CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net income	$ 112,360	$ 109,095
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization expense	1,062,150	540,917
Stock based compensation expense	10,729	9,930
Pension/OPEB costs	22,515	24,224
Other non-cash adjustments	(3,320)	5,866
Deferred income taxes	20,219	10,092
Change in accounts receivable	16,162	(13,356)
Change in accounts payable and other liabilities	(36,458)	166,398
Change in prepaid expenses, income taxes and other current assets	68,297	33,004
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,272,654	886,170
Cash flows provided from (used by) investing activities:
Capital expenditures - Business operations	(636,569)	(252,360)
Capital expenditures - Integration activities	(62,641)	(77,936)
Cash paid for the Acquired Business (net of cash acquired)	0	(82,560)
Cash transferred to escrow	0	(115,000)
Other assets purchased and distributions received, net	22,236	(1,728)
Net cash used by investing activities	(676,974)	(529,584)
Cash flows provided from (used by) financing activities:
Long-term debt payments	(78,990)	(6,286)
Dividends paid	(559,803)	(343,042)
Financing costs paid	0	(12,431)
Repayment of customer advances for construction, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other	(2,333)	(2,455)
Net cash used by financing activities	(641,126)	(364,214)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(45,446)	(7,628)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	251,263	358,693
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	205,817	351,065
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest	447,645	299,158
Income taxes (refunds)	(16,247)	4,042
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Financing obligation for contribution of real property to pension plan	58,100	0
Reduction of pension obligation	(58,100)	0
Shares issued for acquisitions	0	5,217,899
Assumed debt	0	3,456,782
Other acquired liabilities	$ 0	$ 1,058,956

Name:	ftr_AdjustmentsToReconcileNetIncomeToNetCashProvidedByOperatingActivitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ftr
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The cash outflow towards acquisition and integration related activities. Payment includes finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.