To cancel TDS internet, call 1-888-CALL-TDS (225-5837) and tell the representative you want to disconnect service; there is no online cancellation option.1TDS Telecom. Cancelling Service(s) The call itself is short. What costs people money is what happens around it: TDS doesn’t prorate your final month, you have 30 days to return the equipment, and if you’re still inside a promotional term you may owe an early termination fee.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
TDS verifies you by the email address, phone number, or PIN on file, so have at least one of those in front of you.2TDS Telecom. Register For TDS Online MyAccount Access A recent bill helps too, since it shows your account number and current plan. If you’re calling for someone else, the primary account holder may need to authorize the request themselves.
Take a minute to look at the equipment TDS installed. Modems, routers, and Wi-Fi extenders from TDS usually have a manufacturer sticker with a serial number on the underside. Knowing which pieces are theirs and which are yours makes the return conversation faster.
Making the Cancellation Call
When you reach an agent, be direct. Say you want to disconnect your internet service and give the date you want it to stop. Expect a retention pitch — plan changes, discounts, a lower tier — and if you’ve already decided, say so to keep the call moving.
Time your disconnection date carefully. TDS does not prorate monthly service charges, so you pay for the entire billing cycle regardless of when in that cycle you cut off service.3TDS Cable. Service Terms for Residential Internet, TV, and Home Phone Services Canceling near the end of your cycle gets you the most out of the payment you’ve already committed to.
Before you hang up, ask for a confirmation number or an email summary of the request. TDS’s own cancellation page warns that if a disconnection request hasn’t been received, regular monthly charges keep coming.1TDS Telecom. Cancelling Service(s) Written proof is your only defense if the request falls through the cracks.
Returning Your Equipment Within 30 Days
After the cancellation is processed, TDS automatically sends a return kit with a box and a prepaid UPS shipping label.1TDS Telecom. Cancelling Service(s) You don’t have to request it. During the call, the representative will confirm exactly which devices go back; some equipment may be exempt.
Once the kit arrives, pack the equipment, attach the prepaid label, and drop the box at any UPS location or drop box.1TDS Telecom. Cancelling Service(s) Keep the tracking number from the drop-off receipt. It’s your only proof the package is in transit if TDS later says nothing arrived.
TDS must receive the returned equipment within 30 days of cancellation, or you’ll be charged unreturned equipment fees.1TDS Telecom. Cancelling Service(s) The specific charges aren’t published on TDS’s website, but modem and router replacement costs add up fast. Ship as soon as the kit arrives.
Your Final Bill and Early Termination Fees
Your final bill will include the full monthly charge for the cycle in which you canceled, even if you disconnected on the second day. Two narrow exceptions to the no-proration rule exist: active military personnel disconnecting due to deployment, and customers returning leased TV or data equipment.4TDS Telecom. Disclaimers – Section: TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
If your plan has a minimum service term, usually tied to a promotional rate, canceling early can trigger a termination charge.3TDS Cable. Service Terms for Residential Internet, TV, and Home Phone Services TDS doesn’t publish a standard dollar amount, and the charge varies by plan and promotion. Some current TDS internet plans advertise no contract, meaning no termination fee would apply. Ask the representative on the cancellation call whether your specific plan carries a charge and how much it is. Get the number confirmed in writing before service is disconnected.
Pay the final balance promptly. An unpaid balance can go to collections, and your account won’t fully close until TDS has confirmed both payment and equipment return.
If You’re Not Really Leaving TDS
Two situations don’t call for a full cancellation. If you’re moving somewhere TDS still serves, call 1-888-657-0547 to transfer your existing service to the new address.5TDS Telecom. Moving? Bring Your TDS Services With You A transfer keeps your current plan and sidesteps any early termination fee a cancellation would trigger.
If you only need a pause, such as for a seasonal home, TDS offers a seasonal hold in some service areas. The hold requires a minimum of one month and allows up to two inactive periods per calendar year, with active-duty military personnel exempt from the maximum suspension timeframe. Pricing depends on your location, so contact TDS to confirm availability and the monthly charge.6TDS. Seasonal Service Hold