Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014
Business Segment Information
Service	$ 1,073,091		$ 1,080,242
Equipment and product sales	178,502		115,720
Total operating revenues	1,251,593		1,195,962
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	293,647		275,958
Cost of equipment and products	271,981		306,647
Selling, general and administrative	438,040		463,669
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	206,575		224,919
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	5,377		2,430
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(123,783)		(6,900)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873)		(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	282,629		20,685
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	34,641		37,327
Interest and dividend income	8,385		2,486
Interest expense	(33,830)		(28,707)
Other, net	(4)		160
Income before income taxes	291,821		31,951
Income tax expense	116,020		11,657
Net income	175,801		20,294
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	206,575		224,919
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	5,377		2,430
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(123,783)		(6,900)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873)		(91,446)
Interest expense	33,830		28,707
Income tax expense (benefit)	116,020		11,657
Adjusted EBITDA	290,947	[1]	189,661	[1]
Investments in unconsolidated entities	343,382		326,279		321,729
Total assets	8,996,238		8,749,303		8,906,939
Capital expenditures	104,637		122,598
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Service	828,211		853,613
Equipment and product sales	137,034		72,198
Total operating revenues	965,245		925,811
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	190,677		180,607
Cost of equipment and products	238,301		270,474
Selling, general and administrative	368,968		395,564
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	147,085		167,753
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	4,251		1,934
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(111,477)		(6,900)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873)		(91,446)
Operating income (loss)	250,313		7,825
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	34,471		37,075
Interest and dividend income	7,566		884
Interest expense	(19,964)		(14,862)
Other, net	105		86
Income before income taxes	272,491		31,008
Income tax expense	107,501	[2]	12,604	[2]
Net income	164,990		18,404
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	147,085		167,753
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	4,251		1,934
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(111,477)		(6,900)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(122,873)		(91,446)
Interest expense	19,964		14,862
Income tax expense (benefit)	107,501	[2]	12,604	[2]
Adjusted EBITDA	209,441	[1]	117,211	[1]
Investments in unconsolidated entities	304,501		289,842
Total assets	6,606,378		6,338,334
Capital expenditures	66,460		89,581
TDS Telecom Wireline
Business Segment Information
Service	175,691		176,933
Equipment and product sales	444		553
Total operating revenues	176,135		177,486
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	62,427		64,400
Cost of equipment and products	563		483
Selling, general and administrative	45,669		46,520
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	42,009		42,736
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	518		245
Operating income (loss)	24,949		23,102
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	4
Interest and dividend income	455		685
Interest expense	301		664
Other, net	(18)		(54)
Income before income taxes	25,691		24,397
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	42,009		42,736
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	518		245
Interest expense	(301)		(664)
Adjusted EBITDA	67,917	[1]	66,714	[1]
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,805		3,807
Total assets	1,366,467		1,426,408
Capital expenditures	20,441		22,898
TDS Telecom Cable
Business Segment Information
Service	43,481		22,503
Equipment and product sales	88
Total operating revenues	43,569		22,503
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	19,948		10,955
Cost of equipment and products	60
Selling, general and administrative	12,625		6,378
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	8,719		4,361
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	682		65
Operating income (loss)	1,535		744
Interest and dividend income	5		1
Interest expense	100		5
Other, net	1
Income before income taxes	1,641		750
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	8,719		4,361
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	682		65
Interest expense	(100)		(5)
Adjusted EBITDA	10,942	[1]	5,171	[1]
Total assets	566,105		280,891
Capital expenditures	11,626		6,219
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Service	28,416		27,376
Equipment and product sales	32,545		35,732
Total operating revenues	60,961		63,108
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	20,028		16,946
Cost of equipment and products	27,130		30,467
Selling, general and administrative	12,690		14,835
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,435		6,678
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(70)		34
Operating income (loss)	(5,252)		(5,852)
Interest and dividend income	14		20
Interest expense	(500)		(421)
Other, net	(93)		134
Income before income taxes	(5,831)		(6,119)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	6,435		6,678
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(70)		34
Interest expense	500		421
Adjusted EBITDA	1,034	[1]	1,014	[1]
Total assets	274,690		313,521
Capital expenditures	4,829		2,751
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Service	(680)		(681)
Total operating revenues	(680)		(681)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	(593)		(645)
Selling, general and administrative	(87)		(36)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Service	246,908		226,131
Equipment and product sales	33,077		36,285
Total operating revenues	279,985		262,416
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	101,810		91,656
Cost of equipment and products	27,753		30,950
Selling, general and administrative	70,897		67,697
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	57,163		53,775
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	1,130		344
Operating income (loss)	21,232		17,994
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	4
Interest and dividend income	474		706
Interest expense	(99)		248
Other, net	(110)		80
Income before income taxes	21,501		19,028
Income tax expense	8,180	[2]	7,545	[2]
Net income	13,321		11,483
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	57,163		53,775
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	1,130		344
Interest expense	99		(248)
Income tax expense (benefit)	8,180	[2]	7,545	[2]
Adjusted EBITDA	79,893	[1]	72,899	[1]
Investments in unconsolidated entities	3,805		3,807
Total assets	2,207,262		2,020,820
Capital expenditures	36,896		31,868
Corporate, Eliminations and Other
Business Segment Information
Service	(2,028)		498
Equipment and product sales	8,391		7,237
Total operating revenues	6,363		7,735
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	1,160		3,695
Cost of equipment and products	5,927		5,223
Selling, general and administrative	(1,825)		408
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	2,327		3,391
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(4)		152
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(12,306)
Operating income (loss)	11,084		(5,134)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	166		252
Interest and dividend income	345		896
Interest expense	(13,767)		(14,093)
Other, net	1		(6)
Income before income taxes	(2,171)		(18,085)
Income tax expense	339	[2]	(8,492)	[2]
Net income	(2,510)		(9,593)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	2,327		3,391
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	(4)		152
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(12,306)
Interest expense	13,767		14,093
Income tax expense (benefit)	339	[2]	(8,492)	[2]
Adjusted EBITDA	1,613	[1]	(449)	[1]
Investments in unconsolidated entities	35,076		32,630
Total assets	182,598		390,149
Capital expenditures	$ 1,281		$ 1,149

[1] Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and accretion (“Adjusted EBITDA”) is a segment measure reported to the chief operating decision maker for purposes of making decisions about allocating resources to the segments and assessing their performance. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income, adjusted for the items set forth in the reconciliation above. Adjusted EBITDA excludes these items in order to show operating results on a more comparable basis from period to period. From time to time, TDS may also exclude other items from Adjusted EBITDA if such items help reflect operating results on a more comparable basis. TDS does not intend to imply that any of such items that are excluded are non-recurring, infrequent or unusual; such items may occur in the future. TDS believes Adjusted EBITDA is a useful measure of TDS’ operating results before significant recurring non-cash charges, discrete gains and losses, and other items as indicated above.

[2] Income tax expense (benefit) is not provided at the individual segment level for Wireline, Cable and HMS. TDS calculates income tax expense for "TDS Telecom Total".