call for internet and are told something along the lines of "You can pay $X for 25 down/5 up" or very slightly more for Gigabit (I can't remember the speeds exactly so 25/5 could be a slight exaggeration. But it was so drastic that it made sense to go to gigabit.) In my case it was literally $5 more a month to go from 200 to gigabit. But every year I have to call and play the game and get a new promo.

Never let Cox give you a "free" modem. They did that to me at my business years ago and I found out a year later they started charging me for it at one of my renewals. This went on for almost 3 years. Thing is.. 2 years prior it died, so I replaced it with my own 3.1 modem (I keep a few in stock at work) and sent back their broken one. they were literally charging me for my own equipment.

At any rate. While "higher speeds are coming" we won't see that til docsis 4 which is guess is years and years down the road.