Variable Interest Entities VIEs (Details) (USD $)							3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013 Variable Interest Entities (VIE's)	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest Entities (VIE's)	Mar. 31, 2013 Airadigm Communications, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 766,700,000	$ 740,481,000	$ 639,130,000	$ 563,275,000	$ 3,465,000	$ 7,028,000
Other current assets	30,498,000	32,815,000			178,000	3,267,000
Licenses and other Intangible assets					308,091,000	325,707,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,906,595,000	3,997,266,000			15,899,000	31,544,000
Other assets and deferred charges	130,321,000	133,150,000			1,449,000	3,026,000
Total assets					329,082,000	370,572,000
Liabilities
Current liabilities	817,111,000	924,608,000			82,000	9,985,000
Deferred liabilities and credits					3,015,000	6,213,000
Total liabilities					3,097,000	16,198,000
Business Acquisition, Preexisting Relationship
Date of acquisition							Mar. 13, 2013
Voting stock acquired							37.00%
Cash paid to acquire							$ 3,500,000
Acquired entity							Airadigm Communications, Inc.
Acquisition description							On March 13, 2013, TDS acquired the 37% ownership interest in Airadigm Communications, Inc. (“Airadigm”) that it did not own for $3.5 million, and now owns 100%. Prior to this acquisition, TDS consolidated Airadigm as a VIE. Subsequent to the acquisition date, Airadigm ceased to be a VIE but continues to be consolidated based on TDS’ controlling financial interest in the entity.