Goodwill and Other Intangibles (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 6,337,719,000	$ 6,292,194,000
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	2,937,717,000	2,942,713,000
Less: Accumulated amortization	(973,212,000)	(451,518,000)
Total other intangibles, net	1,964,505,000	2,491,195,000
Amortization expense	521,700,000	294,100,000	114,200,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense
Estimated future amortization expense, year 1	420,000,000
Estimated future amortization expense, year 2	330,000,000
Estimated future amortization expense, year 3	285,000,000
Estimated future amortization expense, year 4	240,000,000
Estimated future amortization expense, year 5	195,000,000
Estimated fair value of intangible assets acquired in the Transaction		2,532,200,000	2,532,200,000
Residential customer list [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Estimated useful life (in years)	9
Business customer list [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Estimated useful life (in years)	12
Frontier Legacy Properties [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Amortization expense			57,900,000
Customer base [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	2,697,413,000	2,702,409,000
Amortization expense	465,400,000	237,800,000
Customer base [Member] | Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, INC (Commonwealth) [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	263,500,000
Estimated useful life (in years)	5
Customer base [Member] | Global Valley Acquisitions [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	10,300,000
Estimated useful life (in years)	5
Software licenses [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	105,019,000	105,019,000
Trade name and license [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	135,285,000	135,285,000
Trade name and license [Member] | Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, INC (Commonwealth) [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	7,000,000
Estimated useful life (in years)	5
Trade name and license [Member] | Global Valley Acquisitions [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Other intangibles	300,000
Estimated useful life (in years)	5
Customer base and trade name [Member]
Other Intangibles:
Amortization expense	56,300,000	56,300,000	56,300,000
East [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	1,245,414,000
Southeast [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	1,113,931,000
West [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	1,072,499,000
Central [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	1,006,132,000
National [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	1,176,139,000
Midwest [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets by Segment [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 723,604,000