Business Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Segment Information
Service		$ 1,137,767	$ 1,081,472	$ 3,281,508	$ 3,233,893
Equipment and product sales		236,031	198,551	620,278	478,484
Total operating revenues		1,373,798	1,280,023	3,901,786	3,712,377
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		303,091	297,183	896,890	859,629
Cost of equipment and products		337,051	349,209	907,482	968,867
Selling, general and administrative		449,084	465,014	1,322,554	1,399,585
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		210,764	205,529	628,443	635,015
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		4,919	9,293	15,048	19,626
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(559)	(4,790)	(129,931)	(9,079)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(23,986)		(146,884)	(91,446)
Operating income (loss)		93,434	(125,415)	408,184	(153,820)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		39,770	36,081	109,823	108,198
Interest and dividend income		9,617	4,526	28,119	9,763
Interest expense		(35,043)	(27,170)	(102,792)	(83,775)
Other, net		(56)	69	142	279
Income (loss) before income taxes		107,722	(111,909)	443,476	(119,355)
Income tax expense		45,327	9,290	178,780	7,276
Net income (loss)		62,395	(121,199)	264,696	(126,631)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		210,764	205,529	628,443	635,015
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		4,919	9,293	15,048	19,626
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(559)	(4,790)	(129,931)	(9,079)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(23,986)		(146,884)	(91,446)
Interest expense		35,043	27,170	102,792	83,775
Income tax expense		45,327	9,290	178,780	7,276
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	333,903	209,293	912,944	602,536
Investments in unconsolidated entities		386,153	335,448	386,153	335,448	$ 321,729
Total assets		9,317,358	8,640,548	9,317,358	8,640,548	$ 8,906,939
Capital expenditures		193,708	195,225	486,945	508,504
U.S. Cellular
Business Segment Information
Service		895,960	851,063	2,548,544	2,548,149
Equipment and product sales		172,946	149,356	461,274	335,854
Total operating revenues		1,068,906	1,000,419	3,009,818	2,884,003
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		198,982	199,750	585,935	567,488
Cost of equipment and products		287,256	307,862	779,228	850,314
Selling, general and administrative		374,585	397,545	1,106,524	1,197,361
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		152,369	148,952	450,035	465,042
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		2,618	7,947	12,268	16,774
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(643)	(10,283)	(113,825)	(27,694)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(23,986)		(146,884)	(91,446)
Operating income (loss)		77,725	(51,354)	336,537	(93,836)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		39,674	35,971	109,729	106,166
Interest and dividend income		9,299	3,572	25,834	6,029
Interest expense		(21,121)	(13,514)	(61,239)	(42,712)
Other, net		78	95	274	281
Income (loss) before income taxes		105,655	(25,230)	411,135	(24,072)
Income tax expense	[2]	40,634	(1,459)	161,214	746
Net income (loss)		65,021	(23,771)	249,921	(24,818)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		152,369	148,952	450,035	465,042
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		2,618	7,947	12,268	16,774
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(643)	(10,283)	(113,825)	(27,694)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net		(23,986)		(146,884)	(91,446)
Interest expense		21,121	13,514	61,239	42,712
Income tax expense	[2]	40,634	(1,459)	161,214	746
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	257,134	134,900	673,968	381,316
Investments in unconsolidated entities		347,709	296,900	347,709	296,900
Total assets		6,938,384	6,257,075	6,938,384	6,257,075
Capital expenditures		134,816	142,452	334,942	375,960
TDS Telecom Wireline
Business Segment Information
Service		174,579	177,650	525,683	534,880
Equipment and product sales		477	425	1,478	1,409
Total operating revenues		175,056	178,075	527,161	536,289
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		63,696	64,072	188,727	192,777
Cost of equipment and products		515	829	1,675	1,793
Selling, general and administrative		50,062	46,627	144,931	140,855
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		41,228	41,358	124,440	125,921
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		1,845	743	3,373	1,502
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(105)	(2,201)	(3,159)	(2,201)
Operating income (loss)		17,815	26,647	67,174	75,642
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		2	2	15	6
Interest and dividend income		624	569	1,726	1,744
Interest expense		193	598	784	1,939
Other, net		(48)	71	(81)	(78)
Income (loss) before income taxes		18,586	27,887	69,618	79,253
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		41,228	41,358	124,440	125,921
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		1,845	743	3,373	1,502
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(105)	(2,201)	(3,159)	(2,201)
Interest expense		(193)	(598)	(784)	(1,939)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	61,361	67,189	193,488	202,536
Investments in unconsolidated entities		3,806	3,804	3,806	3,804
Total assets		1,322,359	1,385,524	1,322,359	1,385,524
Capital expenditures		38,354	34,243	90,517	84,511
TDS Telecom Cable
Business Segment Information
Service		43,741	28,519	131,767	73,506
Equipment and product sales		119		277
Total operating revenues		43,860	28,519	132,044	73,506
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		19,545	12,651	59,342	35,000
Cost of equipment and products		25		100
Selling, general and administrative		14,346	9,948	40,735	22,611
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		8,530	6,171	26,109	15,089
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		425	626	(561)	1,116
Operating income (loss)		989	(877)	6,319	(310)
Interest and dividend income		10	(1)	23	1
Interest expense		109	32	352	67
Other, net				3
Income (loss) before income taxes		1,108	(846)	6,697	(242)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		8,530	6,171	26,109	15,089
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		425	626	(561)	1,116
Interest expense		(109)	(32)	(352)	(67)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	9,954	5,919	31,893	15,896
Total assets		571,836	543,731	571,836	543,731
Capital expenditures		13,023	7,598	36,575	20,998
TDS Telecom HMS
Business Segment Information
Service		30,428	27,806	88,311	82,757
Equipment and product sales		51,214	39,737	129,878	115,830
Total operating revenues		81,642	67,543	218,189	198,587
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		21,163	19,442	63,145	57,689
Cost of equipment and products		43,081	33,819	108,777	98,161
Selling, general and administrative		12,446	12,724	36,105	39,935
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		6,790	6,726	19,798	20,195
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		22	(2)	(21)	76
Operating income (loss)		(1,860)	(89,166)	(9,615)	(101,469)
Interest and dividend income		6	(23)	29	19
Interest expense		(565)	(343)	(1,550)	(1,203)
Other, net		(79)	(86)	(65)	93
Income (loss) before income taxes		(2,498)	(89,618)	(11,201)	(102,560)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		6,790	6,726	19,798	20,195
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		22	(2)	(21)	76
Interest expense		565	343	1,550	1,203
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	4,879	1,449	10,126	2,914
Total assets		299,101	255,519	299,101	255,519
Capital expenditures		5,090	9,800	19,341	23,179
TDS Telecom Eliminations
Business Segment Information
Service		(1,184)	(980)	(3,222)	(1,959)
Total operating revenues		(1,184)	(980)	(3,222)	(1,959)
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		(1,125)	(926)	(3,011)	(1,820)
Selling, general and administrative		(59)	(54)	(211)	(139)
TDS Telecom
Business Segment Information
Service		247,564	232,995	742,539	689,184
Equipment and product sales		51,810	40,162	131,633	117,239
Total operating revenues		299,374	273,157	874,172	806,423
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		103,279	95,239	308,203	283,646
Cost of equipment and products		43,621	34,648	110,552	99,954
Selling, general and administrative		76,795	69,245	221,560	203,262
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		56,548	54,255	170,347	161,205
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		2,292	1,367	2,791	2,694
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(105)	(2,201)	(3,159)	(2,201)
Operating income (loss)		16,944	(63,396)	63,878	(26,137)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		2	2	15	6
Interest and dividend income		640	545	1,778	1,764
Interest expense		(263)	287	(414)	803
Other, net		(127)	(15)	(143)	15
Income (loss) before income taxes		17,196	(62,577)	65,114	(23,549)
Income tax expense	[2]	8,278	(2,937)	27,083	12,571
Net income (loss)		8,918	(59,640)	38,031	(36,120)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		56,548	54,255	170,347	161,205
Loss on impairment of assets			84,000		84,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		2,292	1,367	2,791	2,694
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		(105)	(2,201)	(3,159)	(2,201)
Interest expense		263	(287)	414	(803)
Income tax expense	[2]	8,278	(2,937)	27,083	12,571
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	76,194	74,557	235,507	221,346
Investments in unconsolidated entities		3,806	3,804	3,806	3,804
Total assets		2,193,296	2,184,774	2,193,296	2,184,774
Capital expenditures		56,467	51,641	146,433	128,688
Corporate, Eliminations and Other
Business Segment Information
Service		(5,757)	(2,586)	(9,575)	(3,440)
Equipment and product sales		11,275	9,033	27,371	25,391
Total operating revenues		5,518	6,447	17,796	21,951
Cost of services (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)		830	2,194	2,752	8,495
Cost of equipment and products		6,174	6,699	17,702	18,599
Selling, general and administrative		(2,296)	(1,776)	(5,530)	(1,038)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		1,847	2,322	8,061	8,768
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		9	(21)	(11)	158
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		189	7,694	(12,947)	20,816
Operating income (loss)		(1,235)	(10,665)	7,769	(33,847)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities		94	108	79	2,026
Interest and dividend income		(322)	409	507	1,970
Interest expense		(13,659)	(13,943)	(41,139)	(41,866)
Other, net		(7)	(11)	11	(17)
Income (loss) before income taxes		(15,129)	(24,102)	(32,773)	(71,734)
Income tax expense	[2]	(3,585)	13,686	(9,517)	(6,041)
Net income (loss)		(11,544)	(37,788)	(23,256)	(65,693)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		1,847	2,322	8,061	8,768
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net		9	(21)	(11)	158
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net		189	7,694	(12,947)	20,816
Interest expense		13,659	13,943	41,139	41,866
Income tax expense	[2]	(3,585)	13,686	(9,517)	(6,041)
Adjusted EBITDA	[1]	575	(164)	3,469	(126)
Investments in unconsolidated entities		34,638	34,744	34,638	34,744
Total assets		185,678	198,699	185,678	198,699
Capital expenditures		$ 2,425	$ 1,132	$ 5,570	$ 3,856

[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".