Business Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Segment Information
Service		$ 1,070,650	$ 1,072,179	$ 2,143,741	$ 2,152,421
Equipment and product sales		205,745	164,213	384,247	279,933
Total operating revenues		1,276,395	1,236,392	2,527,988	2,432,354
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		300,152	286,488	593,799	562,446
Cost of equipment and products		298,450	313,011	570,431	619,658
Selling, general and administrative		435,430	470,902	873,470	934,571
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		211,104	204,567	417,679	429,486
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		4,752	7,903	10,129	10,333
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(5,589)	2,611	(129,372)	(4,289)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(25)		(122,898)	(91,446)
Operating income (loss)		32,121	(49,090)	314,750	(28,405)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		35,412	34,790	70,053	72,117
Interest and dividend income		10,117	2,751	18,502	5,237
Interest expense		(33,919)	(27,898)	(67,749)	(56,605)
Other, net		202	50	198	210
Income (loss) before income taxes		43,933	(39,397)	335,754	(7,446)
Income tax expense		17,433	(13,671)	133,453	(2,014)
Net income (loss)		26,500	(25,726)	202,301	(5,432)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		211,104	204,567	417,679	429,486
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		4,752	7,903	10,129	10,333
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(5,589)	2,611	(129,372)	(4,289)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(25)		(122,898)	(91,446)
Interest expense		33,919	27,898	67,749	56,605
Income tax expense (benefit)		17,433	(13,671)	133,453	(2,014)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	288,094	203,582	579,041	393,243
Investments in unconsolidated entities		364,205	308,661	364,205	308,661	$ 321,729
Total assets		8,986,312	8,707,669	8,986,312	8,707,669	$ 8,906,939
Capital expenditures		188,600	190,681	293,237	313,279
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Service		824,373	843,473	1,652,584	1,697,086
Equipment and product sales		151,294	114,300	288,328	186,498
Total operating revenues		975,667	957,773	1,940,912	1,883,584
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		196,276	187,131	386,953	367,738
Cost of equipment and products		253,671	271,978	491,972	542,452
Selling, general and administrative		362,971	404,252	731,939	799,816
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		150,581	148,337	297,666	316,090
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		5,399	6,893	9,650	8,827
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(1,705)	(10,511)	(113,182)	(17,411)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(25)		(122,898)	(91,446)
Operating income (loss)		8,499	(50,307)	258,812	(42,482)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		35,584	33,120	70,055	70,195
Interest and dividend income		8,969	1,573	16,535	2,457
Interest expense		(20,154)	(14,336)	(40,118)	(29,198)
Other, net		91	100	196	186
Income (loss) before income taxes		32,989	(29,850)	305,480	1,158
Income tax expense	[2]	13,079	(10,399)	120,580	2,205
Net income (loss)		19,910	(19,451)	184,900	(1,047)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		150,581	148,337	297,666	316,090
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		5,399	6,893	9,650	8,827
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(1,705)	(10,511)	(113,182)	(17,411)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(25)		(122,898)	(91,446)
Interest expense		20,154	14,336	40,118	29,198
Income tax expense (benefit)	[2]	13,079	(10,399)	120,580	2,205
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	207,393	129,205	416,834	246,416
Investments in unconsolidated entities		325,857	270,215	325,857	270,215
Total assets		6,596,619	6,298,967	6,596,619	6,298,967
Capital expenditures		133,666	143,927	200,126	233,508
TDS Telecom Wireline
Business Segment Information
Service		175,413	180,297	351,104	357,230
Equipment and product sales		557	431	1,001	984
Total operating revenues		175,970	180,728	352,105	358,214
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		62,604	64,305	125,031	128,705
Cost of equipment and products		597	481	1,160	964
Selling, general and administrative		49,200	47,708	94,869	94,228
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		41,203	41,827	83,212	84,563
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		1,010	514	1,528	759
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(3,054)		(3,054)
Operating income (loss)		24,410	25,893	49,359	48,995
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		9	4	13	4
Interest and dividend income		647	490	1,102	1,175
Interest expense		290	677	591	1,341
Other, net		(15)	(95)	(33)	(149)
Income (loss) before income taxes		25,341	26,969	51,032	51,366
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		41,203	41,827	83,212	84,563
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		1,010	514	1,528	759
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(3,054)		(3,054)
Interest expense		(290)	(677)	(591)	(1,341)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	64,210	68,633	132,127	135,347
Investments in unconsolidated entities		3,804	3,810	3,804	3,810
Total assets		1,351,221	1,408,809	1,351,221	1,408,809
Capital expenditures		31,722	27,370	52,163	50,268
TDS Telecom Cable
Business Segment Information
Service		44,545	22,484	88,026	44,987
Equipment and product sales		70		158
Total operating revenues		44,615	22,484	88,184	44,987
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		19,849	11,394	39,797	22,349
Cost of equipment and products		15		75
Selling, general and administrative		13,764	6,285	26,389	12,663
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		8,860	4,557	17,579	8,918
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(1,668)	425	(986)	490
Operating income (loss)		3,795	(177)	5,330	567
Interest and dividend income		8	1	13	2
Interest expense		143	30	243	35
Other, net		2		3
Income (loss) before income taxes		3,948	(146)	5,589	604
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		8,860	4,557	17,579	8,918
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(1,668)	425	(986)	490
Interest expense		(143)	(30)	(243)	(35)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	10,997	4,806	21,939	9,977
Total assets		568,494	287,809	568,494	287,809
Capital expenditures		11,926	7,181	23,552	13,400
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Service		29,467	27,575	57,883	54,951
Equipment and product sales		46,119	40,361	78,664	76,093
Total operating revenues		75,586	67,936	136,547	131,044
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		21,954	21,301	41,982	38,247
Cost of equipment and products		38,566	33,875	65,696	64,342
Selling, general and administrative		10,969	12,376	23,659	27,211
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		6,573	6,791	13,008	13,469
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		27	44	(43)	78
Operating income (loss)		(2,503)	(6,451)	(7,755)	(12,303)
Interest and dividend income		9	22	23	42
Interest expense		(485)	(439)	(985)	(860)
Other, net		107	45	14	179
Income (loss) before income taxes		(2,872)	(6,823)	(8,703)	(12,942)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		6,573	6,791	13,008	13,469
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		27	44	(43)	78
Interest expense		485	439	985	860
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	4,213	451	5,247	1,465
Total assets		284,067	335,680	284,067	335,680
Capital expenditures		9,422	10,628	14,251	13,379
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Service		(1,358)	(298)	(2,038)	(979)
Total operating revenues		(1,358)	(298)	(2,038)	(979)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		(1,293)	(249)	(1,886)	(894)
Selling, general and administrative		(65)	(49)	(152)	(85)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Service		248,067	230,058	494,975	456,189
Equipment and product sales		46,746	40,792	79,823	77,077
Total operating revenues		294,813	270,850	574,798	533,266
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		103,114	96,751	204,924	188,407
Cost of equipment and products		39,178	34,356	66,931	65,306
Selling, general and administrative		73,868	66,320	144,765	134,017
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		56,636	53,175	113,799	106,950
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(631)	983	499	1,327
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(3,054)		(3,054)
Operating income (loss)		25,702	19,265	46,934	37,259
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		9	4	13	4
Interest and dividend income		664	513	1,138	1,219
Interest expense		(52)	268	(151)	516
Other, net		94	(50)	(16)	30
Income (loss) before income taxes		26,417	20,000	47,918	39,028
Income tax expense	[2]	10,625	7,962	18,805	15,508
Net income (loss)		15,792	12,038	29,113	23,520
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		56,636	53,175	113,799	106,950
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(631)	983	499	1,327
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(3,054)		(3,054)
Interest expense		52	(268)	151	(516)
Income tax expense (benefit)	[2]	10,625	7,962	18,805	15,508
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	79,420	73,890	159,313	146,789
Investments in unconsolidated entities		3,804	3,810	3,804	3,810
Total assets		2,203,782	2,032,298	2,203,782	2,032,298
Capital expenditures		53,070	45,179	89,966	77,047
Corporate, Eliminations and Other
Business Segment Information
Service		(1,790)	(1,352)	(3,818)	(854)
Equipment and product sales		7,705	9,121	16,096	16,358
Total operating revenues		5,915	7,769	12,278	15,504
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		762	2,606	1,922	6,301
Cost of equipment and products		5,601	6,677	11,528	11,900
Selling, general and administrative		(1,409)	330	(3,234)	738
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		3,887	3,055	6,214	6,446
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(16)	27	(20)	179
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(830)	13,122	(13,136)	13,122
Operating income (loss)		(2,080)	(18,048)	9,004	(23,182)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		(181)	1,666	(15)	1,918
Interest and dividend income		484	665	829	1,561
Interest expense		(13,713)	(13,830)	(27,480)	(27,923)
Other, net		17		18	(6)
Income (loss) before income taxes		(15,473)	(29,547)	(17,644)	(47,632)
Income tax expense	[2]	(6,271)	(11,234)	(5,932)	(19,727)
Net income (loss)		(9,202)	(18,313)	(11,712)	(27,905)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		3,887	3,055	6,214	6,446
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		(16)	27	(20)	179
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(830)	13,122	(13,136)	13,122
Interest expense		13,713	13,830	27,480	27,923
Income tax expense (benefit)	[2]	(6,271)	(11,234)	(5,932)	(19,727)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	1,281	487	2,894	38
Investments in unconsolidated entities		34,544	34,636	34,544	34,636
Total assets		185,911	376,404	185,911	376,404
Capital expenditures		$ 1,864	$ 1,575	$ 3,145	$ 2,724

[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".