CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 6,291	$ 17,854	$ 24,775	$ 105,704
Accounts receivable, net	56,849	57,957
Income taxes receivable	1,546	12,020
Deferred income taxes	11,292	8,984
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	13,267	11,269
Assets of discontinued operations		1,772
Total current assets	89,245	109,856
Property, plant and equipment, net	891,006	907,672
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments	112,913	109,750
Goodwill	603,446	603,446
Other intangible assets	42,539	49,530
Deferred debt issuance costs, net and other assets	15,315	13,800
Total assets	1,754,464	1,794,054
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	8,060	14,954
Advance billings and customer deposits	26,393	27,654
Dividends payable	15,538	15,463
Accrued compensation	18,890	21,912
Accrued interest	11,099	2,962
Accrued expense	35,129	44,263
Income tax payable	5,396
Current portion of long term debt and capital lease obligations	9,870	9,596
Current portion of derivative liability		3,164
Liabilities of discontinued operations	179	4,209
Total current liabilities	130,554	144,177
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	1,202,164	1,208,248
Deferred income taxes	142,790	138,068
Pension and postretirement benefit obligations	143,921	156,710
Other long-term liabilities	10,864	10,746
Total liabilities	1,630,293	1,657,949
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock	401	399
Other shareholders' equity	119,341	131,531
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	119,742	131,930
Noncontrolling interest	4,429	4,175
Total shareholders' equity	124,171	136,105
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,754,464	1,794,054
Parent
Current assets:
Accounts receivable, net		19
Income taxes receivable	40,233	4,258
Deferred income taxes	(2)	(51)
Total current assets	40,231	4,226
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments in subsidiaries	1,041,110	958,199
Total assets	1,081,341	962,425
Current liabilities:
Dividends payable	15,538	15,463
Accrued compensation		36
Accrued expense	49	235
Total current liabilities	15,587	15,734
Advances due to/from affiliates, net	940,841	817,118
Deferred income taxes	5,095	(2,357)
Other long-term liabilities	76
Total liabilities	961,599	830,495
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock	401	399
Other shareholders' equity	119,341	131,531
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	119,742	131,930
Total shareholders' equity	119,742	131,930
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,081,341	962,425
Subsidiary Issuer
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	818	6,577	12,657	103,369
Accounts receivable, net	377	457
Deferred income taxes	1,614	(310)
Total current assets	2,809	6,724
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments	3,687	3,641
Investments in subsidiaries	278,375	219,955
Deferred debt issuance costs, net and other assets	10,625	12,788
Total assets	295,496	243,108
Current liabilities:
Accrued interest	11,082	2,943
Accrued expense		430
Income tax payable	10,348
Current portion of long term debt and capital lease obligations	9,241	9,242
Current portion of derivative liability		3,164
Total current liabilities	30,671	15,779
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	1,197,523	1,203,760
Advances due to/from affiliates, net	(1,973,822)	(1,934,978)
Deferred income taxes	(2,896)	(3,571)
Other long-term liabilities	2,910	3,919
Total liabilities	(745,614)	(715,091)
Shareholders' equity:
Other shareholders' equity	1,041,110	958,199
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	1,041,110	958,199
Total shareholders' equity	1,041,110	958,199
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	295,496	243,108
Guarantors
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Ownership interest (as a percent)	100.00%
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,827	8,530	9,119	80
Accounts receivable, net	48,794	49,483
Income taxes receivable		7,886
Deferred income taxes	9,048	8,969
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	12,798	10,855
Assets of discontinued operations		1,772
Total current assets	74,467	87,495
Property, plant and equipment, net	839,184	855,158
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments	109,211	106,094
Investments in subsidiaries	11,926	11,234
Goodwill	537,265	537,265
Other intangible assets	33,452	40,443
Deferred debt issuance costs, net and other assets	4,690	1,012
Total assets	1,610,195	1,638,701
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	8,060	14,954
Advance billings and customer deposits	24,050	25,131
Accrued compensation	17,233	19,863
Accrued interest	13	14
Accrued expense	33,441	39,659
Income tax payable	26,294
Current portion of long term debt and capital lease obligations	567	300
Liabilities of discontinued operations	179	4,209
Total current liabilities	109,837	104,130
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	3,812	3,611
Advances due to/from affiliates, net	1,065,599	1,137,159
Deferred income taxes	131,453	135,117
Pension and postretirement benefit obligations	119,587	125,706
Other long-term liabilities	7,595	6,587
Total liabilities	1,437,883	1,512,310
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock	17,411	17,411
Other shareholders' equity	150,472	104,805
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	167,883	122,216
Noncontrolling interest	4,429	4,175
Total shareholders' equity	172,312	126,391
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,610,195	1,638,701
Non-Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,646	2,747	2,999	2,255
Accounts receivable, net	7,678	7,998
Income taxes receivable		(124)
Deferred income taxes	632	376
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	469	414
Total current assets	10,425	11,411
Property, plant and equipment, net	51,822	52,514
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments	15	15
Goodwill	66,181	66,181
Other intangible assets	9,087	9,087
Total assets	137,530	139,208
Current liabilities:
Advance billings and customer deposits	2,343	2,523
Accrued compensation	1,657	2,013
Accrued interest	4	5
Accrued expense	1,639	3,939
Income tax payable	7,441
Current portion of long term debt and capital lease obligations	62	54
Total current liabilities	13,146	8,534
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	829	877
Advances due to/from affiliates, net	(32,618)	(19,299)
Deferred income taxes	9,138	8,879
Pension and postretirement benefit obligations	24,334	31,004
Other long-term liabilities	283	240
Total liabilities	15,112	30,235
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock	30,000	30,000
Other shareholders' equity	92,418	78,973
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	122,418	108,973
Total shareholders' equity	122,418	108,973
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	137,530	139,208
Eliminations
Current assets:
Income taxes receivable	(38,687)
Total current assets	(38,687)
Intangibles and other assets:
Investments in subsidiaries	(1,331,411)	(1,189,388)
Total assets	(1,370,098)	(1,189,388)
Current liabilities:
Income tax payable	(38,687)
Total current liabilities	(38,687)
Total liabilities	(38,687)
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock	(47,411)	(47,411)
Other shareholders' equity	(1,284,000)	(1,141,977)
Total Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. shareholders' equity	(1,331,411)	(1,189,388)
Total shareholders' equity	(1,331,411)	(1,189,388)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (1,370,098)	$ (1,189,388)