Construction is under way to expand and improve broadband to nearly 3,000 locations in western Colorado. TDS Telecom (TDS®) began work in the spring in portions of Delta and Gunnison counties. Construction is expected to be done in the fall of 2018, with improvements ready by year-end 2018.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated $1.6 million each year to reach residents in some of the hardest to serve areas in Colorado. The funding will also be used to maintain a voice and broadband network as well as building out to these locations. The FCC’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) will provide funding to more than 3,000 locations in western Colorado with hundreds of additional customers to receive benefits from the network upgrade work.
Colorado 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.
“We are excited to bring faster connections to customers in western Colorado,” said Gail Long, manager – State Government Affairs at TDS.
In January, TDS announced it elected to receive approximately $75.1 million a year to increase broadband access in 25 states from the FCC’s A-CAM, under the Connect America Fund (CAF) program. TDS will leverage the funds over the next 10 years to support the buildout of rural broadband networks to nearly 160,000 locations across the country.
TDS has been doing business in Colorado since 1991 and owns two telephone companies in the state. TDS employs 159 people in Colorado.
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] 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 LLC. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. employs more than 10,000 people. Visit tdsinc.com
According to the FCC data reports for my area, TDS is offering 5, 15, 50 Mbps in my area, but when I call, I still am told 5 Mpbs is all that is available to me where I live. When asked when their so called upgrade will be available in my area, I am referred to this link… In all honesty thats ridiculous. This isn’t informative, this is an ad. It’s great they got the funding. Hopefully one day rural areas won’t have to sit around waiting for proper broadband internet access. But why not detail said expansion by stating when upgrades shall be completed and where approximately? Instead of referring to the FCC, which as I stated, is already saying its available.
I understand your frustration. TDS has nearly 400 hundred upgrade projects happening in rural areas in 25 states across the country. A few of those projects are underway and nearly complete, while many others we are in the process of gathering work permits, constructions designs and hiring contractors. There are lots of moving parts. We hope to include these type of updates you suggest in the next few months. If you let me know your address, I can dig a little deeper to see if the timeline for the project in your community is available. The FCC A-CAM funding model provides a 10-year window for all these projects to be completed.Thank you, Cheryl