Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, exchanges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Exchanges
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges	$ (91,446,000)
Carrying value	1,448,598,000	1,423,779,000
U.S. Cellular
Exchanges
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges	(91,446,000)
U.S. Cellular | Spectrum exchange
Exchanges
Agreement date	Feb. 14, 2014
Asset exchange description	On February 14, 2014, U.S. Cellular completed an exchange whereby U.S. Cellular received one E block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI in exchange for one D block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI. The exchange of licenses provided U.S. Cellular with spectrum to meet anticipated future capacity and coverage requirements. No cash, customers, network assets, other assets or liabilities were included in the exchange. As a result of this transaction, TDS recognized a gain of $15.7 million, representing the difference between the $15.9 million fair value of the license surrendered, calculated using a market approach valuation method, and the $0.2 million carrying value of the license surrendered. This gain was recorded in (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014.
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges	(15,700,000)
Fair value	15,900,000
Carrying value	$ 200,000
Asset exchange, valuation method	market approach valuation method