Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net income	$ 39,274,000	$ 50,783,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization expense	281,407,000	303,675,000
Pension/OPEB costs	3,053,000	5,018,000
Stock based compensation expense	6,151,000	3,885,000
Other non-cash adjustments	10,140,000	1,710,000
Deferred income taxes	(22,479,000)	(10,133,000)
Change in accounts receivable	16,129,000	48,951,000
Change in accounts payable and other liabilities	(70,663,000)	(84,756,000)
Change in prepaid expenses, income taxes and other current assets	49,852,000	40,159,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	312,864,000	359,292,000
Cash flows provided from (used by) investing activities:
Capital expenditures - Business operations	(135,059,000)	(189,009,000)
Capital expenditures - Integration activities	(10,348,000)
Network expansion funded by Connect America Fund	(6,380,000)	(1,815,000)
Grant funds received for network expansion from Connect America Fund	3,748,000	5,998,000
Cash transferred from (to) escrow		(11,000)
Other assets purchased and distributions received, net	14,217,000	528,000
Net cash used by investing activities	(133,822,000)	(184,309,000)
Cash flows provided from (used by) financing activities:
Long-term debt borrowing	10,706,000
Long-term debt payments	(14,479,000)	(517,129,000)
Dividends paid	(100,228,000)	(99,812,000)
Repayment of customer advances for construction, distributions to noncontrolling interests and other	(839,000)	(7,279,000)
Net cash used by financing activities	(104,840,000)	(624,220,000)
(Decrease)/Increase in cash and cash equivalents	74,202,000	(449,237,000)
Cash reclassed to assets held for sale		(1,386,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at January 1,	880,039,000	1,326,532,000
Cash and cash equivalents at March 31,	954,241,000	875,909,000
Cash paid (received) during the period for:
Interest	145,620,000	168,095,000
Income taxes (refunds), net	$ (4,928,000)	$ 947,000