Ceremonial groundbreaking kicks off construction on TDS’ all-fiber network in Green Bay
TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS®) held a groundbreaking ceremony in Green Bay on Monday to celebrate the start of construction on its newest all-fiber network. Joining TDS Telecom President and CEO Jim Butman at the event were Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, Congressman Mike Gallagher, Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach, state legislators from the area, as well as executives from TDS’ construction partners, Tilson. The ceremony was held at He-Nis Ra Park next to Lombardi Middle School, near the first neighborhood where contractors have started prework on the project.
"We’d like to thank all of the local and state leaders who came today to help us celebrate the groundbreaking on this project bringing high-speed connections to Green Bay,” says Butman. “We couldn’t be more pleased to make this investment of about $240 million to deliver reliable, future-proof technology to the entire region.”
TDS’ fiber network will connect about 38,000 addresses in Green Bay to ultra-fast internet upload and download speeds of up to 2Gig (2,000Mbps) for residents, and up to 10G dedicated connections for business. Beyond its Green Bay project, TDS is also building networks in Ashwaubenon and Bellevue.
Construction will largely involve accessing public utility easement areas to bury conduit and cable. Built in phases, area residents can connect to the new network once work is completed in their area. Residents will be notified in several ways before construction starts in their neighborhood, including signage and by postcard, letter, and door hanger. Contractors will work to minimize disruptions to neighborhoods and restore any areas impacted by the burying of fiber-optic cable.
“High-capacity fiber-optic internet connections are a game-changer for communities. Better internet drives economic growth, educational opportunities, and businesses success,” says Butman. “We’re thrilled to be here in Green Bay and look forward to delivering the fastest, most-reliable connections available.”
With many companies moving to a work-at-home model, the demand for high-speed data connections nationwide has only increased. Currently only about 43% of U.S. households have access to a fiber connection, according to a recent Fiber Broadband Association report. TDS’ build will make Green Bay homes and businesses part of that rare group.
In addition to this project, TDS is rapidly expanding its fiber footprint in Wisconsin. The company is actively building networks in the Fox Cities of Appleton, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Menasha, and Neenah and will be breaking ground shortly on its Eau Claire fiber project. The 53-year-old company that operates in 32 states recently completed fiber-to-the-home networks in multiple Dane County communities, as well as Stevens Point and Wausau.
TDS, headquartered in Madison, will be hiring many positions in the area to support its growth into Green Bay. The company also has a long history of philanthropy in the communities it serves, sponsoring local events, making donations, and giving its employees paid time off to volunteer.
Residents and businesses interested in learning more about TDS products can visit TDSFiber.com.
