Network upgrade work continues in Nelson, Big Canoe, Georgia areas

Network equipment has arrived, work begins
MADISON, Wis. (Oct. 27, 2017) – TDS Telecom (TDS^®) technicians and network engineers are working now to install the core equipment necessary to improve broadband speeds and bring new services to Nelson and Big Canoe, Georgia and in portions of Pickens, Dawson and Cherokee counties.

TDS anticipates engineering and construction work to be completed by mid-December. TDS is working to have equipment installs completed by the end of February.  Once all the equipment is installed, TDS will begin migrating customers to the new equipment.  If all goes as scheduled TDS expects customer migration to be completed by mid-year. Once complete, the broadband improvement project will impact thousands of locations in the area.

“Work is moving forward and customers should start seeing improvements in their internet service in spring,” said Tom McCabe, manager State Government Affairs at TDS. “Phase II is then expected to be complete by year-end 2018.”

This past spring, TDS began engineering and design work to improve their network in the area. Customers will see improved speeds during the first phase of the project and then even greater speeds and new products when Phase II of the project is fully complete.

Background:
In January, TDS accepted funding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reach residents in some of the hardest to serve areas in Georgia. The funding is being used to maintain a voice and broadband network as well as building out to 838 locations. Hundreds of additional customers near the network upgrade areas are expected to receive improved service from this network upgrade project.

Georgia residents can visit the TDS website to find out how this federal program may impact their location.

Depending on location, most TDS customers in eligible rural areas will receive broadband speeds of 25Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload (25/3). Under the agreement with the FCC, the remaining customers will receive broadband service at lower speeds of 10/1 and 4/1Mbps.

TDS has been doing business in Georgia since 1989 and owns four telephone companies in the state. TDS employs about 50 people in Georgia.

Media contact:  Cheryl McCollum, Associate Manager of Public Relations / 608-664-2388 / cheryl.mccollum@tdstelecom.com

TDS Telecommunications Corporation (TDS Telecom/TDS^®), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., is the seventh largest local exchange telephone company in the U.S. and a growing force in the cable industry. TDS provides 1.2 million connections to high-speed internet, phone, and TV entertainment services in nearly 900 rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities. For residential customers, TDS deploys 1Gig internet access, IPTV service, cable TV options, and traditional wireline services. The company offers businesses advanced solutions, including: VoIP (managedIP Hosted voice), high-speed internet, fiber optics, data networking, and hosted-managed services. Visit tdstelecom.com or tdsbusiness.com.

Headquartered in Madison, Wis., TDS Telecom operates OneNeck IT Solutions LLC and BendBroadband, which is part of TDS Broadband Service LLC. Combined, the company employs more than 3,400 people.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [NYSE: TDS], a Fortune 1000^® company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately six million customers nationwide through its businesses U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. employs more than 10,000 people. Visit  tdsinc.com