Contingencies (Notes)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies The Montana Department of Revenue ("Montana DOR") generally assesses property taxes on cable companies at 3% and on telephone companies at 6%. Historically, Bresnan's cable and telephone operations have been taxed separately by the Montana DOR. In 2010, the Montana DOR assessed Bresnan as a single telephone business and retroactively assessed it as such for 2007 through 2009. Bresnan filed a declaratory judgment action against the Montana DOR in Montana State Court challenging its property tax classifications for 2007 through 2010. Under Montana law, a taxpayer must first pay a current assessment of disputed property tax in order to challenge such assessment. In accordance with that law, Bresnan paid the disputed 2010, 2011 and 2012 property tax assessments of approximately $5 million, $11 million and $9 million, respectively, under protest. No payments for additional tax for 2007 through 2009 were made at that time. On September 26, 2011, the Montana State Court granted Bresnan's summary judgment motion seeking to vacate the Montana DOR's retroactive tax assessments for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Montana DOR's assessment for 2010 was the subject of a trial, which took place the week of October 24, 2011. On July 6, 2012, the Montana State Court entered judgment in favor of Bresnan, ruling that the Montana's DOR 2010 assessment was invalid and contrary to law, vacating the 2010 assessment, and directing that the Montana DOR refund the amounts paid by Bresnan under protest, plus interest and certain costs. The Montana DOR filed a notice of appeal to the Montana Supreme Court on September 20, 2012. On December 2, 2013, the Montana Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s decision and remanded the matter to the trial court. Charter filed a petition for rehearing which was denied on January 7, 2014. Charter then filed pleadings with the trial court to renew challenges to the Montana DOR’s assessments that had been mooted by the Montana State Court’s prior ruling. With respect to the Montana Supreme Court ruling, Charter filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on June 6, 2014. On June 19, 2014, the parties settled this dispute. As a result of the settlement, Charter dismissed the petition for writ of certiorari. For tax years 2007 through 2009, Charter reduced Bresnan acquisition liabilities by approximately $8 million with the offset to goodwill, and operating expenses were reduced by approximately $3 million for post-acquisition tax years. The Company is a defendant, co-defendant or plaintiff seeking declaratory judgments in several lawsuits involving alleged infringement of various patents relating to various aspects of its businesses. Other industry participants are also defendants or plaintiffs seeking declaratory judgments in certain of these cases. In the event that a court ultimately determines that the Company infringes on any intellectual property rights, the Company may be subject to substantial damages and/or an injunction that could require the Company or its vendors to modify certain products and services the Company offers to its subscribers, as well as negotiate royalty or license agreements with respect to the patents at issue. While the Company believes the lawsuits are without merit and intends to defend the actions vigorously, no assurance can be given that any adverse outcome would not be material to the Company's consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity. The Company cannot predict the outcome of any such claims nor can it reasonably estimate a range of possible loss. The Company is party to lawsuits and claims that arise in the ordinary course of conducting its business, including lawsuits claiming violation of wage and hour laws. The ultimate outcome of these other legal matters pending against the Company cannot be predicted, and although such lawsuits and claims are not expected individually to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity, such lawsuits could have, in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Whether or not the Company ultimately prevails in any particular lawsuit or claim, litigation can be time consuming and costly and injure the Company's reputation.

Contingencies

The Montana Department of Revenue ("Montana DOR") generally assesses property taxes on cable companies at 3% and on telephone companies at 6%. Historically, Bresnan's cable and telephone operations have been taxed separately by the Montana DOR. In 2010, the Montana DOR assessed Bresnan as a single telephone business and retroactively assessed it as such for 2007 through 2009. Bresnan filed a declaratory judgment action against the Montana DOR in Montana State Court challenging its property tax classifications for 2007 through 2010. Under Montana law, a taxpayer must first pay a current assessment of disputed property tax in order to challenge such assessment. In accordance with that law, Bresnan paid the disputed 2010, 2011 and 2012 property tax assessments of approximately $5 million, $11 million and $9 million, respectively, under protest. No payments for additional tax for 2007 through 2009 were made at that time. On September 26, 2011, the Montana State Court granted Bresnan's summary judgment motion seeking to vacate the Montana DOR's retroactive tax assessments for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Montana DOR's assessment for 2010 was the subject of a trial, which took place the week of October 24, 2011. On July 6, 2012, the Montana State Court entered judgment in favor of Bresnan, ruling that the Montana's DOR 2010 assessment was invalid and contrary to law, vacating the 2010 assessment, and directing that the Montana DOR refund the amounts paid by Bresnan under protest, plus interest and certain costs. The Montana DOR filed a notice of appeal to the Montana Supreme Court on September 20, 2012. On December 2, 2013, the Montana Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s decision and remanded the matter to the trial court. Charter filed a petition for rehearing which was denied on January 7, 2014. Charter then filed pleadings with the trial court to renew challenges to the Montana DOR’s assessments that had been mooted by the Montana State Court’s prior ruling. With respect to the Montana Supreme Court ruling, Charter filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on June 6, 2014. On June 19, 2014, the parties settled this dispute. As a result of the settlement, Charter dismissed the petition for writ of certiorari. For tax years 2007 through 2009, Charter reduced Bresnan acquisition liabilities by approximately $8 million with the offset to goodwill, and operating expenses were reduced by approximately $3 million for post-acquisition tax years.

The Company is a defendant, co-defendant or plaintiff seeking declaratory judgments in several lawsuits involving alleged infringement of various patents relating to various aspects of its businesses. Other industry participants are also defendants or plaintiffs seeking declaratory judgments in certain of these cases. In the event that a court ultimately determines that the Company infringes on any intellectual property rights, the Company may be subject to substantial damages and/or an injunction that could require the Company or its vendors to modify certain products and services the Company offers to its subscribers, as well as negotiate royalty or license agreements with respect to the patents at issue. While the Company believes the lawsuits are without merit and intends to defend the actions vigorously, no assurance can be given that any adverse outcome would not be material to the Company's consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity. The Company cannot predict the outcome of any such claims nor can it reasonably estimate a range of possible loss.

The Company is party to lawsuits and claims that arise in the ordinary course of conducting its business, including lawsuits claiming violation of wage and hour laws. The ultimate outcome of these other legal matters pending against the Company cannot be predicted, and although such lawsuits and claims are not expected individually to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity, such lawsuits could have, in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Whether or not the Company ultimately prevails in any particular lawsuit or claim, litigation can be time consuming and costly and injure the Company's reputation.