Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, divestitures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	36 Months Ended	29 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	May 16, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014 number	Jan. 31, 2015 number	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015
Divestitures
(Increase) decrease in Operating Income	$ (282,629,000)	$ (20,685,000)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873,000)	(91,446,000)
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	274,131,000	103,042,000
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(123,783,000)	(6,900,000)
Divestiture Transaction
Divestitures
Business divestiture description	On May 16, 2013, pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement, U.S. Cellular sold customers and certain PCS license spectrum to subsidiaries of Sprint Corp. fka Sprint Nextel Corporation (“Sprint”) in U.S. Cellular’s Chicago, central Illinois, St. Louis and certain Indiana/Michigan/Ohio markets (“Divestiture Markets”) in consideration for $480 million in cash. The Purchase and Sale Agreement also contemplated certain other agreements, together with the Purchase and Sale Agreement collectively referred to as the “Divestiture Transaction.” These agreements require Sprint to reimburse U.S. Cellular up to $200 million (the “Sprint Cost Reimbursement”) for certain network decommissioning costs, network site lease rent and termination costs, network access termination costs, and employee termination benefits for specified engineering employees.
U.S. Cellular
Divestitures
(Increase) decrease in Operating Income	(250,313,000)	(7,825,000)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873,000)	(91,446,000)
Divestiture Financial Impacts
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(111,477,000)	(6,900,000)
U.S. Cellular | Divestiture Transaction
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges			480,000,000
Contract termination costs		37,100,000
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(4,400,000)	(7,100,000)
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale
Divestitures
Business divestiture description	In December 2014, U.S. Cellular entered into an agreement with a third party to sell 595 towers and certain related contracts, assets, and liabilities for $159.0 million. This transaction was accomplished in two closings. The first closing occurred in December 2014 and included the sale of 236 towers, without tenants, for $10.0 million. On this same date, U.S. Cellular received $7.5 million in earnest money. At the time of the first closing, a $4.7 million gain was recorded. The second closing for the remaining 359 towers, primarily with tenants, took place in January 2015, at which time U.S. Cellular received $141.5 million in additional cash proceeds and recorded a gain of $119.6 million in (Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net.
Number Of Towers				595
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	159,000,000
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale - first closing
Divestitures
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net				(4,700,000)
Number Of Towers				236
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges				10,000,000
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale - second closing
Divestitures
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net					(119,600,000)
Number Of Towers					359
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges					141,500,000
U.S. Cellular | Sprint Cost Reimbursement | Maximum | Expected event | Divestiture Transaction
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges						200,000,000
U.S. Cellular | Sprint Cost Reimbursement | Cash received from divestitures | Divestiture Transaction
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	15,700,000	11,300,000					97,400,000
U.S. Cellular | Sprint Cost Reimbursement | (Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net | Divestiture Transaction
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges		44,600,000
U.S. Cellular | Earnest money received | Tower sale - first closing
Divestiture Financial Impacts
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges				$ 7,500,000