TDS® announces completion of two more ARRA broadband stimulus projects

Completed projects deliver high-speed Internet service to a combined 1,250 households in Michigan and Minnesota.

TDS Telecom (TDS®) announces the completion of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus-funded broadband Internet projects in parts of Michigan and Minnesota. The result, businesses and more than a combined 1,250 households gain access to high-speed Internet service. 

TDS is receiving funding for 44 projects, including these two, from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) as part of the ARRA.

TDS’ stimulus-funded project in Michigan, which impacts parts of Augusta and Medina, is now complete. TDS installed nearly 10 miles of fiber optics cabling and six cabinets (which protect the advanced network electronics) in this area, which is part of its Communication Corporation of Michigan company. In late January, TDS announced a portion of this project, around Augusta, was complete. Today, the entire project is finished and provides nearly 350 area residents access to high-speed Internet service. TDS projected the cost at more than $1.6 million. The RUS grant covered 75 percent of the cost and TDS invested the remaining 25 percent (about $400,000) to expand broadband to more businesses and residents.

The stimulus-funded project in Minnesota is also now complete and impacts customers in parts of Cass and Crow Wing counties. TDS reported in October 2013 that a portion of this project, in TDS’ Arvig Telephone Company, was complete. The project included installing nearly 100 miles of fiber optics cabling and 20 cabinets in order to connect more than 900 area residents to high-speed Internet service. TDS projected the cost at more than $6.7 million. The company invested 25 percent (nearly $1.7 million) and the RUS grant covered 75 percent.

Nationwide, more than 95 percent of TDS customers already have access to high-speed Internet service. TDS is intent on providing as many remaining customers with broadband connectivity as possible. According to TDS, federal stimulus funds are helping to close the gap and deliver Internet connectivity. With the help of ARRA funding, TDS has already expanded high-speed Internet service access to more than 31,500 households across the country.

For background information or to sign-up for services, call 888-225-5837 or visit www.tdstelecom.com/stimulus

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For more information, or a high-resolution map, contact: Cindy Tomlinson, Associate Manager-Public Relations / TDS Telecom / 608-664-4471 / cindy.tomlinson@tdstelecom.com

TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS Telecom/TDS®) delivers high-speed internet, TV entertainment, and phone services to nearly 1,000 rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities across the U.S. With more than 1.2 million connections, TDS is a rapidly growing technology companies in the United States. Powered by fiber-optics and new industry-leading technologies, TDS delivers up to 1 Gigabit internet speeds and offers internet-protocol based TV entertainment solutions along with traditional phone services. TDS also offers businesses VoIP advanced communications solutions, dedicated internet service, data networking, and hosted-managed services. Visit tdstelecom.com.

TDS Telecom, headquartered in Madison, Wis., employs nearly 2,900 people and is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [NYSE: TDS], a Fortune 1000® company. Founded in 1969, TDS Inc. employs 9,100 people and has approximately six million connections nationwide through its businesses U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service. TDS Inc. has been named to several Forbes lists, including America's Best Employers for Diversity, Best Large Employers, and Best Employers for Women. Visit tdsinc.com.

Updated February 2019

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