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Asset Retirement Obligation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Asset retirement obligation |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - beginning balance | $ 275,238 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation | [1] | $ 253,610 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation |
Additional liabilities accrued | 4,907 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred |  | 4,302 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred |
Revisions in estimated cash outflows | (992)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate |  | 3,706 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate |
Disposition of assets | (46,242)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled |  | (4,111)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled |
Accretion expense | 17,506 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense |  | 17,731 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense |
Transferred to Liabilities held for sale | (11,385)tds_LiabilitiesHeldForSaleAroTransferred |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - ending balance | 239,032 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation | [1] | 275,238 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation | [1]
Other current liabilities |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - ending balance | 9,100 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember |  | 37,700 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember |
U.S. Cellular |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - beginning balance | 195,568 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember | [1] | 179,607 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |
Additional liabilities accrued | 2,507 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |  | 635 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |
Revisions in estimated cash outflows | (2,792)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |  | 6,268 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |
Disposition of assets | (44,403)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |  | (3,534)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |
Accretion expense | 12,534 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |  | 12,592 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |
Transferred to Liabilities held for sale | (10,902)tds_LiabilitiesHeldForSaleAroTransferred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - ending balance | 152,512 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember | [1] | 195,568 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_USCellularSegmentMember | [1]
TDS Telecom |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - beginning balance | 75,395 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember | [1] | 69,969 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |
Additional liabilities accrued | 2,400 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |  | 3,667 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |
Revisions in estimated cash outflows | 1,777 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |  | (2,562)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |
Disposition of assets | (882)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |  | (577)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |
Accretion expense | 4,723 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |  | 4,898 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |
Transferred to Liabilities held for sale | (177)tds_LiabilitiesHeldForSaleAroTransferred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - ending balance | 83,236 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember | [1] | 75,395 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_TDSTelecomSegmentMember | [1]
Other |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation |  |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - beginning balance | 4,275 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember | [1] | 4,034 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |
Revisions in estimated cash outflows | 23 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |  |  |
Disposition of assets | (957)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |  |  |
Accretion expense | 249 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |  | 241 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |
Transferred to Liabilities held for sale | (306)tds_LiabilitiesHeldForSaleAroTransferred / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember |  |  |
Asset retirement obligation - ending balance | $ 3,284 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember | [1] | $ 4,275 us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = tds_OtherSegmentMember | [1]
[1] | The total amount of asset retirement obligations related to the Divestiture Transaction and Airadigm Transaction included in Other current liabilities was $9.1 million and $37.7 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

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- Definition Asset retirement obligations that are transferred to liabilities held for sale during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190 + Details
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- Definition Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of asset retirement obligations settled, or otherwise disposed of, during the period. This may include asset retirement obligations transferred to third parties associated with the sale of a long-lived asset. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of the asset retirement obligation during the current period for changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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