Core equipment being installed in northern Georgia
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 Blue Ridge and portions of Fannin and Gilmer counties.
If all goes as planned, TDS hopes to have engineering and construction work completed by the end of December, after which customers will begin migrating to the new equipment. We anticipate customer migration will be completed by the end of April. Once complete, the broadband improvement project will impact thousands of locations in the area. (map attached)
“Work is moving forward and customers should start seeing improvements in their internet service in early summer,” said Tom McCabe, manager State Government Affairs at TDS. “Phase two is then expected to be complete by late summer or early fall of 2018.”
This past spring, TDS began engineering and design work to improve their network in the area. The company is reporting now that construction work is underway and will be complete by next spring. Customers will see improved speeds during the first phase of the project and then even greater speeds and new products after Phase two 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 mountainous areas in Georgia. The funding is being used to maintain a voice and broadband network as well as building out to 2,532 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.
