TDS Telecommunications
TDS Telecommunications is a Madison, Wisconsin-based fiber broadband, video, voice, and mobile provider serving approximately 1.2 million residential and small-business connections across more than 25 U.S. states, with a strategic focus on rural and suburban markets underserved by national carriers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What TDS Telecommunications does
TDS Telecommunications LLC is the wireline operating subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE: TDS), providing fiber-optic broadband, video, voice, and mobile services to residential and small-business customers across more than 25 U.S. states. Founded in the late 1960s and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, the company focuses on rural and suburban markets that are typically under-served by national carriers, deploying fiber-to-the-premises infrastructure to approximately 1.1 million service addresses and serving roughly 1.2 million connections. Its revenue model is built on recurring monthly service fees for bundled telecom products, supplemented by federal subsidies under the FCC's Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (E-ACAM) program that underwrite rural buildouts.
TDS generates revenue through a multi-product subscription model in which subscribers typically take fiber broadband combined with one or more of video, voice, and (since 2025) mobile service. The underlying technology is a proprietary owned-and-operated fiber-to-the-premises access network fed by regional middle-mile transport, with mobile service delivered as a 5G MVNO-style offering enabled by its former UScellular wireless spectrum and roaming partnerships. Capital allocation is oriented toward incremental fiber build (approximately 140,000 new marketable addresses added in 2025), disciplined bolt-on M&A (such as the 2026 Granite State Communications acquisition), and selective divestitures of non-core wireline markets (such as the 2025 Oklahoma exit). The company employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people and reports quarterly financials through its publicly listed parent, with Q1 2026 revenue of $309.5M (+7% YoY) and Q4 2025 revenue of $330.7M (+12% YoY).
TDS Telecommunications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TDS Telecommunications
- Legal name
- TDS Telecommunications LLC
- Website
- https://tdstelecom.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- TDS Telecommunications is a Madison, Wisconsin-based fiber broadband, video, voice, and mobile provider serving approximately 1.2 million residential and small-business connections across more than 25 U.S. states, with a strategic focus on rural and suburban markets underserved by national carriers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TDS Telecommunications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecommunications Services
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators (HDAIACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE), Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ)
Keywords
Where TDS Telecommunications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
TDS Telecommunications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Residential Internet Services: Subscription-based residential fiber and high-speed internet services with tiered pricing based on speed (200Mbps to 8Gig)
- TV Services (TDS TV+): IP-based television services with live TV, streaming integration, premium channels, and DVR functionality
- Home Phone Services: Traditional and VoIP landline services with unlimited calling plans and international calling options
- Mobile Services (TDS Mobile): Mobile phone services with nationwide 5G coverage, unlimited talk and text, offered as standalone or bundled with internet
- Business Solutions: VoIP advanced communications, dedicated internet service, data networking, and hosted-managed services for business customers
- Service Enhancements: Additional services including home internet security, remote PC support, and Wi-Fi equipment rental
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 200Mbps basic fiber internet plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | 1Gig fiber internet - Best Value |
| Subscription | Monthly | 2Gig ultra-fast fiber internet |
| Subscription | Monthly | 8Gig ultimate fiber internet |
| Subscription | Monthly | TDS Mobile Unlimited Lines (bundled) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
TDS Telecommunications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TDS Telecommunications sells fiber-optic broadband internet (200 Mbps to 8 Gig symmetrical speeds), TDS TV+ IP television, traditional home phone and VoIP, TDS Mobile 5G wireless, and whole-home Wi-Fi to residential households and small-to-medium businesses across 25+ U.S. states. Bundled subscription offerings, dedicated business connectivity, and equipment rentals form the core revenue drivers, with service delivered over a privately operated fiber-to-the-premises network.
Product overview
TDS Telecommunications LLC is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. that delivers high-speed internet, TV entertainment, and phone services to residential and business customers in rural and suburban communities across the U.S. The company's product portfolio centers on Fiber Internet (with tiers ranging from 200Mbps to 8Gig), TDS TV+ (an IP-based television solution integrating live TV and streaming apps), Home Phone (traditional landline service with calling features), and TDS Mobile (5G mobile service). Additional offerings include TDS Whole-Home Wi-Fi, TDS Internet Security Suite, and TDS Wi-Fi+ as enhancement modules, with TDS Business Solutions providing enterprise-grade fiber internet, VoIP, and data networking services. The company serves 1.1-1.2 million connections and operates primarily through its main website at tdstelecom.com, with complementary properties including TDSfiber.com, mobile.tdstelecom.com, blog.tdstelecom.com, and tdsbusiness.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TDS TV+: IP-based TV entertainment solution integrating live TV and streaming apps into one device with one remote
- TDS Whole Home Wi-Fi
- TDS Connect
- TDS Mobile
- TDSfiber.com
- TDS Connect Blog
- TDS Business
Products and services
- Fiber Internet High-speed fiber-optic internet service offering symmetrical download and upload speeds up to 8 Gigabit (with tiers from 200 Mbps, 1 Gig, 2 Gig, to 8 Gig), unlimited data, no-contract options, and 24/7 technical support, targeted at residential customers in rural and suburban markets.
- TDS TV+
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% reliability for fiber internet connections
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use TDS Telecommunications
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TDS Telecommunications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
TDS Telecommunications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hilliary CommunicationsminorHilliary Communications acquired TDS Telecom's Oklahoma network operations in H2 2025. The deal added nearly 35,000 locations to Hilliary's rural service footprint across Oklahoma, Texas, and Iowa, with Hilliary investing over $250 million to upgrade acquired networks with fiber-to-the-home infrastructure. TDS divested these operations to focus on core fiber operations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TDS Telecommunications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brightspeed: Fiber overbuilder targeting mid-size and rural markets in 20 states, formed from Lumen's divestiture. Pursues a fiber-first, rural-suburban strategy nearly identical to TDS Telecom's, competing directly for the same address pool and federal funding.
- Consolidated Communications: Fiber and broadband provider serving rural, suburban, and small/mid-market business customers across 20+ states with bundled voice, video, and data. Similar footprint strategy and product mix to TDS, recently taken private and pursuing aggressive fiber upgrades.
- Frontier Communications: Large fiber-to-the-home and traditional telephone operator serving primarily rural and suburban markets across the U.S. Frontier's mix of fiber overbuild, copper-to-fiber upgrades, and residential bundling (internet/TV/phone) closely mirrors TDS Telecom's strategy and customer profile.
- Windstream (Kinetic): Fiber and copper-based broadband provider serving rural and small-town communities across 18 states. Similar customer demographics, fiber buildout strategy, and bundle of internet/TV/phone make it one of the closest operating comps to TDS Telecom.
- Ziply Fiber: Fiber operator in the Pacific Northwest focused on replacing legacy copper with FTTH in rural and suburban markets. Highly comparable in technology stack, customer segments, and growth-via-fiber-build narrative.
- ALLO Fiber: Fiber-to-the-premises operator serving communities in Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and other Midwestern markets. Newly hired CEO Shane West (ex-TDS COO) reinforces the operational comparability in fiber build, business model, and customer profile.
Broad incumbents
- Lumen Technologies: Diversified incumbent telecom with fiber-based consumer and enterprise services (Quantum Fiber) and significant wholesale/enterprise network assets. Overlaps with TDS in residential fiber and business VoIP/data networking but operates at much larger scale with broader enterprise focus.
- AT&T: National incumbent offering AT&T Fiber (multi-gig FTTH), wireless, video, and business services nationwide. Competes head-on with TDS in residential fiber and business connectivity, particularly in markets where AT&T expands its fiber footprint.
Regional players
- altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Regional fiber operator serving the Cincinnati metro and surrounding Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana markets with FTTH internet, video, and voice. Comparable as a fiber-first regional incumbent with a similar residential/business split, though geographically narrower than TDS.
Emerging players
- Metronet (now part of AT&T): Fiber overbuilder expanding rapidly across mid-size U.S. markets, acquired by AT&T in 2025. Comparable as a pure-play fiber ISP, now with the backing of a national incumbent seeking to compete with TDS in suburban geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TDS Telecommunications social profiles
Digital presenceTDS Telecommunications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TDS Telecommunications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
TDS Telecommunications subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
TDS Telecommunications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TDS Telecommunications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A9 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TDS Telecommunications
What does TDS Telecommunications do?
TDS Telecommunications sells fiber-optic broadband internet (200 Mbps to 8 Gig symmetrical speeds), TDS TV+ IP television, traditional home phone and VoIP, TDS Mobile 5G wireless, and whole-home Wi-Fi to residential households and small-to-medium businesses across 25+ U.S. states. Bundled subscription offerings, dedicated business connectivity, and equipment rentals form the core revenue drivers, with service delivered over a privately operated fiber-to-the-premises network.
Is TDS Telecommunications a public or private company?
TDS Telecommunications is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was TDS Telecommunications founded?
TDS Telecommunications was founded in 1970. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is TDS Telecommunications based?
TDS Telecommunications is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does TDS Telecommunications make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Residential Internet Services are the primary driver. The others are TV Services (TDS TV+), home Phone Services, mobile Services (TDS Mobile), business Solutions and service Enhancements.
Who are TDS Telecommunications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brightspeed, Consolidated Communications, Frontier Communications, Windstream (Kinetic), Ziply Fiber and ALLO Fiber. Broad incumbents are Lumen Technologies and AT&T. altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell) is listed as a regional player. Metronet (now part of AT&T) is listed as an emerging player.
Does TDS Telecommunications have an API?
No public API is recorded for TDS Telecommunications.
What industry is TDS Telecommunications in?
TDS Telecommunications's product category is Telecommunications Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIACAB, Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators, with a secondary code of HDAIADAE, Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers). Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4813.