James O. Robbins, 65; former head of Cox Communications

James O. Robbins, 65, a former chief executive of Cox Communications, died Wednesday at his home in Westport, Mass., after a battle with cancer, the company announced.

Robbins was president of the Atlanta-based cable operator beginning in 1985. After the company went public in 1995, he became chief executive until retiring in 2005. He was then elected to the board of directors of the parent company, Cox Enterprises Inc.

He led the cable television provider’s efforts to expand its business by also offering telephone and Internet access as bundled digital services. He also placed a premium on customer service, helping the company rise to No. 3 in cable TV subscribers behind Time Warner and Comcast by the time he retired.

Robbins received a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in business administration from Harvard University, which he attended on the GI Bill. He served with the Navy in the Vietnam War, first as a line officer on a destroyer and then as a public affairs officer.

He worked as a TV news producer for a Boston station before moving to the cable business. He worked at Viacom and Continental Cablevision before joining Cox in 1983.