MONROE - At a time when many companies are downsizing, TDS Telecom was happy to announce 14 new full-time positions were opened and filled at the Monroe office during the first quarter of 2008.

The openings were part of TDS Telecom's move to decentralize its call centers.

The new positions included technical customer operations advisors and residential sales and services advisors. Both positions handle calls from around the world.

According to Cindy Tomlinson, associate manager of TDS public relations, TDS now has 46 employees at its Monroe location at 827 16th Ave.

The new hires "doubled the residential sales and service advisors and creates three times more technical advisors," she said.

Tomlinson said the openings were posted just after the first of the year and were filled by "very qualified candidates."

New openings were added in other selected areas around the country, which TDS believes serves local economic development.

Technical customer operations advisors provide technical assistance to TDS phone and high-speed Internet customers. Residential sales and service advisors assist customers in choosing products and services to best meet their needs.

TDS provides local and long-distance phone service, caller-ID, voice mail, Internet, Dish Network and product bundles.