Hilliary Communications to Acquire TDS Telecom’s Oklahoma Operations
Applicants assert that the deal qualifies for streamlined review.
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2025 – Hilliary Communications, a family-owned telecom provider based in Lawton, Oklahoma, will acquire TDS Telecom’s operations in the state.
The companies filed a request with the FCC on Tuesday seeking approval to transfer control of two Oklahoma incumbent local exchange carriers, Oklahoma Communications Systems and Mid-America Telephone. The deal was expected to close in the second half of 2025.
According to a company press release, the acquisition adds nearly 35,000 new locations to Hilliary Communications’ service footprint.
The applicants assert that the deal qualifies for streamlined review, noting that the companies collectively serve fewer than two percent of the nation's subscriber lines and do not meaningfully overlap in their market areas.
Both Oklahoma Communications and Mid-America Telephone participate in the FCC’s Enhanced A-CAM program, which requires providers to deliver broadband speeds of at least 100/20 Megabits per second (Mbps) to underserved rural areas.
Hilliary Communications will begin immediate planning to upgrade the acquired areas, including deploying fiber-to-the-home networks, modernizing infrastructure, and delivering future-ready broadband and communications services.
“This acquisition positions us to bring fiber internet and modern communications services to more areas of Oklahoma,” said Dustin Hilliary, co-CEO of Hilliary Communications.
The company has committed $250 million to expand broadband infrastructure across Oklahoma, Texas, and Iowa.
“We believe every community matters and that dependable, high-speed internet is the modern economic driver to unlock each community’s full potential,” added co-CEO Edward Hilliary, Jr. “We are excited to bring our team, our mission, and our infrastructure to the communities formerly served by TDS Telecom and to help future-proof them for generations to come.”
TDS Telecom President and CEO Ken Dixon said the divestiture would allow TDS to focus more heavily on its core fiber operations. “We are confident our customers and associates will continue to have a positive experience with their new company,” Dixon said.
The service areas being acquired, shown in light green on the map below, include dozens of towns across the state, from central Oklahoma communities like Choctaw and Jones, to areas near Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Lawton.
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