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Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Cash and cash equivalents 471,901us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 830,014us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 740,481us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue $ 563,275us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Short-term investments   50,104us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent    
Fair Value | Level 1        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Cash and cash equivalents 471,901us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 830,014us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		    
Fair Value | Level 2 | Retail        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Long-term debt 1,414,105us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_PublicDebtMember		 1,048,010us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_PublicDebtMember		    
Fair Value | Level 2 | Institutional and Other        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Long-term debt 518,322us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember		 512,635us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember		    
Fair Value | U.S. Treasury Notes | Level 1        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Short-term investments   50,104us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember		    
Book Value        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Cash and cash equivalents 471,901us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 830,014us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		    
Book Value | Retail        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Long-term debt 1,453,250us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_PublicDebtMember		 1,178,250us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_PublicDebtMember		    
Book Value | Institutional and Other        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Long-term debt 537,471us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember		 537,454us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember		    
Book Value | U.S. Treasury Notes        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Short-term investments   50,104us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember		    
Institutional and Other | Minimum        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Fair value assumption, interest rate 0.00%tds_FairValueAssumptionsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		 0.00%tds_FairValueAssumptionsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		    
Institutional and Other | Maximum        
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions        
Fair value assumption, interest rate 7.25%tds_FairValueAssumptionsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		 7.35%tds_FairValueAssumptionsInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= tds_NonPublicDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember