Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	$ 1,308,573	$ 1,305,791
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	559,892	509,211
Selling, general and administrative	486,903	507,599
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	242,077	197,434
Loss on asset disposals, net	5,616	2,079
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	6,931	(4,174)
Operating income (loss)	7,154	93,642
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	27,089	23,389
Interest and dividend income	1,578	2,183
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(24,498)	(24,464)
Other, net	(154)	228
Income before income taxes	11,169	94,978
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	242,077	197,434
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	6,931	(4,174)
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	24,498	24,464
Adjusted income before income taxes	284,675	312,702
Investments in unconsolidated entities	201,171	191,644	179,921
Total assets	8,501,823	8,172,668	8,623,900
Capital expenditures	150,136	228,464
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	1,081,746	1,092,121
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	457,990	420,200
Selling, general and administrative	420,080	442,244
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	189,845	146,685
Loss on asset disposals, net	5,434	2,003
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	6,931	(4,213)
Operating income (loss)	1,466	85,202
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	26,835	21,614
Interest and dividend income	903	1,043
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(10,910)	(13,411)
Other, net	(215)	202
Income before income taxes	18,079	94,650
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	189,845	146,685
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	6,931	(4,213)
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	10,910	13,411
Adjusted income before income taxes	225,765	250,533
Investments in unconsolidated entities	165,529	154,431
Total assets	6,523,635	6,341,435
Capital expenditures	118,410	201,337
TDS Telecom ILEC
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	141,520	145,065
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	47,595	49,168
Selling, general and administrative	41,839	41,514
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	38,576	37,778
Loss on asset disposals, net	122	27
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		39
Operating income (loss)	13,388	16,539
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	7	6
Interest and dividend income	329	630
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	759	455
Other, net	(52)	(156)
Income before income taxes	14,431	17,474
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	38,576	37,778
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		39
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(759)	(455)
Adjusted income before income taxes	52,248	54,836
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,814	3,813
Total assets	1,372,394	1,387,900
Capital expenditures	22,384	27,526
TDS Telecom CLEC
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	42,554	44,044
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	21,962	22,564
Selling, general and administrative	15,932	16,260
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	5,447	5,489
Loss on asset disposals, net	41	53
Operating income (loss)	(828)	(322)
Interest and dividend income	57	71
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	72	89
Income before income taxes	(699)	(162)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	5,447	5,489
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(72)	(89)
Adjusted income before income taxes	4,676	5,238
Total assets	112,497	113,520
Capital expenditures	5,482	5,058
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	35,564	17,558
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	24,814	9,774
Selling, general and administrative	9,921	6,732
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	5,468	4,176
Loss on asset disposals, net	30	1
Operating income (loss)	(4,669)	(3,125)
Interest and dividend income	16	2
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(405)	(241)
Other, net	(122)
Income before income taxes	(5,180)	(3,364)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	5,468	4,176
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	405	241
Adjusted income before income taxes	693	1,053
Total assets	264,586	208,785
Capital expenditures	2,591	3,091
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	(2,577)	(2,592)
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	(2,186)	(2,161)
Selling, general and administrative	(391)	(431)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	217,061	204,075
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	92,185	79,345
Selling, general and administrative	67,301	64,075
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	49,491	47,443
Loss on asset disposals, net	193	81
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		39
Operating income (loss)	7,891	13,092
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	7	6
Interest and dividend income	402	703
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	426	303
Other, net	(174)	(156)
Income before income taxes	8,552	13,948
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	49,491	47,443
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		39
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(426)	(303)
Adjusted income before income taxes	57,617	61,127
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,814	3,813
Total assets	1,749,477	1,710,205
Capital expenditures	30,457	35,675
Non-Reportable Segment
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	14,446	14,769
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	10,073	10,205
Selling, general and administrative	3,761	4,186
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,509	1,530
Loss on asset disposals, net	1
Operating income (loss)	(898)	(1,152)
Interest and dividend income	1	2
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(982)	(971)
Other, net	237	182
Income before income taxes	(1,642)	(1,939)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	1,509	1,530
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	982	971
Adjusted income before income taxes	849	562
Total assets	61,178	67,950
Capital expenditures	285	216
Other Reconciling Items
Business Segment Information
Operating revenues	(4,680)	(5,174)
Cost of services and products (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense reported below)	(356)	(539)
Selling, general and administrative	(4,239)	(2,906)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,232	1,776
Loss on asset disposals, net	(12)	(5)
Operating income (loss)	(1,305)	(3,500)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	247	1,769
Interest and dividend income	272	435
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	(13,032)	(10,385)
Other, net	(2)
Income before income taxes	(13,820)	(11,681)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense	1,232	1,776
(Interest expense) Capitalized interest	13,032	10,385
Adjusted income before income taxes	444	480
Investments in unconsolidated entities	31,828	33,400
Total assets	167,533	53,078
Capital expenditures	$ 984	$ (8,764)