TDS Telecom looks to triple FTTP sites passed by 2026

Feb. 21, 2022
In 2021, the company deployed 86,000 new marketable fiber service addresses, bringing the total to nearly 400,000.

Broadband service provider TDS Telecommunications LLC revealed that it intends to reach 1.2 million fiber service addresses by 2026. That figure would represent triple the current total of sites passed by the company’s fiber to the premises (FTTP) infrastructure.

In total, TDS Telecom hopes to reach approximately 2.2 million service addresses within that timeframe, with approximately 60% served via FTTP and 80% capable of gigabit or faster speeds. In 2021, the company deployed 86,000 new marketable fiber service addresses, bringing the total to nearly 400,000. Overall, the company surpassed 500,000 total broadband connections in 2021.

Meanwhile, TDS exceed $1 billion in operating revenues last year. Company management forecasts revenues of $1.01 to $1.04 billion for this year.

“Our strategy is working,” said President and CEO Jim Butman. “For the past several years, we have ramped up our broadband strategy, investing in our networks, and we are positioning the business for faster growth over the next five years.”

“Our focus on fast, reliable service has generated a 12% increase in total residential broadband revenue,” said Senior Vice President and CFO Vicki Villacrez, who will leave the company this month. “The 1Gig product, along with our 2Gig product in certain markets, are important tools that will allow us to defend and to win new customers.”

Michelle Brukwicki will replace Villacrez as senior vice president and CFO at TDS.

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

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