TDS Telecom | Diversity Employer

Our Story

In 1969, LeRoy T. Carlson created Telephone and Data Systems. Through prudent acquisitions, TDS Telecom was formed and is comprised of telephone companies formed by local families, farmers, and co-ops to connect their communities to the world. Mr. Carlson's goal was to provide advanced technology, invest in the markets, and provide exceptional customer experiences. Local communities welcomed TDS' presence and technical acumen.

Fast forward to today and our business model is similar, though it's been expanded and now includes broadband and cable. It also includes a greater commitment to improving our culture by becoming more diverse and inclusive.

What We Do

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.

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.

Diversity & Inclusion

At TDS, we recognize we must broaden our efforts to develop a more diverse and inclusive workforce, one that genuinely represents the communities we serve.

TDS commitment to diversity is a shared value of "Investing in People". We embrace and endorse the concept of a diverse and inclusionary workforce, and strive to have our company reflect the communities it serves. TDS seeks to broaden its employee base and engage an innovative workforce across areas of Ethnicity, Age, Gender, Generation, Sexual Orientation, and Personal Abilities. It is TDS's belief this will foster creative viewpoints, problem solving, and team synergy to increase the productivity and sustainability of our business.

Community Involvement

Our employees make the communities we serve, the services we provide, and our company better!

Committed to Our Community
Giving back is an integral part of the culture at TDS. From hands-on volunteering, to in-kind and financial support, TDS takes a vested interest in the growth and success of the communities we serve. In fact, community involvement is so imperative to our core beliefs that we started the “Be Good Citizens” program, which provides employees with 16 hours of paid time off every year to volunteer. In 2017, nearly 550 employees took advantage of this opportunity, totaling more than 1,600 hours of community service. However they choose to get involved, employees repeatedly tell us how they value the personal growth and satisfaction they gain from helping others.

Community Outreach
To meet community needs, TDS created the LeRoy T. Carlson Pioneer Club’s Community Outreach Program. Yes, it's named after the founder of TDS! Nearly every month, this group promotes events and activities where employees can choose to donate their time and service.