TDS Telecom vs Cable: In-Depth Comparison

Xfinity vs TDS

TDS and Xfinity have two things in common: high speeds and rapidly evolving fiber or hybrid fiber offerings. The differences that matter for choosing one over the other are mostly in the details. Shoppers will need to consider everything from TV offerings to promotional pricing when making a judgment call.

XFINITY from Comcast At A Glance

Sales: (844) 910-2674
Support: (800) 934-6489
Website

Setup Service

(844) 910-2674

PRICE RANGE

$39.99-299.95/mo.

SPEED RANGE (DOWNLOAD)

15-2,000 Mbps

SPEED RANGE (UPLOAD)

Up to 2,000 Mbps

ACSI RATING

59% 59%

TECHNOLOGY

Cable

NETFLIX RANKING

8th ↓ (-1)

TDS Telecom At A Glance

Sales: (855) 220-2592
Support: (855) 220-2592
Website

Setup Service

(855) 220-2592

PRICE RANGE

$29.95-89.95/mo.

SPEED RANGE (DOWNLOAD)

50-1,000 Mbps

SPEED RANGE (UPLOAD)

10-400 Mbps

ACSI RATING

TECHNOLOGY

DSL

NETFLIX RANKING

38th (0)

Xfinity Overview

XFINITY from Comcast Internet services are one of the most widely available Internet options in the USA. They provide WiFi, phone service, and TV services.

TDS Overview

TDS Telecom sells DSL Internet (with cable in some areas) across the country, in addition to TV and phone services. Fiber service capable of gigabit rates is accesible at select locations.

Xfinity Internet Deals †

$39.99 for 300 mbps Cable
- 300 Mbps ↓ and 10 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1200 GB/mo data cap
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $100.95.
- Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount for 24 months.
- Setup: $0 (Free Getting Started Kit and shipping.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $14/mo
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.
$39.99 for 200 mbps Cable
- 200 Mbps ↓ and 5.0 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1200 GB/mo data cap
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $95.95.
- Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount for 24 months.
- Student-exclusive offer: Free $100 Visa® Prepaid Card and 6 months of Amazon Music Unlimited.
- Setup: $0 (Free Getting Started Kit and shipping.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $14/mo
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.
$54.95 for 15 mbps Cable
- 15 Mbps ↓ and -- Mbps ↑ w/ a 1200 GB/mo data cap
- Setup: $0 (Free Self-Install Kit and shipping.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $14/mo
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.
$59.99 for 600 mbps Cable
- 600 Mbps ↓ and 15 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1200 GB/mo data cap
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $105.95.
- Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount for 24 months.
- Setup: $0 (Free Getting Started Kit and shipping.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $14/mo
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.
$79.99 for 1,200 mbps Cable
- 1,200 Mbps ↓ and 35 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1200 GB/mo data cap
- 3-year promo rate.
- Contract Term: 2 years
- Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount for 24 months.
- Wireless Gateway free for 24 months
- Setup: Free Getting Started Kit and shipping.
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.
$299.95 for 2,000 mbps Fiber
- 2,000 Mbps ↓ and 2,000 Mbps ↑
- Contract Term: 2 years
- Call (866) 736-3035 to setup service.

Show All Deals (15)

Last updated on 1/14/2021

†All plans not available in all areas or to all customers. Verify details with Xfinity.

TDS Internet Deals †

$29.95 for 50 mbps DSL
- Download speeds of 36 to 50 Mbps and 1.5 to 10 Mbps upload speeds
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $66.95.
- Some areas have a 250GB data allowance, other markets have no usage caps.
- Setup: $14.95 (Includes equipment one-time handling fee and free professional installation.)
- Modem: $9/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$39.95 for 100 mbps DSL
- Download speeds of 75 to 100 Mbps and 7 to 15 Mbps upload speeds
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $66.95.
- Some areas have a 250GB data allowance, other markets have no usage caps.
- Setup: $14.95 (Includes equipment one-time handling fee and free professional installation.)
- Modem: $9/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$39.95 for 100 mbps Cable
- 100 Mbps ↓ and 10 Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $64.00.
- Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $10/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$49.95 for 300 mbps Fiber
- 300 Mbps ↓ and 300 Mbps ↑
- 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $71.95.
- Some areas have a 250GB data allowance, other markets have no usage caps.
- Setup: $14.95 (Includes equipment one-time handling fee and free professional installation. $100 processing fee waiver available to qualifying customers.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $9/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$59.95 for 300 mbps Cable
- 300 Mbps ↓ and 10 Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $84.00.
- Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $10/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$69.95 for 600 mbps Fiber
- 600 Mbps ↓ and 400 Mbps ↑
- 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $91.95.
- Some areas have a 250GB data allowance, other markets have no usage caps.
- Setup: $14.95 (Includes equipment one-time handling fee and free professional installation. $100 processing fee waiver available to qualifying customers.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $9/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$79.95 for 1,000 mbps Cable
- 1,000 Mbps ↓ and 20 Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
- 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $104.00.
- Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $10/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.
$89.95 for 1,000 mbps Fiber
- 1,000 Mbps ↓ and 400 Mbps ↑
- 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $111.95.
- Some areas have a 250GB data allowance, other markets have no usage caps.
- Setup: $14.95 (Includes equipment one-time handling fee and free professional installation. $100 processing fee waiver available to qualifying customers.)
- Modem w/ WiFi: $9/mo
- Call (855) 220-2592 to setup service.

Last updated on 8/18/2020

†All plans not available in all areas or to all customers. Verify details with TDS.

Xfinity: Datacaps From 1200 GB/mo.

We have found plans that include datacaps. Xfinity offer plans with data caps regionally or nationwide. Be sure to verify plan details before purchasing.

TDS: No Datacap Found

We have not found plans that include data caps. This doesn't mean TDS doesn't have data caps, just that we haven't found them when collecting their plans. Always verify plan details before purchasing.

Xfinity's Technology

Xfinity Internet are mostly cable, meaning digital signals share the cable that sends cable TV signal to your home.

Cable providers use copper lines, which can hold much more bandwidth than DSL.

It's worth noting that cable networks like Xfinity usually have much higher download than upload speeds.

Xfinity has upgraded to gigabit download speeds in select locations, thanks to DOCSIS 3.1.

TDS's Technology

TDS provides a plethora of services including Internet, phone, and TV service to their residential and business customers. They mostly offer DSL, as well as cable and fiber.

DSL service is delivered through offices near customer addresses using copper phone lines.

Cable, on the other hand, is generally delivered via fiber until it reaches a “node” in local areas, at which point data is switched over to an existing TV cable coaxial network. ^[3]

TDS fiber plans are delivered via 100% fiber optic cabling, usually Fiber to the Home, allowing download and upload speeds up to 1,000 Mbps under ideal circumstances. TDS Fiber is the fastest, followed by cable, with DSL being the slowest.

Xfinity Installation

Comast self-install is the fastest choice for the majority of customers.

New signups will get a kit with step-by-step instructions.

Technician installation is also available, although it often requires a nominal fee. For customers getting TV service, scheduling a professional installation appointment is recommended, as the installation is more complex — especially with their new X1 TV setup.

TDS Installation

TDS is straightforward when it comes to installation, particularly for buildings already wired to receive TDS television. Self-installation is doable for cable plans.

Professional installation is available for subscribers who want help. It can be scheduled directly through TDS (generally for a small fee).

Xfinity Coverage & Availability

XFINITY from Comcast Interactive SVG Map showing broadband coverage.

TDS Coverage & Availability

TDS Telecom Interactive SVG Map showing broadband coverage.

ACSI ratings and IP-verification matter

Customer reviews are the best source for insider opinions

The ACSI ratings above are based on data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a nationwide standard for assessing consumer happiness.^[1] Data is collected manually by trained professionals to ensure the highest accuracy possible. IP-verified ratings, on the other hand, are also significantly more trustworthy than unverified online reviews or comments. BroadbandNow uses IP address verification to ensure that only existing customer are able to leave ratings for their provider. Broadband is central to personal and work communication, so a provider with high customer ratings for quality of service and fast dispute resolution is probably worth choosing, even if their plans are slightly higher priced.

Keep an eye on early termination fees

The details are worth looking at before you sign

It’s common practice for broadband communication companies to offer promotional pricing to new customers. This makes sense, and also draws in subscribers switching from other providers out of frustration. There are some great deals to be had, but it’s critical to make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to. First, average in the final monthly price when you decided which plan to pick.

If the final price is high, even a very appealing sign-up promotion might not be worth it, since it’ll just cancel out and switch to the regular price after a few months. Additionally, keep an eye on what your early termination fees will be if you break the contract early. Students, young professionals, and anyone who moves on a semi-regular basis should be careful about signing a multi-year contract with a steep early termination fee.^[2]

References and Footnotes

Last updated on 1/8/2021.