TDS Telecommunications is continuing its major expansion in Wisconsin with the announcement of 2 Gbps-capable FTTH network upgrades in Suamico, Howard and Hobart, which are in the Green Bay area.
In all, the Madison, WI-based TDS is investing almost $40 million in multi-year projects totaling almost 500 miles of fiber in the Green Bay market. It is partnering with KS Energy, another Wisconsin company, on the builds.
Construction is slated to begin this fall and service to become available in phases. When complete, service will be available to about 19,000 addresses in the communities. Residential customers will be able to subscribe to TDS TV+, phone services and Internet service. Businesses will have access to Internet service, dedicated connections, TDS TV+, managed IP and hosted VoIP.
“TDS has been a proud provider of business services in these Green Bay-area communities for more than 20 years,” Andrew Petersen, TDS’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, said in a press release about the TDS upgrades. “We look forward to bringing the latest fiber technology to these dynamic and flourishing communities to help them thrive in the years to come.”
TDS began offering symmetrical 2 Gbps tiers in Spokane, WA and Meridian ID in August. Later in the month, it made 2 Gbps a standard speed in all new markets.
TDS is active in 32 states but is paying special attention to the state of Wisconsin in which it is headquartered.
The most recent announcement was an agreement of the Eau Claire city council to enter into a memorandum of understanding for TDS to build a network in the city. If the deal closes, TDS would make a $30 million capital investment. The project would include about 300 additional miles of fiber and reach 33,000 addresses, with construction beginning next spring.
In June, TDS announced that its project to expand 1 Gig service to 1,000 additional addresses in New Glarus was complete. The project involved 16 miles of fiber and equipment cabinet upgrades.
In February, TDS said projects in the Fox Cities communities of Appleton, Little Chute, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Menasha and Neenah. The completed projects will pass about 60,000 addresses. Businesses will have a 10 Gbps option.
In January, TDS announced that it had completed a project bringing 1 Gbps service to 5,175 addresses in Monona. The first subscribers were connected last September.
