Note 3 - Revenues by Product Line (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Video [Member]
Revenues	$ 332,716	$ 361,668	$ 386,168
Data [Member]
Revenues	294,486	265,718	252,296
Voice [Member]
Revenues	50,148	62,396	74,992
Commercial [Member]
Revenues	88,741	76,829	64,425
Advertising sales	31,034	35,362	35,237
Other	10,141	12,839	12,589
Revenues	$ 807,266	$ 814,812	$ 825,707

Revenue from the sale of advertising time (such as television and radio) or space (newspaper or magazine pages). May also include advertising, marketing and promotional services rendered during the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdvertisingRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenues from the sale of other goods or rendering of other services, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy; net of (reduced by) sales adjustments, returns, allowances, and discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue during the period from services rendered in the normal course of business, after deducting allowances and discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cabo_VideoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cabo_DataMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cabo_VoiceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cabo_CommercialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: