Business phone, IT and security FAQs: the questions we get asked most
Straight answers about TDS phones, managed IT, security, cabling and how we work. If yours is not here, call 631-333-7757 or email Helpdesk@teledataserve.com.
Getting started
How do I get a quote?
Send the quote form or call 631-333-7757. A TDS rep calls back, asks what you are running today and what is not working, and follows up with a written quote. There is no charge for the quote.
Where do you work?
TDS is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York. Technicians cover Suffolk, Nassau and all five boroughs of New York City every day, and TDS installs and services customer sites in 42 states. Hosted VoIP, Teams calling, AI voice agents and managed IT run anywhere in the country.
Do you work with small businesses?
Yes. Most TDS customers are small and mid-sized organizations: medical and dental practices, union offices, churches, country clubs, professional offices and multi-site businesses. Services are priced for the size of the business.
Can one company really handle phones, IT, cameras and cabling?
That is how TDS is built. The same team sells, installs and supports all of it, on one agreement, with one number to call. No vendor pointing at another vendor.
Phones and TDS Hosted VoIP
Can I keep my phone numbers?
Yes. Your numbers are ported to TDS on a scheduled cut-over date. The old system stays live until the new one answers.
What phones can I use?
Desk phones, softphones on a computer and the mobile app, all on the same extension. Phones arrive programmed and labelled.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Calls can be routed to cell phones or another location automatically, and voicemail keeps taking messages. Routing rules are set up with you before go-live.
Does Hosted VoIP include E911?
Yes. Each location and user is registered with a dispatchable address as required by federal law.
Can calls ring inside Microsoft Teams?
Yes. TDS TeamMate connects TDS Hosted VoIP to Microsoft Teams through Operator Connect, so the Teams dial pad places and receives calls on your TDS numbers.
Microsoft Teams calling (TDS TeamMate)
Do we need a calling plan for Microsoft Teams?
To call from inside the Microsoft Teams app, each user needs a calling plan. TDS provides that plan through TDS TeamMate, on your TDS numbers, so you do not buy one from Microsoft. Each user also needs Microsoft’s Teams Phone license. If you do not need calling inside Teams, your users can call from the TDS app on the TDS plan instead.
How long does TeamMate take to set up?
Operator Connect Express takes hours to configure and most customers are live in days. Users are enabled from the Teams admin center. As an example, a 70 phone office takes about 2 hours if extension names are entered by hand from Microsoft Teams, and about 30 minutes with auto provisioning.
Can we keep desk phones for reception?
Yes. Desk phones on TDS Hosted VoIP and Teams users share the same numbers and the same platform.
Is there any hardware to install?
No session border controller or on-site hardware is needed for Operator Connect Express.
Managed IT (TDS Guardian)
What is included in TDS Guardian?
24/7 remote helpdesk, managed endpoint protection and antivirus, EDR, 24/7 SOC monitoring and response, patch management and firmware updates, endpoint monitoring, network and firewall management, and Microsoft 365 administration. Guardian Plus adds vulnerability scanning and advanced email security. Guardian Elite adds security awareness training, phishing simulations, dark web credential monitoring, Microsoft 365 and SaaS backup, and cybersecurity coverage. Compare the tiers.
How fast do you respond?
First response is under 30 minutes, from a named engineer who knows your network. Security events are handled by the 24/7 SOC.
Is backup included?
Microsoft 365 and SaaS backup is included in Guardian Elite. Endpoint backup is an add-on with any tier.
Can you take over from our current IT company?
Yes. Onboarding starts with an inventory of every device, account and vendor, then monitoring and patching go on before anything is changed.
Cybersecurity and cyber insurance
What does TDS Cybersecurity cover?
24/7 SOC with managed detection and response, endpoint detection on every device, email and identity protection, and the reports insurers and auditors ask for. Penetration testing is available as an add-on.
Can you help with a cyber insurance renewal?
Yes. Every engagement starts with a baseline assessment and a scored report, then a prioritized plan. The documented controls are what carriers want to see.
AI voice agents
What does a TDS AI Voice Agent actually do?
It answers in natural language 24/7, handles routine questions, books, reschedules and confirms appointments, takes messages and transfers to staff with the caller’s details. Every call is transcribed and logged.
Will callers know it is an AI?
The agent is introduced the way you choose, and it hands off to a person whenever the rules you set say it should.
Which plan do we need?
Starter, Pro and Elite differ by call volume and features. The scoping call captures how you answer today and the right tier is quoted from that.
Cameras, Cabling and Projects
Do your cameras meet NDAA requirements?
Yes. TDS installs NDAA compliant equipment, which government and many commercial sites require.
Can I watch cameras from my phone?
Yes. Live view and recorded footage are available from a phone or a desk, and clips can be exported for police or insurance.
What cabling do you install?
Cat 6 and Cat 6A copper, fiber between floors and buildings, racks, wireless access points and in-building cellular. Every drop is labelled and tested, and you get the test results and a drawing.
Do you handle office moves?
Yes. TDS sequences the carrier, cabling, hardware and cut-over so staff sit down on move day and everything works.
Support and billing
How do I reach support?
Call 631-333-7757 or email Helpdesk@teledataserve.com. Email opens a ticket; a call gets a technician on it soonest.
Do you still service older phone systems?
Yes. Phone System Maintenance contracts cover existing systems with guaranteed response times, parts, labor and travel. When a repair stops making sense, we say so.
Is there a contract?
Services are sold on written agreements with the term, price and response times stated up front. Term options are quoted with your proposal.
Where is the customer portal?
Clients and partners sign in at My Account.
Ask a person, not a chatbot
Call 631-333-7757, or send the quote form and a TDS rep calls you back.