TDS
TDS (NYSE: TDS) is a publicly traded U.S. telecommunications company delivering fiber-backed high-speed internet, IP-based TV, home phone, and 5G mobile services to roughly 1.1–1.2 million residential and business connections across rural and suburban markets in the Midwest, Mountain West, Southwest, and Western United States.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersAlamogordo, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What TDS does
TDS (Telephone and Data Systems) is a publicly traded U.S. telecommunications holding company (NYSE: TDS) operating primarily through its TDS Telecommunications LLC subsidiary, delivering fiber-backed high-speed internet, IP-based TV entertainment, traditional home phone, and 5G mobile wireless services to approximately 1.1–1.2 million residential and small business connections across rural and suburban markets in the Midwest, Mountain West, Southwest, and Western United States. Its network infrastructure is built on fiber-optic and DOCSIS cable broadband, with over 1 million fiber addresses passed and a long-term target of 2.1 million locations; flagship consumer products include TDS Internet (speeds up to 8 Gig in select areas), TDS TV+ (cloud DVR with integrated streaming apps and voice remote), TDS Whole Home Wi-Fi, and TDS Mobile. The business model is predominantly recurring subscription revenue across residential tiers (300 Mbps to 8 Gig, promotional rates such as 1 Gig at $49.99/month) and business tiers (100% fiber, VoIP via managedIP, dedicated internet access, data networking, and hosted-managed services), complemented by one-time equipment/installation fees and, in 2026, substantial transaction gains from the $1.018 billion AT&T C-band spectrum sale.
The company is undergoing a strategic transformation following the 2025 sale of its UScellular wireless business to T-Mobile, leaving TDS positioned as a focused fiber and broadband operator with $1.37 billion in cash on hand at the end of Q1 2026 and 2026 revenue guidance of $1.015–1.055 billion against $310–350 million adjusted EBITDA. It is simultaneously executing a $550–600 million 2026 capital program to accelerate fiber buildout (including E-ACAM rural broadband initiatives), pursuing a buyout of its Array Digital Infrastructure tower subsidiary, and operating dedicated business sales channels targeting verticals such as healthcare, financial services, retail, restaurants, local government, and houses of worship. Governance and legal structure span a Delaware-incorporated parent (Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.), TDS Telecommunications LLC and TDS Broadband Service LLC as operating subsidiaries (both governed by Illinois law), and a Madison, WI headquarters with a regional operations office in St. George, UT.
TDS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TDS
- Legal name
- TDS Telecommunications LLC
- Website
- https://hellotds.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- TDS (NYSE: TDS) is a publicly traded U.S. telecommunications company delivering fiber-backed high-speed internet, IP-based TV, home phone, and 5G mobile services to roughly 1.1–1.2 million residential and business connections across rural and suburban markets in the Midwest, Mountain West, Southwest, and Western United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TDS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecommunications Services
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Telecommunications Resellers (517121)
- 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 industry
- Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAC)
Keywords
Where TDS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alamogordo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
TDS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Residential Internet, TV, and Phone Services: Recurring monthly subscription revenue from residential customers for high-speed internet, TV entertainment, and home phone services. Includes tiered pricing based on speed tiers (300 Mbps to 8 Gig) and bundled service packages.
- Business Communications Solutions: Recurring revenue from business customers for 100% fiber internet, VoIP services, dedicated internet access, data networking, and hosted-managed services. Revenue guided at $1.015-1.055 billion for 2026.
- Mobile Services: Monthly subscription revenue from TDS Mobile services featuring nationwide 5G coverage, unlimited talk and text plans. Bundled pricing available with internet services.
- Equipment and Installation Fees: One-time fees for Wi-Fi equipment ($19.95 handling fee), installation services, and related hardware purchases.
- Spectrum Transaction Gains: One-time gains from spectrum asset sales including the $1.018 billion AT&T C-band spectrum sale closed January 13, 2026, generating approximately $150.9 million book gain in Q1 2026.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 300 Mbps Download / 20 Mbps Upload |
| Subscription | Monthly | 1 Gig Download / 30 Mbps Upload |
| Subscription | Monthly | 2 Gig Download / 100 Mbps Upload |
| Subscription | Monthly | 8 Gig Fiber Internet (Select Areas) |
| Subscription | Monthly | TDS Mobile Unlimited Plans |
| Subscription | Monthly | Business Services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
TDS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TDS is a U.S. regional telecommunications provider that sells bundled high-speed fiber-backed internet (up to 8 Gigabit), IP-based TV entertainment (TDS TV+ with cloud DVR and integrated streaming), traditional home phone, 5G mobile wireless service, and whole-home Wi-Fi to residential customers in rural and suburban communities. For businesses, TDS offers dedicated fiber internet, managedIP VoIP communications, data networking, and hosted-managed services, serving small to mid-sized organizations and government customers across multiple U.S. states.
Product overview
TDS (Telephone and Data Systems) is a telecommunications provider offering a bundled portfolio of residential and business services. For residential customers, the core offerings include TDS Internet (fiber-backed high-speed internet up to 8 Gig), TDS TV+ (IP-based TV with cloud DVR and streaming integration), TDS Home Phone (traditional landline), and TDS Mobile (5G wireless). Supporting products include TDS Whole Home Wi-Fi for whole-home coverage and TDS Internet Security Suite for device protection. TDS Connect serves as the company's information and blog platform. For business customers, TDS Business Solutions provides VoIP communications, dedicated fiber internet, data networking, and hosted-managed services. The company also operates legacy Digital TV services with CatchTV DVR. TDS is expanding its fiber network infrastructure, having surpassed 1 million fiber addresses and raising its addressable market goal to 2.1 million locations, while also leveraging spectrum assets through sales and lease arrangements with major carriers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TDS TV+: IP-based TV entertainment solution with cloud DVR, integrated streaming apps, local and regional sports channels
- TDS Whole-Home Wi-Fi
- TDS Connect
- TDS Mobile
- managedIP
- UScellular
- Array Digital Infrastructure
Products and services
- TDS Internet High-speed internet service delivered via TDS's fiber-rich network offering speeds up to 8 Gigabit in select areas, with 99% network reliability, lower latency for real-time applications, and tiered plans ranging from 300 Mbps to 8 Gig for residential customers.
- TDS TV+ IP-based TV entertainment solution integrating live TV, regional sports, streaming apps, cloud DVR, FOX ONE streaming integration, and voice remote control into a unified platform for residential subscribers.
- TDS Home Phone Traditional landline phone service with reliable call clarity, 911 location services, and multiple plan options for residential customers.
- TDS Mobile Mobile phone service featuring nationwide 5G coverage, unlimited talk and text plans, no contracts, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, available standalone or bundled with TDS Internet.
- TDS Business Solutions Comprehensive business communications portfolio including 100% fiber internet, VoIP, dedicated internet access, data networking, and hosted-managed services for small to mid-sized businesses and enterprise organizations.
- managedIP Phone System Voice-over-IP business communications solution providing HD audio, voicemail-to-email integration, and mobile integration features, deployed for municipal, insurance, legal, and other small-to-mid-sized business customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA increased 49% to $144.5 million driven by spectrum sale gains
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use TDS
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TDS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
TDS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- AT&TmajorTDS completed a $1.018 billion C-band spectrum sale to AT&T, closed January 13, 2026. The transaction was part of TDS's strategic shift away from wireless infrastructure toward fiber-focused operations. AT&T acquired spectrum assets from TDS as part of broader industry spectrum consolidation.
- T-MobilemajorTDS receives $34.2 million in short-term imputed spectrum lease income from T-Mobile as part of a spectrum sharing arrangement. T-Mobile also acquired UScellular's wireless business (a TDS subsidiary) in 2025, changing the competitive dynamics in TDS service territories.
- Array Digital InfrastructureminorTDS submitted a buyout proposal for Array Digital Infrastructure. Array is a subsidiary where TDS holds a significant ownership stake. The proposed buyout reflects TDS's strategy to consolidate its tower and wireless infrastructure holdings.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TDS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cable One: Cable One operates as a rural-focused broadband and cable provider across smaller U.S. markets with a fiber-backed network upgrade program. Its subscriber base, rural market orientation, and bundled residential broadband model closely parallel TDS.
- Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications provides broadband, voice, and data services to rural and suburban customers, recently taken private. Its target markets, fiber expansion efforts, and bundled residential/business product mix are highly comparable to TDS Telecom.
- Windstream: Windstream, operating post-restructuring as a fiber-focused wholesale and enterprise provider, serves similar rural and mid-sized markets with fiber and broadband services. Both companies target the same customer segments and pursue fiber-first strategies in lower-density geographies.
- Mediacom Communications: Mediacom is one of the largest rural-focused cable broadband providers in the U.S., serving smaller markets and tier-3 cities. Its rural market focus, cable plant upgrade approach, and bundled residential service mix make it a direct comparable to TDS.
- Frontier Communications: Frontier is a facilities-based fiber and wireline broadband provider serving predominantly rural and suburban markets across the U.S. Its fiber expansion strategy, customer profile, and product set (fiber internet, voice, TV) closely mirror TDS Telecom's footprint and bundled service model.
Broad incumbents
- Charter Communications: Charter operates the Spectrum-branded cable broadband platform across much of the U.S., expanding into rural and adjacent markets that historically were TDS territory. Charter's DOCSIS and emerging fiber-capable network directly competes with TDS fiber offerings.
- AT&T: AT&T is a national incumbent wireline and wireless carrier and the buyer of TDS's $1.018B C-band spectrum in January 2026. AT&T competes with TDS in adjacent broadband markets and is itself aggressively expanding fiber into suburban and mid-density territories.
- Lumen Technologies: Lumen is a large incumbent telecom with fiber, enterprise networking, and voice services spanning consumer and wholesale markets. While broader in scope, Lumen overlaps with TDS in fiber broadband delivery, business VoIP, and carrier services.
- Cox Communications: Cox Communications is a major cable broadband, TV, and voice provider with a footprint in suburban and mid-density markets. Cox competes with TDS across segments where their geographies overlap and represents another large, well-capitalized incumbent.
- Verizon: Verizon is a national incumbent telecom and wireless carrier with a growing Fios fiber footprint. It competes with TDS for residential and small-business broadband customers in overlapping markets and represents the kind of large, well-capitalized competitor TDS competes against at the edges.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TDS social profiles
Digital presenceTDS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TDS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
TDS subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
TDS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TDS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TDS
What does TDS do?
TDS is a U.S. regional telecommunications provider that sells bundled high-speed fiber-backed internet (up to 8 Gigabit), IP-based TV entertainment (TDS TV+ with cloud DVR and integrated streaming), traditional home phone, 5G mobile wireless service, and whole-home Wi-Fi to residential customers in rural and suburban communities. For businesses, TDS offers dedicated fiber internet, managedIP VoIP communications, data networking, and hosted-managed services, serving small to mid-sized organizations and government customers across multiple U.S. states.
Is TDS a public or private company?
TDS is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was TDS founded?
TDS was founded in 1969. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is TDS based?
TDS is headquartered in Alamogordo, United States, in the North America region.
How does TDS make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Residential Internet, TV, and Phone Services are the primary driver. The others are business Communications Solutions, mobile Services, equipment and Installation Fees and spectrum Transaction Gains.
Who are TDS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cable One, Consolidated Communications, Windstream, Mediacom Communications and Frontier Communications. Broad incumbents are Charter Communications, AT&T, Lumen Technologies, Cox Communications and Verizon.
Does TDS have an API?
No public API is recorded for TDS.
What industry is TDS in?
TDS'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 HDAIABAC, Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers. Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4813.