Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Business Segment Information
Service	$ 1,072,179	$ 1,115,661	$ 2,152,421	$ 2,314,563
Equipment and product sales	164,213	112,505	279,933	222,176
Total operating revenues	1,236,392	1,228,166	2,432,354	2,536,739
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	286,488	275,837	562,446	574,964
Cost of equipment and products	313,011	239,894	619,658	500,659
Selling, general and administrative	470,902	470,720	934,571	957,623
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	204,567	254,203	429,486	496,280
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	7,903	8,319	10,333	13,935
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	2,611	(303,034)	(4,289)	(296,103)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	(49,090)	282,227	(28,405)	289,381
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	34,790	35,605	72,117	62,694
Interest and dividend income	2,751	2,600	5,237	4,178
Gain (loss) on investments		14,518		14,518
Interest expense	(27,898)	(23,749)	(56,605)	(48,247)
Other, net	50	(197)	210	(351)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(39,397)	311,004	(7,446)	322,173
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	204,567	254,203	429,486	496,280
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	2,611	(303,034)	(4,289)	(296,103)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Gain (loss) on investments		(14,518)		(14,518)
Interest expense	27,898	23,749	56,605	48,247
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	195,679	271,404	382,910	556,079
Investments in unconsolidated entities	308,661	312,046	308,661	312,046	301,772
Total assets	8,707,669	8,754,765	8,707,669	8,754,765	8,904,147
Capital expenditures	190,681	206,044	313,279	356,180
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Service	843,473	910,966	1,697,086	1,907,315
Equipment and product sales	114,300	84,164	186,498	169,561
Total operating revenues	957,773	995,130	1,883,584	2,076,876
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	187,131	192,267	367,738	408,566
Cost of equipment and products	271,978	217,070	542,452	458,761
Selling, general and administrative	404,252	404,127	799,816	824,207
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	148,337	202,580	316,090	392,425
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	6,893	9,018	8,827	14,452
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(10,511)	(249,024)	(17,411)	(242,093)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	(50,307)	219,092	(42,482)	220,558
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	33,120	35,602	70,195	62,437
Interest and dividend income	1,573	969	2,457	1,872
Gain (loss) on investments		18,527		18,527
Interest expense	(14,336)	(10,154)	(29,198)	(21,064)
Other, net	100	321	186	106
Income (loss) before income taxes	(29,850)	264,357	1,158	282,436
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	148,337	202,580	316,090	392,425
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(10,511)	(249,024)	(17,411)	(242,093)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Gain (loss) on investments		(18,527)		(18,527)
Interest expense	14,336	10,154	29,198	21,064
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	122,312	209,540	237,589	435,305
Investments in unconsolidated entities	270,215	276,363	270,215	276,363
Total assets	6,298,967	6,329,778	6,298,967	6,329,778
Capital expenditures	143,927	168,497	233,508	286,907
TDS Telecom Wireline
Business Segment Information
Service	180,297	181,428	357,230	362,106
Equipment and product sales	431	765	984	1,662
Total operating revenues	180,728	182,193	358,214	363,768
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	64,305	65,729	128,705	132,168
Cost of equipment and products	481	1,094	964	2,104
Selling, general and administrative	47,708	56,692	94,228	114,072
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	41,827	43,193	84,563	87,216
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	514	(765)	759	(602)
Operating income (loss)	25,893	16,250	48,995	28,810
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	4	7	4	14
Interest and dividend income	490	546	1,175	932
Interest expense	677	795	1,341	1,626
Other, net	(95)	(126)	(149)	(178)
Income (loss) before income taxes	26,969	17,472	51,366	31,204
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	41,827	43,193	84,563	87,216
Interest expense	(677)	(795)	(1,341)	(1,626)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	68,119	59,870	134,588	116,794
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,810	3,809	3,810	3,809
Total assets	1,408,809	1,473,173	1,408,809	1,473,173
Capital expenditures	27,370	33,342	50,268	61,207
TDS Telecom Cable
Business Segment Information
Service	22,484		44,987
Total operating revenues	22,484		44,987
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	11,394		22,349
Selling, general and administrative	6,285		12,663
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	4,557		8,918
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	425		490
Operating income (loss)	(177)		567
Interest and dividend income	1		2
Interest expense	30		35
Income (loss) before income taxes	(146)		604
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	4,557		8,918
Interest expense	(30)		(35)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	4,381		9,487
Total assets	287,809		287,809
Capital expenditures	7,181		13,400
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Service	27,575	23,205	54,951	45,205
Equipment and product sales	40,361	18,169	76,093	31,733
Total operating revenues	67,936	41,374	131,044	76,938
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	21,301	15,071	38,247	28,673
Cost of equipment and products	33,875	15,114	64,342	26,326
Selling, general and administrative	12,376	9,361	27,211	19,282
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,791	5,563	13,469	11,031
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	44	83	78	113
Operating income (loss)	(6,451)	(3,818)	(12,303)	(8,487)
Interest and dividend income	22	16	42	32
Interest expense	(439)	(403)	(860)	(808)
Other, net	45		179	(122)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(6,823)	(4,205)	(12,942)	(9,385)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,791	5,563	13,469	11,031
Interest expense	439	403	860	808
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	407	1,761	1,387	2,454
Total assets	335,680	267,062	335,680	267,062
Capital expenditures	10,628	2,258	13,379	4,849
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Service	(298)	(107)	(979)	(185)
Total operating revenues	(298)	(107)	(979)	(185)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	(249)	(107)	(894)	(185)
Selling, general and administrative	(49)		(85)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Service	230,058	204,526	456,189	407,126
Equipment and product sales	40,792	18,934	77,077	33,395
Total operating revenues	270,850	223,460	533,266	440,521
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	96,751	80,693	188,407	160,656
Cost of equipment and products	34,356	16,208	65,306	28,430
Selling, general and administrative	66,320	66,053	134,017	133,354
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	53,175	48,756	106,950	98,247
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	983	(682)	1,327	(489)
Operating income (loss)	19,265	12,432	37,259	20,323
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	4	7	4	14
Interest and dividend income	513	562	1,219	964
Interest expense	268	392	516	818
Other, net	(50)	(126)	30	(300)
Income (loss) before income taxes	20,000	13,267	39,028	21,819
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	53,175	48,756	106,950	98,247
Interest expense	(268)	(392)	(516)	(818)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	72,907	61,631	145,462	119,248
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,810	3,809	3,810	3,809
Total assets	2,032,298	1,740,235	2,032,298	1,740,235
Capital expenditures	45,179	35,600	77,047	66,056
Non-Reportable Segment
Business Segment Information
Service	4,505	4,956	9,018	9,589
Equipment and product sales	9,121	9,407	16,358	19,220
Total operating revenues	13,626	14,363	25,376	28,809
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	4,252	3,225	8,502	6,446
Cost of equipment and products	6,677	6,616	11,900	13,468
Selling, general and administrative	3,517	3,711	7,263	7,472
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,492	1,500	3,294	3,009
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	27	(1)	170
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	13,122		13,122
Operating income (loss)	(15,461)	(688)	(18,875)	(1,586)
Interest and dividend income		1		2
Interest expense	(1,149)	(1,001)	(2,218)	(1,983)
Other, net	(1)	(394)	(6)	(157)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(16,611)	(2,082)	(21,099)	(3,724)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,492	1,500	3,294	3,009
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	13,122		13,122
Interest expense	1,149	1,001	2,218	1,983
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	(848)	419	(2,465)	1,268
Total assets	46,610	59,293	46,610	59,293
Capital expenditures	308	232	403	517
Corporate, Eliminations and Other Reconciling Items
Business Segment Information
Service	(5,857)	(4,787)	(9,872)	(9,467)
Total operating revenues	(5,857)	(4,787)	(9,872)	(9,467)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	(1,646)	(348)	(2,201)	(704)
Selling, general and administrative	(3,187)	(3,171)	(6,525)	(7,410)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,563	1,367	3,152	2,599
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(16)	9	(28)
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(54,010)		(54,010)
Operating income (loss)	(2,587)	51,391	(4,307)	50,086
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	1,666	(4)	1,918	243
Interest and dividend income	665	1,068	1,561	1,340
Gain (loss) on investments		(4,009)		(4,009)
Interest expense	(12,681)	(12,986)	(25,705)	(26,018)
Other, net	1	2
Income (loss) before income taxes	(12,936)	35,462	(26,533)	21,642
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,563	1,367	3,152	2,599
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(54,010)		(54,010)
Gain (loss) on investments		4,009		4,009
Interest expense	12,681	12,986	25,705	26,018
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	1,308	(186)	2,324	258
Investments in unconsolidated entities	34,636	31,874	34,636	31,874
Total assets	329,794	625,459	329,794	625,459
Capital expenditures	$ 1,267	$ 1,715	$ 2,321	$ 2,700