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What Users Can Expect from the Sale of Continuum to TDS Telecom

by | Jan 7, 2020 | Bottom Left Box, News

Now that the sale of Continuum has been approved by voters and the transfer of Continuum to TDS completed on December 31, readers have a number of questions that involve their daily use of the internet, cable, and VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Drew Petersen-Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs for TDS and Cheryl McCollum, TDS Associate Manager of Public Relations, fielded some of those questions, and their answers in combination are as follows:

  1. When will our email addresses have to change? Some just invested in new stationery, business cards, and other materials, and would rather not have to re-do all those professional materials.

Continuum no longer issues email addresses, but we continue to support Continuum and Mi-Connection addresses. We don’t anticipate anyone losing their Continuum email address; however, our network engineers have just begun the process of analyzing systems to see how email can be brought over to the TDS platform. We want to get immersed in the community prior to making any branding changes.

2. Will VoIP continue? We have many triple-play customers who cannot be without a phone.

Yes, we will continue to offer customers phone, Internet, and TV service. Continuum services will stay the same for at least the next 6 months. Continuum customers will see network augments to improve services, but for the time being, it will remain business as usual.

  1. What about services like whole house DVR? Will they continue?

Whole home DVR will remain unchanged in the market for the time being. TDS does have plans to bring an improved video entertainment service to Continuum within the next 12-16 months. TDSTV+ will have whole home DVR, integration with Netflix, Hulu and other steaming services. In addition, we will have a voice recognition remote and other added features customers highly value. 

  1. Will download speeds remain the same or better?

Continuum already has some of the fastest Internet speeds in the market, and services Continuum customers receive will stay the same for now. However, as we invest in the plant and headend (a cable television headend is a master facility for receiving television signals for processing and distribution over a cable television system – editors), we expect faster speeds will be available, including up to 1Gig service.  We plan to make significant network investments in Continuum to drive broadband speeds higher as broadband is without question TDS’s flagship product and customer differentiator. Our network engineers and product managers are now analyzing the network.  To see what services TDS offers in other markets, visit HelloTDS.com 

  1. When will changes occur?

It will take many months for any changes to take place that a customer would notice. Please let your readers know that we will communicate with customers in advance of any changes, so they should be watching their mail, email, and check out the Continuum website.

Continuum customers can expect the same services to continue for the short term with exciting new investments and technological advancements coming in 2020 and beyond. TDS is excited to grow in the Lake Norman and Mooresville areas and looks forward to becoming a strong community partner with local residents, businesses, and philanthropic organizations. 

About TDS Telecom:
Leroy T. Carlson founded TDS Telecom in 1969 as Telephone and Data Systems. Later, he formed TDS Telecom with a particular eye to serving relatively unserved areas of the United States – rural and suburban communities. TDS now offers broadband and cable along with its original telephone service to almost 900 communities. Its nearly 1.2 million connections make it one of the fastest growing technology companies in the country.

TDS headquarters are in Madison, Wisconsin. It employs approximately 2,700 people, and its parent company Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE: TDS) employs 9,400 people and provides about 6,000,000 connections across the country through its various businesses. Forbes named Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, Best Large Employers, and Best Employers for Women.

For more information about TDS Telecom, visit tdstelecom.com.

Marguerite Williams

Marguerite (Margo) Williams is a novelist ("Madame President"), editor, and business owner of A Way With Words. She has lived in Davidson since 1977. Visit her at her website.

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