TDS shipping new modems to customers for broadband upgrades in Minnesota

TDS Telecom (TDS®) is in the process of shipping new modems to customers in northern Kandiyohi County and portions of Stearns, Swift, Chippewa, Meeker, and Pope counties as part of a broadband internet improvement effort.

Customers are urged to install their new modem immediately. Installation instructions were provided with the modem and are also available at: tdstelecom.com/faster.

Installation of the new modem is necessary to equip each location to handle the faster internet speeds that will soon be available. The new modem may also improve customer’s in-home Wi-Fi experience.

Phase One
More than 71 miles of fiber optic lines were installed in the first phase of TDS’ broadband upgrade project which will expand high-speed internet broadband services to New London and the surrounding areas of: Brooten, Irving, Kerkhoven, Murdock, Pennock, Sedan, Spicer, Sunburg, and Hawick.

To provide faster speeds, TDS used a Fiber-to-the-Node technology, which required an upgrade of the existing nodes and the construction of several new nodes throughout the area. Nodes contain connection points to each home and are housed in metal boxes in neighborhoods and roadsides.  In addition, 56 new or upgraded Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) were installed.  

Phase Two
After customers install their new modem, TDS will begin phase two of the project. When phase two work is completed later this year, TDS will be able to provide even faster speeds to more customers. These speeds will range from 10Mbps to up to 50Mbps and will impact more 9,500 locations in the area.

If customers have not yet received a new modem from TDS—or have questions, please call TDS at 1-888-233-0065. TDS will contact customers via e-mail and direct mail later this year once upgraded speeds are ready to order.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated $5.1 million annually to reach residents in some of the hardest to serve areas in Minnesota.  The FCC’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) is supporting TDS’ efforts to provide broadband to more than 2,200 new locations in the New London and surrounding areas. TDS also improved service to thousands of additional customers in nearby locations which were not eligible for A-CAM funding.

TDS has been doing business in Minnesota since 1969 and owns four telephone companies in the state. TDS employs about 225 people in Minnesota.