Debt	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
Debt	9. Debt In May 2011, U.S. Cellular issued $342 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured 6.95% senior notes due May 2060. Interest on the notes is payable quarterly. U.S. Cellular may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after May 15, 2016, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. Capitalized debt issuance costs totaled $11.0 million and will be amortized over the life of the notes. Such issuance costs are included in Other assets and deferred charges (a long-term asset account) at September 30, 2011. U.S. Cellular used substantially all of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 6.95% senior notes to redeem $330 million (the entire outstanding amount) of its unsecured 7.5% senior notes on June 20, 2011 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This redemption required U.S. Cellular to write-off $8.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.5% senior notes; the write-off was included in Interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended September 30, 2011. In March 2011, TDS issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured 7% senior notes due March 2060. Interest on the notes is payable quarterly. TDS may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after March 15, 2016, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. Capitalized debt issuance costs totaled $9.7 million and will be amortized over the life of the notes. Such issuance costs are included in Other assets and deferred charges (a long-term asset account) at September 30, 2011. TDS used substantially all of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 7% senior notes to redeem $282.5 million of its unsecured 7.6% Series A notes on May 2, 2011 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This represented the entire outstanding amount of the 7.6% Series A notes. This redemption required TDS to write-off $7.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.6% Series A notes, which was included in Interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended September 30, 2011.

Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

9. Debt

In May 2011, U.S. Cellular issued $342 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured 6.95% senior notes due May 2060. Interest on the notes is payable quarterly. U.S. Cellular may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after May 15, 2016, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. Capitalized debt issuance costs totaled $11.0 million and will be amortized over the life of the notes. Such issuance costs are included in Other assets and deferred charges (a long-term asset account) at September 30, 2011.

U.S. Cellular used substantially all of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 6.95% senior notes to redeem $330 million (the entire outstanding amount) of its unsecured 7.5% senior notes on June 20, 2011 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This redemption required U.S. Cellular to write-off $8.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.5% senior notes; the write-off was included in Interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended September 30, 2011.

In March 2011, TDS issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured 7% senior notes due March 2060. Interest on the notes is payable quarterly. TDS may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after March 15, 2016, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. Capitalized debt issuance costs totaled $9.7 million and will be amortized over the life of the notes. Such issuance costs are included in Other assets and deferred charges (a long-term asset account) at September 30, 2011.

TDS used substantially all of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 7% senior notes to redeem $282.5 million of its unsecured 7.6% Series A notes on May 2, 2011 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This represented the entire outstanding amount of the 7.6% Series A notes. This redemption required TDS to write-off $7.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.6% Series A notes, which was included in Interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended September 30, 2011.