Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Business Segment Information
Service	$ 1,081,472	$ 1,079,157	$ 3,233,893	$ 3,393,720
Equipment and product sales	198,551	101,823	478,484	323,999
Total operating revenues	1,280,023	1,180,980	3,712,377	3,717,719
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	297,183	267,337	859,629	842,301
Cost of equipment and products	349,209	213,948	968,867	714,607
Selling, general and administrative	465,014	476,864	1,399,585	1,434,487
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	205,529	255,295	635,015	751,575
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	9,293	2,155	19,626	16,090
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(4,790)	(1,534)	(9,079)	(297,637)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	(125,415)	(33,085)	(153,820)	256,296
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	36,081	37,609	108,198	100,303
Interest and dividend income	4,526	2,507	9,763	6,685
Gain (loss) on investments				14,518
Interest expense	(27,170)	(24,961)	(83,775)	(73,208)
Other, net	69	145	279	(206)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(111,909)	(17,785)	(119,355)	304,388
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	205,529	255,295	635,015	751,575
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(4,790)	(1,534)	(9,079)	(297,637)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Gain (loss) on investments				(14,518)
Interest expense	27,170	24,961	83,775	73,208
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	200,000	260,937	582,910	817,016
Investments in unconsolidated entities	335,448	345,411	335,448	345,411	301,772
Total assets	8,640,548	8,699,700	8,640,548	8,699,700	8,904,147
Capital expenditures	195,225	281,248	508,504	637,428
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Service	851,063	862,330	2,548,149	2,769,645
Equipment and product sales	149,356	76,906	335,854	246,467
Total operating revenues	1,000,419	939,236	2,884,003	3,016,112
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	199,750	177,431	567,488	585,997
Cost of equipment and products	307,862	193,392	850,314	652,153
Selling, general and administrative	397,545	410,468	1,197,361	1,234,675
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	148,952	200,985	465,042	593,410
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	7,947	1,701	16,774	16,153
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(10,283)	(1,534)	(27,694)	(243,627)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	(51,354)	(43,207)	(93,836)	177,351
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	35,971	37,360	106,166	99,797
Interest and dividend income	3,572	1,095	6,029	2,967
Gain (loss) on investments				18,527
Interest expense	(13,514)	(11,329)	(42,712)	(32,393)
Other, net	95	47	281	153
Income (loss) before income taxes	(25,230)	(16,034)	(24,072)	266,402
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	148,952	200,985	465,042	593,410
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(10,283)	(1,534)	(27,694)	(243,627)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges			(91,446)
Gain (loss) on investments				(18,527)
Interest expense	13,514	11,329	42,712	32,393
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	126,953	194,746	364,542	630,051
Investments in unconsolidated entities	296,900	309,481	296,900	309,481
Total assets	6,257,075	6,259,854	6,257,075	6,259,854
Capital expenditures	142,452	242,459	375,960	529,366
TDS Telecom Wireline
Business Segment Information
Service	177,650	181,087	534,880	543,193
Equipment and product sales	425	713	1,409	2,375
Total operating revenues	178,075	181,800	536,289	545,568
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	64,072	67,308	192,777	199,476
Cost of equipment and products	829	941	1,793	3,045
Selling, general and administrative	46,627	53,254	140,855	167,326
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	41,358	42,136	125,921	129,352
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	743	426	1,502	(176)
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(2,201)		(2,201)
Operating income (loss)	26,647	17,735	75,642	46,545
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	2	2	6	16
Interest and dividend income	569	331	1,744	1,263
Gain (loss) on investments		830		830
Interest expense	598	794	1,939	2,420
Other, net	71	(35)	(78)	(213)
Income (loss) before income taxes	27,887	19,657	79,253	50,861
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	41,358	42,136	125,921	129,352
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(2,201)		(2,201)
Gain (loss) on investments		(830)		(830)
Interest expense	(598)	(794)	(1,939)	(2,420)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	66,446	60,169	201,034	176,963
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,804	3,809	3,804	3,809
Total assets	1,385,524	1,464,208	1,385,524	1,464,208
Capital expenditures	34,243	32,792	84,511	93,998
TDS Telecom Cable
Business Segment Information
Service	28,519	14,362	73,506	14,362
Total operating revenues	28,519	14,362	73,506	14,362
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	12,651	6,727	35,000	6,727
Selling, general and administrative	9,948	5,184	22,611	5,184
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,171	2,914	15,089	2,914
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	626		1,116
Operating income (loss)	(877)	(463)	(310)	(463)
Interest and dividend income	(1)		1
Interest expense	32	(32)	67	(32)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(846)	(495)	(242)	(495)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,171	2,914	15,089	2,914
Interest expense	(32)	32	(67)	32
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	5,293	2,451	14,780	2,451
Total assets	543,731	276,943	543,731	276,943
Capital expenditures	7,598	1,400	20,998	1,400
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Service	27,806	23,200	82,757	68,405
Equipment and product sales	39,737	15,527	115,830	47,260
Total operating revenues	67,543	38,727	198,587	115,665
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	19,442	14,369	57,689	43,042
Cost of equipment and products	33,819	13,149	98,161	39,475
Selling, general and administrative	12,724	10,064	39,935	29,346
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,726	6,255	20,195	17,286
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(2)	10	76	123
Operating income (loss)	(89,166)	(5,120)	(101,469)	(13,607)
Interest and dividend income	(23)	15	19	47
Interest expense	(343)	(397)	(1,203)	(1,205)
Other, net	(86)	111	93	(11)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(89,618)	(5,391)	(102,560)	(14,776)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,726	6,255	20,195	17,286
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
Interest expense	343	397	1,203	1,205
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	1,451	1,261	2,838	3,715
Total assets	255,519	264,675	255,519	264,675
Capital expenditures	9,800	2,371	23,179	7,220
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Service	(980)	(346)	(1,959)	(531)
Total operating revenues	(980)	(346)	(1,959)	(531)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	(926)	(322)	(1,820)	(507)
Selling, general and administrative	(54)	(24)	(139)	(24)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Service	232,995	218,303	689,184	625,429
Equipment and product sales	40,162	16,240	117,239	49,635
Total operating revenues	273,157	234,543	806,423	675,064
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	95,239	88,082	283,646	248,738
Cost of equipment and products	34,648	14,090	99,954	42,520
Selling, general and administrative	69,245	68,478	203,262	201,832
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	54,255	51,305	161,205	149,552
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	1,367	436	2,694	(53)
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(2,201)		(2,201)
Operating income (loss)	(63,396)	12,152	(26,137)	32,475
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	2	2	6	16
Interest and dividend income	545	346	1,764	1,310
Gain (loss) on investments		830		830
Interest expense	287	365	803	1,183
Other, net	(15)	76	15	(224)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(62,577)	13,771	(23,549)	35,590
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	54,255	51,305	161,205	149,552
Loss on impairment of assets	84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(2,201)		(2,201)
Gain (loss) on investments		(830)		(830)
Interest expense	(287)	(365)	(803)	(1,183)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	73,190	63,881	218,652	183,129
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,804	3,809	3,804	3,809
Total assets	2,184,774	2,005,826	2,184,774	2,005,826
Capital expenditures	51,641	36,563	128,688	102,618
Non-Reportable Segment
Business Segment Information
Service	3,356	5,475	12,374	15,064
Equipment and product sales	9,033	8,677	25,391	27,897
Total operating revenues	12,389	14,152	37,765	42,961
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	3,332	4,051	11,834	10,497
Cost of equipment and products	6,703	6,466	18,603	19,934
Selling, general and administrative	3,022	3,295	10,285	10,767
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	725	1,485	4,019	4,494
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		32	170	32
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	7,694		20,816
Operating income (loss)	(9,087)	(1,177)	(27,962)	(2,763)
Interest and dividend income	1	1	1	3
Interest expense	(964)	(1,024)	(3,182)	(3,007)
Other, net	(5)	4	(11)	(153)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(10,055)	(2,196)	(31,154)	(5,920)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	725	1,485	4,019	4,494
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	7,694		20,816
Interest expense	964	1,024	3,182	3,007
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	(672)	313	(3,137)	1,581
Total assets	54,302	58,697	54,302	58,697
Capital expenditures	161	203	629	720
Corporate, Eliminations and Other Reconciling Items
Business Segment Information
Service	(5,942)	(6,951)	(15,814)	(16,418)
Total operating revenues	(5,942)	(6,951)	(15,814)	(16,418)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	(1,138)	(2,227)	(3,339)	(2,931)
Cost of equipment and products	(4)		(4)
Selling, general and administrative	(4,798)	(5,377)	(11,323)	(12,787)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,597	1,520	4,749	4,119
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(21)	(14)	(12)	(42)
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net				(54,010)
Operating income (loss)	(1,578)	(853)	(5,885)	49,233
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	108	247	2,026	490
Interest and dividend income	408	1,065	1,969	2,405
Gain (loss) on investments		(830)		(4,839)
Interest expense	(12,979)	(12,973)	(38,684)	(38,991)
Other, net	(6)	18	(6)	18
Income (loss) before income taxes	(14,047)	(13,326)	(40,580)	8,316
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,597	1,520	4,749	4,119
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net				(54,010)
Gain (loss) on investments		830		4,839
Interest expense	12,979	12,973	38,684	38,991
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxes	529	1,997	2,853	2,255
Investments in unconsolidated entities	34,744	32,121	34,744	32,121
Total assets	144,397	375,323	144,397	375,323
Capital expenditures	$ 971	$ 2,023	$ 3,227	$ 4,724