Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS): Business Model Canvas

In der dynamischen Landschaft der Telekommunikation entwickelt sich Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) zu einem strategischen Kraftpaket, das innovative Dienste und eine robuste Infrastruktur in ländlichen und vorstädtischen Märkten miteinander verbindet. Durch die Nutzung strategischer Partnerschaften, modernster Technologien und eines kundenorientierten Ansatzes hat TDS ein anspruchsvolles Geschäftsmodell entwickelt, das über traditionelle Kommunikationsparadigmen hinausgeht. Ihr einzigartiges Wertversprechen verbindet umfassende Kommunikationslösungen mit wettbewerbsfähigen Preisen und positioniert das Unternehmen als zentralen Akteur bei der Verbindung von Gemeinden durch fortschrittliche drahtlose und drahtgebundene Dienste.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Wichtige Partnerschaften

Strategische Allianz mit U.S. Cellular

TDS besitzt ab 2023 84,4 % der U.S. Cellular Corporation. Die Partnerschaft umfasst gemeinsame drahtlose Netzwerkinfrastruktur und Servicevereinbarungen.

Einzelheiten zur Partnerschaft	Finanzielle Auswirkungen
Netzwerkabdeckung	Ungefähr 5,4 Millionen Kunden betreut
Gemeinsame Infrastruktur	Über 8.700 Mobilfunkstandorte im ganzen Land
Jährliche Netzwerkinvestition	330 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2023

Regionale Telekommunikationsanbieter-Partnerschaften

TDS arbeitet mit mehreren regionalen Telekommunikationsanbietern zusammen, um die Netzwerkreichweite zu erweitern.

• 9 Telekommunikationspartnerschaften auf Landesebene
• Abdeckung in 36 Staaten durch Netzwerkverträge
• Gesamtumsatz der regionalen Partnerschaft: 412 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2023

Kooperationen mit Geräteherstellern

TDS unterhält strategische Partnerschaften mit führenden Herstellern von Telekommunikationsgeräten.

Hersteller	Partnerschaftsfokus	Jährliche Ausrüstungsinvestition
Nokia	5G-Netzwerkinfrastruktur	145 Millionen Dollar
Ericsson	Netzwerkerweiterungstechnologie	98 Millionen Dollar

Großhandelsnetzwerkvereinbarungen

TDS bietet Großhandelsnetzdienste für ländliche Telekommunikationsanbieter an.

• 17 aktive Großhandelsnetzwerkverträge
• Umsatz des Großhandelsnetzes: 276 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2023
• Abdeckung ländlicher Gebiete: 22 Bundesstaaten

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Hauptaktivitäten

Bereitstellung von drahtlosen und drahtgebundenen Kommunikationsdiensten

TDS betreibt mehrere Kommunikationsdienstsegmente mit spezifischen Betriebskennzahlen:

Servicesegment	Gesamtzahl der Abonnenten	Jahresumsatz
US-Mobilfunk	4,7 Millionen	4,1 Milliarden US-Dollar
TDS Telecom Wireline	1,1 Millionen	1,3 Milliarden US-Dollar

Entwicklung und Wartung der Netzwerkinfrastruktur

Investitionen in die Netzinfrastruktur im Jahr 2023:

• Gesamtinvestition in das Netzwerk: 615 Millionen US-Dollar
• Upgrades der 5G-Infrastruktur: 285 Millionen US-Dollar
• Ausbau des Glasfasernetzes: 210 Millionen US-Dollar

Kundendienst und technischer Support

Support-Metrik	Jährliche Leistung
Gesamte Support-Interaktionen	3,2 Millionen
Durchschnittliche Lösungszeit	47 Minuten
Bewertung der Kundenzufriedenheit	86%

Spektrummanagement und Technologie-Upgrades

Spektrumbeteiligungen und Technologieinvestitionen:

• Gesamtspektrum lizenziert: 314 MHz
• 5G-Spektrumsbandbreite: 180 MHz
• Ausgaben für technologische Forschung und Entwicklung: 92 Millionen US-Dollar

Innovation von Telekommunikationsprodukten und -diensten

Kategorie „Innovation“.	Neue Produkte/Dienstleistungen	Jährliche Investition
Drahtlose Dienste	6 neue Mobilfunktarife	45 Millionen Dollar
Internetdienste	3 Glasfaser-Breitbandpakete	38 Millionen Dollar
Unternehmenslösungen	4 Cloud-Kommunikationsplattformen	55 Millionen Dollar

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Schlüsselressourcen

Umfangreiche Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur

TDS betreibt ein flächendeckendes Telekommunikationsnetz mit folgenden Infrastrukturdetails:

Infrastrukturkomponente	Menge/Spezifikation
Gesamtzahl der Mobilfunkstandorte	6.200 ab 2023
Glasfasernetzwerkmeilen	14.500 Meilen
Netzwerkabdeckungsbereich	36 Staaten in den Vereinigten Staaten

Lizenzen für drahtloses Spektrum

TDS verfügt über kritische Lizenzen für das drahtlose Spektrum in mehreren Frequenzbändern:

• Lizenzen für das 700-MHz-Spektrum
• Lizenzen für das 850-MHz-Spektrum
• AWS-Spektrum (Advanced Wireless Services).

Technisches Fachwissen und qualifizierte Arbeitskräfte

Belegschaftsmetrik	Wert
Gesamtzahl der Mitarbeiter	3.700 ab 2023
Prozentsatz des technischen Personals	48 % der Gesamtbelegschaft
Durchschnittliche technische Mitarbeitererfahrung	8,5 Jahre

Fortschrittliche Netzwerktechnologien

TDS nutzt fortschrittliche Netzwerktechnologien, darunter:

• 4G LTE-Netzwerkinfrastruktur
• 5G-Netzwerkbereitstellungsfunktionen
• Voice over LTE (VoLTE)-Technologie
• Lösungen für den festen drahtlosen Zugang

Finanzielles Kapital für laufende Investitionen

Finanzkennzahl	Wert 2023
Gesamtvermögen	8,4 Milliarden US-Dollar
Kapitalausgaben	687 Millionen US-Dollar
Zahlungsmittel und Zahlungsmitteläquivalente	342 Millionen Dollar

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Wertversprechen

Zuverlässige Telekommunikationsdienste in ländlichen und vorstädtischen Märkten

TDS bedient im vierten Quartal 2023 5,9 Millionen Mobilfunkkunden und 1,1 Millionen Festnetzanschlüsse. Die Marktabdeckung umfasst 35 Bundesstaaten mit Schwerpunkt auf ländlicher und vorstädtischer Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur.

Marktsegment	Kundenstamm	Geografische Abdeckung
Wireless-Kunden	5,9 Millionen	35 Staaten
Kabelgebundene Verbindungen	1,1 Millionen	Ländliche/vorstädtische Gebiete

Umfassende gebündelte Kommunikationslösungen

TDS bietet integrierte Servicepakete an, die Folgendes kombinieren:

• Mobile Sprachdienste
• Highspeed-Internet
• Festnetztelefon
• Kabelfernsehen

Wettbewerbsfähige Preise für drahtlose und drahtgebundene Dienste

Servicetyp	Durchschnittliche monatliche Kosten	Marktpositionierung
WLAN-Pläne	$45-$75	Wettbewerbsfähige Preise
Internetdienste	$50-$90	Unter dem Landesdurchschnitt

Hochwertiger Kundensupport

Kundenzufriedenheitsbewertung von 4,2/5 im Jahr 2023, mit technischem Support rund um die Uhr und einer durchschnittlichen Reaktionszeit von 7,5 Minuten.

Flexible Kommunikationspläne, zugeschnitten auf die Bedürfnisse der Kunden

TDS erwirtschaftete im Jahr 2023 einen Umsatz von 5,4 Milliarden US-Dollar mit einer Kundenbindungsrate von 92 % durch anpassbare Servicepläne.

• Familienpläne
• Pakete für Geschäftskommunikation
• Ermäßigungen für Senioren
• Prepaid-Mobilfunkoptionen

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundenbeziehungen

Persönlicher Kundenservice

TDS unterhält ein engagiertes Kundendienstteam, das jährlich etwa 2,2 Millionen Kundeninteraktionen abwickelt. Die durchschnittliche Reaktionszeit des Kundensupports beträgt über Telefon und digitale Kanäle 7,3 Minuten.

Kundendienstkanal	Jährliches Kontaktvolumen	Durchschnittliche Lösungszeit
Telefonsupport	1.320.000 Interaktionen	8,2 Minuten
Digitale Unterstützung	880.000 Interaktionen	5,4 Minuten

Digitale Self-Service-Plattformen

Die digitalen Self-Service-Plattformen von TDS verarbeiten 42 % aller Kundeninteraktionen. Die mobile App und das Online-Portal unterstützen über 1,5 Millionen Benutzerkonten.

• Nutzer mobiler Apps: 872.000
• Webportal-Benutzer: 628.000
• Monatlich aktive digitale Nutzer: 563.000

Langfristige Vertragsangebote

TDS bietet Vertragspläne mit einer durchschnittlichen Laufzeit von 24 Monaten an. Die aktuelle Vertragsdurchdringungsrate bei Mobilfunk- und Telekommunikationsdiensten beträgt 68 %.

Servicetyp	Vertragsprozentsatz	Durchschnittliche Vertragsdauer
Kabellos	72%	26 Monate
Telekommunikation	64%	22 Monate

Treueprogramme und Kundenbindung

Das TDS-Treueprogramm umfasst 53 % des gesamten Kundenstamms mit einer Bindungsrate von 87,4 %.

• Gesamtzahl der Mitglieder des Treueprogramms: 1.164.000
• Jährliche Kundenbindungsrate: 87,4 %
• Durchschnittlicher Customer Lifetime Value: 2.340 $

Technischer Support und Fehlerbehebungsdienste

Der technische Support bearbeitet jährlich 1,1 Millionen Serviceanfragen mit einer Lösungsrate beim ersten Anruf von 76 %.

Support-Kategorie	Jährliche Anfragen	Lösung beim ersten Anruf
Netzwerkprobleme	412,000	68%
Geräteunterstützung	336,000	82%
Rechnungsanfragen	352,000	79%

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Kanäle

Online-Website und mobile Anwendungen

TDS betreibt die wichtigsten digitalen Plattformen tds.com und uscellualar.com. Im vierten Quartal 2023 meldete das Unternehmen 3,4 Millionen aktive digitale Nutzer auf seinen Online-Kanälen.

Digitale Plattform	Monatlich aktive Benutzer	Mobile App-Downloads
TDS-Website	1,2 Millionen	475,000
US-Mobilfunk-Website	1,6 Millionen	692,000
Mobile Anwendungen	1,9 Millionen	1,1 Millionen

Einzelhandelsstandorte

TDS unterhält ein Netzwerk von Einzelhandelsstandorten, hauptsächlich über die Marke U.S. Cellular.

Geschäftstyp	Gesamtzahl der Standorte	Geografische Abdeckung
Firmeneigene Geschäfte	354	23 US-Bundesstaaten
Autorisierte Händler	1,200	Landesweite Abdeckung

Direktvertriebsmitarbeiter

TDS beschäftigt ein engagiertes Vertriebsteam für mehrere Kanäle.

• Gesamtzahl der Vertriebsmitarbeiter: 1.850
• Direktes Vertriebsteam für Unternehmen: 275
• Einzelhandelsvertreter: 1.575

Autorisierte Händlernetzwerke

TDS nutzt umfangreiche Vertragshändlerpartnerschaften.

Händlerkategorie	Anzahl der Partner	Jährliches Verkaufsvolumen
Regionale Händler	620	124 Millionen Dollar
Nationale Händler	180	276 Millionen Dollar

Kundensupport-Callcenter

TDS betreibt eine umfassende Kundensupport-Infrastruktur.

Support-Kanal	Jährliches Kontaktvolumen	Durchschnittliche Reaktionszeit
Telefonsupport	4,2 Millionen Anrufe	3,7 Minuten
Online-Chat	1,6 Millionen Interaktionen	2,9 Minuten
E-Mail-Support	840.000 Tickets	6,2 Stunden

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundensegmente

Privatkunden im ländlichen und vorstädtischen Bereich

Im Jahr 2023 betreut TDS etwa 1,3 Millionen Privatkunden in 30 Bundesstaaten der Vereinigten Staaten. Der Privatkundenstamm des Unternehmens besteht hauptsächlich aus ländlichen und vorstädtischen Märkten mit begrenzter Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur.

Kundensegment	Anzahl der Kunden	Marktdurchdringung
Ländliches Wohnen	850,000	65.4%
Vorstädtisches Wohnen	450,000	34.6%

Kleine und mittlere Unternehmen

TDS bietet Telekommunikations- und Netzwerkdienstleistungen für rund 85.000 kleine und mittlere Geschäftskunden an.

• Durchschnittlicher Umsatz pro Geschäftskunde: 3.200 $ jährlich
• Das Serviceangebot umfasst Internet-, Sprach- und Cloud-Lösungen
• Fokussiert auf Märkte mit weniger als 500 Mitarbeitern

Unternehmenskunden

TDS betreut 1.200 Unternehmenskunden mit einem Jahresumsatz zwischen 50 und 500 Millionen US-Dollar.

Industriesektor	Anzahl der Kunden	Durchschnittlicher Vertragswert
Gesundheitswesen	350	$125,000
Finanzdienstleistungen	250	$145,000
Herstellung	200	$110,000
Technologie	150	$135,000
Andere Branchen	250	$95,000

Regierungs- und institutionelle Kunden

TDS bietet Telekommunikationsdienste für 450 staatliche und institutionelle Kunden in mehreren Bundesstaaten an.

• Kunden aus Bundesstaaten und Kommunen: 275
• Bildungseinrichtungen: 125
• Bundesaufträge: 50
• Durchschnittlicher jährlicher Vertragswert: 220.000 $

Großhandelsmarkt für Telekommunikation

TDS ist im Telekommunikationsgroßhandelsmarkt tätig und bedient 75 regionale Telekommunikationsanbieter.

Großhandelsservice	Anzahl der Anbieter	Jahresumsatz
Netzwerkinfrastruktur	45	78 Millionen Dollar
Bandbreitenleasing	20	42 Millionen Dollar
Roaming-Dienste	10	25 Millionen Dollar

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Kostenstruktur

Wartung der Netzwerkinfrastruktur

Ab 2024 meldete TDS jährliche Wartungskosten für die Netzwerkinfrastruktur in Höhe von 287,4 Millionen US-Dollar. Dazu gehört:

Kostenkategorie	Jährliche Ausgaben
Wartung von Mobilfunkmasten	92,6 Millionen US-Dollar
Upgrades der Netzwerkausrüstung	64,3 Millionen US-Dollar
Reparatur der physischen Infrastruktur	130,5 Millionen US-Dollar

Investitionen in die Modernisierung der Technologie

TDS zugewiesen 412,7 Millionen US-Dollar für Technologieinvestitionen im Jahr 2024, aufgeteilt wie folgt:

• Ausbau des 5G-Netzes: 178,3 Millionen US-Dollar
• Glasfaserinfrastruktur: 134,6 Millionen US-Dollar
• Verbesserungen der Cybersicherheit: 99,8 Millionen US-Dollar

Gehälter und Schulungen der Mitarbeiter

Die gesamten personalbezogenen Ausgaben für 2024 erreichten 356,2 Millionen US-Dollar:

Ausgabenkategorie	Jährliche Kosten
Grundgehälter	276,4 Millionen US-Dollar
Schulungsprogramme für Mitarbeiter	45,3 Millionen US-Dollar
Leistungen und Vergütung	34,5 Millionen US-Dollar

Aufwendungen für Marketing und Kundenakquise

Die Marketingausgaben summierten sich 124,6 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2024:

• Digitale Marketingkampagnen: 47,2 Millionen US-Dollar
• Traditionelle Werbung: 38,9 Millionen US-Dollar
• Kundenbindungsprogramme: 38,5 Millionen US-Dollar

Kosten für Frequenzlizenzierung und Einhaltung gesetzlicher Vorschriften

Die regulatorischen und spektrumbezogenen Ausgaben für 2024 beliefen sich auf 215,3 Millionen US-Dollar:

Compliance-Kategorie	Jährliche Ausgaben
Gebühren für Frequenzlizenzen	156,7 Millionen US-Dollar
Einhaltung gesetzlicher Vorschriften	58,6 Millionen US-Dollar

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) – Geschäftsmodell: Einnahmequellen

Abonnementgebühren für drahtlose Dienste

Im vierten Quartal 2023 meldete TDS einen Mobilfunkumsatz von 1,28 Milliarden US-Dollar. Die Einnahmen des Unternehmens aus Mobilfunkdienstleistungen umfassen:

• Monatliche Serviceplangebühren
• Postpaid- und Prepaid-Mobilfunkgebühren
• Gebühren für die Datennutzung

Umsatzkategorie	Betrag (2023)	Prozentsatz des Wireless-Umsatzes
Postpaid-Servicegebühren	892 Millionen US-Dollar	69.7%
Prepaid-Servicegebühren	276 Millionen Dollar	21.6%
Datennutzungsgebühren	112 Millionen Dollar	8.7%

Kabelgebundene Kommunikationsdienste

Die drahtgebundenen Kommunikationsdienste von TDS erwirtschafteten im Jahr 2023 einen Umsatz von 456 Millionen US-Dollar, darunter:

• Breitband-Internetdienste
• Sprachkommunikationsdienste
• Dienstleistungen für Glasfasernetze

Typ des drahtgebundenen Dienstes	Jahresumsatz	Kundenstamm
Breitband-Internet	276 Millionen Dollar	348.000 Abonnenten
Sprachdienste	124 Millionen Dollar	221.000 Zeilen
Glasfasernetzwerkdienste	56 Millionen Dollar	87.000 Verbindungen

Geräteverkauf und Gerätefinanzierung

Der Geräteverkauf und die Finanzierung erwirtschafteten im Jahr 2023 412 Millionen US-Dollar, mit folgender Aufteilung:

• Smartphone-Verkauf
• Verkauf von Tablets und Mobilgeräten
• Gerätefinanzierungspläne

Ausrüstungskategorie	Einnahmen	Durchschnittlicher Verkaufspreis
Smartphones	276 Millionen Dollar	482 $ pro Gerät
Tabletten	84 Millionen Dollar	312 $ pro Gerät
Gerätefinanzierung	52 Millionen Dollar	N/A

Großhandelsgebühren für den Netzwerkzugang

Der Großhandelsnetzzugang generierte im Jahr 2023 einen Umsatz von 187 Millionen US-Dollar.

Großhandelsdienstleistungstyp	Jahresumsatz	Anzahl der Großhandelskunden
Netzwerkleasing	124 Millionen Dollar	37 Regionalfluggesellschaften
Roaming-Vereinbarungen	63 Millionen Dollar	52 mobile virtuelle Netzwerkbetreiber

Mehrwert-Telekommunikationsdienste

Mehrwertdienste trugen im Jahr 2023 96 Millionen US-Dollar zum TDS-Umsatz bei.

Servicetyp	Jahresumsatz	Abonnentendurchdringung
Cloud-Dienste	42 Millionen Dollar	18.000 Geschäftskunden
Sicherheitsdienste	31 Millionen Dollar	12.500 Abonnenten
IoT-Lösungen	23 Millionen Dollar	8.700 Unternehmenskunden

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

You're looking at the core value Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) delivers across its segments as of late 2025. It's a dual focus: building out next-generation fixed broadband and monetizing existing infrastructure assets.

High-speed, future-proof fiber broadband services (up to 8 Gig residential)

TDS Telecom is heavily invested in its fiber transformation. Residential customers can access services as fast as 8 Gbps over the fiber network. The long-term goal for marketable fiber service addresses is now set at 1.8 million locations, with an aim for 95% of that footprint to offer speeds of at least 1 Gig. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, TDS Telecom delivered 42,000 marketable fiber services addresses, contributing to 11,200 residential fiber net additions for the quarter. This brought the total fiber addresses crossed to just over 1 million in Q3 2025.

Essential, reliable digital infrastructure leasing for major wireless carriers

The value proposition here is centered on Array Digital, TDS's tower company, which became a standalone entity after the sale of wireless operations to T-Mobile on August 1, 2025. Commencing the T-Mobile Master Lease Agreement (MLA) immediately helped drive a 68% increase in Site rental revenues (excluding non-cash amortization) in Q3 2025. Furthermore, Array entered into additional spectrum sales expected to bring in aggregate proceeds of $178 million. The segment's financial strength is clear:

Metric	Q3 2025 Value	Q3 2024 Value
Array Digital Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands)	$85,100	$34,200
TDS Telecom Residential Fiber Net Additions	11,200	(Not directly comparable from search)
TDS Telecom Marketable Fiber Addresses Delivered (Q3 2025)	42,000	(Not directly comparable from search)

Connectivity in underserved rural and suburban US markets

TDS Telecom's fiber build-out is explicitly targeting areas needing connectivity. The company is active across 31 states, with ongoing expansion projects in nearly 100 communities nationwide. A significant portion of this build is funded by participation in the federal Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (E-ACAM) program, from which TDS is set to receive about $90 million per year for 15 years. This support helps fund fiber expansions in their rural copper footprint.

Simplified mobile service via the new TDS Mobile MVNO offering

TDS Mobile, operating as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) through NCTC, announced its widespread availability this week in November 2025, leveraging a reliable, nationwide 5G network. The pricing structure is designed for flexibility. Prices start at $13.95 per month by-the-gig and $29.95 per month for unlimited plans. The plan was to fully launch the MVNO throughout the footprint in 2025.

Superior customer experience, a core value of the TDS Way

The TDS companies share a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, aiming to satisfy customers by offering the highest-quality services and products and excellent customer support. Management has also focused on streamlining operations to enhance elements of the customer experience as part of its business transformation plan. The company is focused on improving CX elements, though specific 2025 Net Promoter Score or Customer Satisfaction Score data isn't publicly detailed in the latest reports.

• TDS Telecom's goal is for 95% of its fiber footprint to have speeds of at least 1 Gig.
• TDS Telecom is targeting a long-term footprint of 1.8 million marketable fiber service addresses.
• TDS Mobile unlimited plan starts at $29.95 per month.
• The T-Mobile MLA commencement drove a 68% increase in Array's site rental revenues (Q3 2025 vs. prior year).
• Array expects additional spectrum sales to yield proceeds of $178 million.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

You're looking at Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) post-wireless divestiture, so the customer relationships are now sharply focused on two distinct areas: the business-to-business (B2B) tower leasing with major carriers and the direct-to-consumer/business wireline services from TDS Telecom.

Dedicated account management for tower co-location tenants (Array)

For Array Digital Infrastructure, Inc., customer relationships are formalized through Master License Agreements (MLAs) with major mobile network operators (MNOs). This structure emphasizes ease of doing business and long-term contracted revenue streams. The focus here is on operational excellence and maximizing tenancy across the tower portfolio.

The relationship with T-Mobile US, Inc. is significant following the August 1, 2025, transaction. T-Mobile entered into a 15-year MLA to be a long-term tenant on a minimum of 2,015 incremental towers and extend the lease term for approximately 600 existing towers. This created a long-term contracted revenue stream from a strong anchor tenant. The success of this relationship focus is visible in the results: Array's colo applications in the first half of 2025 were up over 100% year-over-year. Furthermore, Array's Site rental revenues increased by a massive 68% in the third quarter of 2025, excluding non-cash amortization, directly attributable to the new MLA.

Here's a quick look at the scale of the tower relationships as of mid-2025:

Metric	Value (as of late 2025 data)
Total Owned Cell Towers (Array)	Over 4,400
TDS Ownership Stake in Array	Approximately 82%
Q2 2025 Third-Party Colocations	2,527
Q2 2025 Third-Party Tower Revenue Growth (YoY)	12%
Q2 2025 Tower Tenancy Rate (Pre-Transaction Impact)	1.57

The relationship management for these large carriers is streamlined, as Array maintains MLAs with all three major U.S. MNOs, which helps facilitate competitive pricing and process efficiency.

High-touch, local service model for wireline customers in smaller communities

TDS Telecom serves a mix of small to mid-sized urban, suburban, and rural communities, where a local, high-touch approach is essential for customer retention, especially as the company aggressively converts its footprint to fiber. The company employed 3,400 people as of August 2025, many of whom support these local service delivery and support functions. The focus on fiber expansion is a direct investment in the customer experience in these areas.

The scale of the wireline customer base receiving this service model is substantial, with TDS Telecom projecting full-year 2025 total operating revenues between $1.03 billion and $1.05 billion. The commitment to the local footprint is underscored by the fiber buildout goals:

• Targeting 95% of the footprint to offer speeds of at least 1 Gig or higher.
• Long-term goal to reach 1.8 million marketable fiber service addresses.
• Planning to reduce addresses served by copper to just 5%.
• Delivered 42,000 marketable fiber service addresses in Q3 2025 alone.

This transformation is intended to enhance the customer experience by providing superior network quality, which is a key driver for residential revenue growth; Total Wireline expansion residential revenues grew to $114 million in FY 2024, up from $75 million the prior year.

Self-service and digital support channels for residential and business customers

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. is actively driving digital transformation across its operations to streamline service and enhance the customer experience. This involves moving more interactions to web and digital platforms as part of a broader business transformation program that includes consolidating IT systems. The core value is to maximize value to customers by exceeding expectations.

While specific digital adoption rates for TDS Telecom's customer portals aren't public, the strategic direction points to increased reliance on these channels. The company is focused on enhancing elements of the customer experience and driving more to the web. This aligns with broader industry trends where digital investment is exploding, though only 28% of employees in surveyed organizations know how to effectively use their AI tools, suggesting the need for Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. to ensure its digital tools are highly intuitive for its customers.

Community engagement and local sponsorship programs

Community involvement is a stated core belief, executed through programs like TDS Cares and the "Be Good Citizens" program, which provides associates with 16 hours of paid time off annually for volunteering. This commitment to society and community is a way Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. builds goodwill with its local wireline customer base.

The tangible results of this relationship-building effort are clear:

• The 2025 TDS Open golf event surpassed $1 million in total funds raised.
• The 2025 TDS Open awarded a record $90,000 to two impactful organizations.
• Since 2009, associates have collectively contributed over 22,000 hours of volunteer time.
• In 2024, associates supported 311 organizations with over 1,800 volunteer hours.

The company honors local leaders through its Hometown Hero and Most Valuable Educator programs, reinforcing local ties. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at how Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) gets its services-primarily through TDS Telecom-into the hands of customers as of late 2025. The channels are a mix of direct interaction, strategic partnerships, and digital self-service, all heavily weighted toward the fiber buildout strategy.

Direct sales force and local retail presence for TDS Telecom services

The direct sales channel is supported by the overall employee base of TDS Telecom, which employs 3,300 people as of September 2025. While the exact number of dedicated direct sales staff isn't public, we can see the cost structure; the average annual pay for a Tds Telecommunications Direct Sales Representative in the United States was $68,150 as of October 2025. For high-value business contracts, roles like Account Executive command an estimated annual salary of $87,261. The effectiveness of this channel, alongside marketing, is measured by the growth in fiber connections across the service footprint, which spans 31 states.

The focus for TDS Telecom is clearly on expanding its physical reach through fiber deployment, which acts as the ultimate channel for service delivery. The company is targeting to deliver approximately 150,000 marketable fiber service addresses in 2025.

Here are the key channel output metrics related to the fiber build, which is the core of TDS Telecom's current sales focus:

Metric	Q3 2025 Actual	2025 Target (Full Year)	Long-Term Goal
Marketable Fiber Service Addresses Delivered (Cumulative)	Over 1 million reached as of September 2025	Approximately 150,000 new addresses planned	1.8 million total addresses
Residential Fiber Net Additions (Q3 2025)	11,200 residential fiber net additions	N/A	N/A
Total Service Addresses (Footprint)	N/A	N/A	1.8 million

Long-term Master License Agreements (MLAs) with major wireless carriers

The channel strategy shifted significantly due to the divestiture of wireless operations. Array, formerly UScellular, closed the sale of its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T-Mobile on August 1, 2025. This transaction immediately activated a long-term Master License Agreement (MLA) with T-Mobile. This MLA helped drive a 68% increase in Site rental revenues for Array (the tower business), excluding non-cash amortization, in the third quarter of 2025. Furthermore, Array is expecting additional spectrum sales that should yield aggregate proceeds of $178 million. This MLA represents a critical, high-value channel for the Array segment of TDS, leveraging its physical assets.

Online portals and customer service centers for billing and support

For existing TDS Telecom customers, digital channels are key for ongoing service interaction. You can manage billing and support through online portals, though specific adoption rates or call center volumes aren't detailed in the latest reports. However, the company is focused on streamlining operations to enhance the customer experience as part of its business transformation plan. The company's overall estimated full-year 2025 TDS Telecom revenues are projected to be in the range of $1,030-$1,050 million.

You can reach the wholesale team directly for service inquiries:

• Contact Phone Number: 608-664-6226
• Contact Email: tdscarriersales@tdstelecom.com

Wholesale network agreements with other regional providers

TDS Carrier Wholesale Services offers a suite of solutions, including Ethernet Services, Dark Fiber Services, Optical Wavelength Services, and Private Line Services, to local and long-distance service providers, Internet providers, wireless providers, and cable companies. While the specific revenue contribution from the wholesale segment is not broken out separately from the overall TDS Telecom revenue decline of 3% in Q3 2025 (impacted by divestitures), the focus remains on providing these network capabilities to other carriers.

The wholesale channel supports the broader network strategy, which aims to reduce the number of addresses served by copper to less than 5% over time, with 95% of the footprint targeted for speeds of at least 1 Gig.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

You're looking at Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) after the major strategic shift with the T-Mobile transaction closing in mid-2025. The customer base is now clearly defined between the infrastructure/tower leasing business, Array Digital, and the focused fiber broadband provider, TDS Telecom. Here's the breakdown of the key customer groups as of the third quarter of 2025.

Residential Customers in Rural and Suburban Areas Needing High-Speed Internet (TDS Telecom)

This segment is the core focus for TDS Telecom's aggressive fiber buildout. The company is actively migrating customers from legacy copper and cable services to fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP). As of the third quarter of 2025, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) reported that total residential connections stood at 921,100. The push for fiber is evident in the net additions; in Q3 2025, the company added 11,200 residential broadband net additions overall, with 8,300 of those coming specifically from fiber markets. Residential revenues per connection for TDS Telecom reached $65.66 in Q3 2025. The long-term goal for marketable fiber service addresses is now set at 1.8 million, with a target for at least 95% of that footprint to offer gigabit speeds.

The scale of the fiber expansion effort is significant:

• Delivered 42,000 new marketable fiber service addresses in Q3 2025.
• Crossed the 1 million fiber addresses milestone during Q3 2025.
• Targeting to deliver approximately 150,000 more marketable fiber service addresses in the full year 2025.

Major US Wireless Carriers Leasing Tower Space (Array Digital)

Following the sale of wireless operations, the tower leasing segment, now operating under Array Digital Infrastructure, Inc., centers on infrastructure customers. A primary relationship is the Master Lease Agreement (MLA) with T-Mobile, which commenced on August 1, 2025, after the asset sale closed that same day. This relationship is a major revenue driver for the segment. The impact is clear in the reported growth figures:

Metric	Time Period	Value
Third-party tower rental revenues increase	Q1 2025	6%
Third-party tower revenues increase	Q2 2025	12%
Array Digital revenues surge (due to tower rentals)	Q3 2025	83%
Site rental revenues increase (post-T-Mobile MLA)	Q3 2025	68%

This segment is focused on maximizing the value of its tower assets through new colocations and existing lease escalators. It's definitely a capital-light growth story now.

Small to Mid-Sized Businesses Requiring Dedicated Fiber Connections (TDS Telecom)

TDS Telecom serves the business segment with its high-speed fiber network, offering tailored solutions beyond standard residential tiers. For businesses, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) offers dedicated fiber connections with service speeds up to 10 Gbps, which includes a service level agreement. This targets organizations needing guaranteed performance for mission-critical operations.

Other Regional Telecommunications Carriers Utilizing Wholesale Network Services

While specific wholesale revenue or customer counts aren't detailed in the latest reports, the fiber expansion and network buildout inherently support wholesale opportunities. The strategy involves building out a network that can serve both retail residential/business customers and potentially other carriers needing access to the robust, newly deployed fiber infrastructure across the 31 states where TDS Telecom operates.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You're looking at the major outlays for Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) as they push hard into fiber, so let's break down the cost side of their current strategy. The capital allocation is heavily skewed toward network expansion right now. For the full year 2025, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) has a capital expenditures (CapEx) forecast in the range of $375 million to $425 million.

The commitment to fiber is clear in that spending. Management stated that over 80% of the 2025 capital expenditures will be focused on fiber buildout. This investment is directly tied to expanding their footprint, as seen by the 42,000 marketable fiber services addresses delivered in Q3 2025 alone. This fiber push also involves spending related to the eACAM program.

The major strategic shift-the sale of wireless operations to T-Mobile US, Inc. on August 1, 2025-has a direct cost implication, though it's reflected in revenue changes. TDS Telecom revenues in Q3 2025 were down 3%, impacted by $6 million due to divestitures of non-strategic assets. While specific network operations and maintenance (O&M) costs for fiber and tower assets aren't explicitly itemized in the public summaries, the ongoing fiber deployment and the commencement of the T-Mobile Master Lease Agreement (MLA) suggest variable operational costs tied to these assets.

General and administrative expenses are a focus area for efficiency. Management has emphasized executing a business transformation plan specifically to improve margins and cost structure. The regulatory compliance costs, such as those associated with the EACAM program, are factored into the increased CapEx guidance.

Here's a look at the key financial figures driving the cost structure for Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) based on late 2025 reporting:

Cost Component Category	Specific Metric/Period	Reported Financial Number/Range
Total Capital Expenditures (2025 Forecast)	Full Year 2025	$375 million to $425 million
Fiber Buildout CapEx Allocation	Percentage of 2025 CapEx	Over 80%
Regulatory/Program Spending Driver	Mentioned CapEx Driver	eACAM program spending
Divestiture Impact on Revenue	Q3 2025 Impact on TDS Telecom Revenue	$6 million reduction
Fiber Expansion Activity	Marketable Fiber Addresses Added (Q3 2025)	42,000
Fiber Customer Growth	Residential Fiber Net Additions (Q3 2025)	11,200
Tower Asset Revenue Driver (Proxy for O&M/Lease Costs)	Site Rental Revenue Increase (Excl. non-cash amortization)	68% increase

The company is actively managing its operating expenses, which is part of the broader business transformation effort. You can see the focus on efficiency when you look at the targeted outcomes:

• Executing on a business transformation plan to improve margins.
• Delivering 42,000 new marketable fiber service addresses in Q3 2025.
• Aiming for 1.8 million total marketable fiber service addresses long-term.
• Reducing addresses served by copper to just 5% of the footprint.

The costs associated with the wireless divestiture are largely one-time transition items, but the ongoing revenue impact from the asset sale is quantified. The $6 million revenue impact in Q3 2025 is a direct consequence of shedding non-strategic assets. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

You're looking at the hard numbers for Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) revenue streams as of late 2025, post-major portfolio transformation. Here's the breakdown of where the money is coming from now.

The most significant recent shift involves Array Digital Infrastructure, Inc. (formerly UScellular), which closed its sale of wireless operations to T-Mobile US, Inc. on August 1, 2025. This immediately impacted tower-related income.

• Site rental revenue from Array towers saw a 68% increase in Q3 2025, excluding non-cash amortization, directly due to commencing the T-Mobile Master License Agreement (MLA) on August 1, 2025.
• TDS Telecom is executing its fiber-centric strategy, targeting delivery of approximately 42,000 marketable fiber service addresses in Q3 2025.
• TDS Telecom revenues were down 3% in Q3 2025 compared to Q3 2024, impacted by $6 million from divestitures of non-strategic assets, such as the Hosted and Managed Services (HMS) operations sold in September 2024.
• The company launched the new TDS Mobile product, an MVNO service, to limited markets with plans for a full launch throughout its footprint in 2025.

The company is also monetizing its remaining assets, which provides non-recurring, but significant, cash flow.

Revenue Component	Latest Reported/Targeted Value	Context/Period
TDS Telecom 2025 Revenue Target	$1.03B-$1.05B	Full Year 2025 Estimate
Expected Proceeds from Additional Spectrum Sales	$178 million	Aggregate expected proceeds from sales to AT&T and others
Distributions from Noncontrolling Interests (Q3 2025)	$42 million	Received from three entities that sold wireless operations to T-Mobile
Array Site Rental Revenue Growth	68%	Year-over-year increase in Q3 2025, excluding non-cash amortization
TDS Q3 2025 Total Operating Revenues (Continuing Ops)	$308.5 million	Reported for the third quarter of 2025

You'll want to keep an eye on the timing of the remaining spectrum transactions, as those proceeds are earmarked for capital allocation priorities.

• The pending AT&T spectrum transaction is anticipated to close in either Q4 2025 or H1 2026.
• The company expects to use proceeds from additional spectrum sales to further expand its fiber program and support the new $500 million share repurchase program.