PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Cox Communications has filed a lawsuit against the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation Monday over the their broadband internet infrastructure plan. Cox claims that the new plan is redundant and will benefit Rhode Island’s wealthiest communities at the expense of residents who need access to better broadband services. Also mentioned in the lawsuit is RI Commerce’s plan to spend $108 million the state received through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD). Cox stated that the program is intended to build high-speed internet where it does not currently exist, and also said that RI Commerce is using a flawed mapping program that identified wealthy neighborhoods such as Barrington and Ocean Drive in Newport as underserved. Cox is also claiming that RI Commerce has ignored their request for the data used to draw these conclusions. Cox stated that they filed an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request to obtain this information, and were told they would need to pay a $52,000 fee to do so. ABC6 has reached out to RI Commerce for comment on this matter. Categories: News, Rhode Island