TDS® acquires InterLinx Communications in Southern Utah

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TDS Broadband Service LLC, a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., and operated by TDS Telecom (TDS^®), announces the purchase of InterLinx Communications LLC and its subsidiary Tonaquint Networks LLC in Southern Utah. TDS announced its intent to purchase the companies in November 2016 and completed the sale on Jan. 31, 2017.

A transitional services agreement is in place which allows the companies to share information to migrate critical telecom infrastructure, processes, and records.

"Now the work begins to make this a smooth, seamless transition for customers," states Jim Butman, Chief Operating Officer at TDS. "We have invested heavily in St. George and other parts of the southwest to greatly improve our services. Adding the strength of the InterLinx network facilities will further strengthen our overall network quality and capacity in the area."

In December, TDS added a 300Mbps broadband service offering to the St. George community after completing a lengthy analog reclamation process to create an all-digital cable network. TDS' experience with commercial customers will also enable it to offer new services, including TDS managedIP, a voice over the internet protocol service (VoIP), to area businesses.

InterLinx provides wholesale fiber connections to businesses, as well as to local internet service providers (ISPs) and large carrier customers. Tonaquint Networks provides residential and business services via both fiber to the premises and wireless internet technologies.

"Our group has worked hard to provide additional internet options over the past few years," states Matt Hamlin, CEO at Tonaquint Networks. "Today, we feel strongly about TDS' ability to maximize the network infrastructure. We are extremely confident that our customers will be well-served by TDS and its vision for the southern Utah area. The demand for higher speeds and more bandwidth is growing exponentially. TDS is prepared for this future growth with its network investments and the acquisition of both InterLinx and Tonaquint Networks."

TDS — and its newest employees — will focus on a successful integration of the two companies. Butman added, "I'm pleased to report all of the Tonaquint Network/InterLinx employees have been offered positions and will work with TDS to support customers locally, in addition to helping us advance the network throughout Utah."

Employees from Tonaquint Networks, InterLinx and TDS will operate out of the current InterLinx office space in St. George.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 

TDS Telecommunications Corporation (TDS Telecom/TDS^®), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., is the seventh largest local exchange telephone company in the U.S. and a growing force in the cable industry. TDS provides 1.2 million connections to high-speed internet, phone, and TV entertainment services in more than 900 rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities. For residential customers, TDS deploys 1Gig internet access, IPTV service, cable TV options, and traditional wireline services. The company offers businesses advanced solutions, including: VoIP (managedIP Hosted voice), high-speed internet, fiber optics, data networking, and hosted-managed services. Visit www.tdstelecom.com or tdsbusiness.com.

Headquartered in Madison, Wis., TDS Telecom operates OneNeck IT Solutions LLC and TDS Broadband Service LLC, which includes BendBroadband in Central Oregon. Combined, the company employs more than 3,400 people.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [NYSE: TDS], a Fortune 500^® company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately six million customers nationwide through its businesses U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service LLC. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. employs 10,400 people. Visit tdsinc.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forward-looking statements. This includes all statements about the company's plans, beliefs, estimates, and expectations. These statements are based on current estimates, projections, and assumptions, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts of any pending acquisition and divestiture transactions, including, but not limited to, the ability to obtain regulatory approvals, successfully complete the transactions and the financial impacts of such transactions; the ability of the company to successfully manage and grow its markets; the overall economy; competition; the access to and pricing of unbundled network elements; the ability to obtain or maintain roaming arrangements with other carriers on acceptable terms; the state and federal telecommunications regulatory environment; the value of assets and investments; adverse changes in the ratings afforded TDS and U.S. Cellular debt securities by accredited ratings organizations; industry consolidation; advances in telecommunications technology; uncertainty of access to the capital markets; pending and future litigation; changes in income tax rates, laws, regulations or rulings; acquisitions/divestitures of properties and/or licenses; changes in customer growth rates, average monthly revenue per user, churn rates, roaming revenue and terms, the availability of wireless devices, or the mix of products and services offered by U.S. Cellular and TDS Telecom. Investors are encouraged to consider these and other risks and uncertainties that are discussed in the Form 8-K Current Report used by TDS to furnish this press release to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are incorporated by reference herein.

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SOURCE TDS Telecom; Telephone & Data Systems