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Investment in Unconsolidated Entities, Deconsolidation (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Apr. 03, 2013
Deconsolidation of New York Partnerships        
Investments in unconsolidated entities $ 321,729,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures 301,772,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures $ 179,921,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures  
St. Lawrence Seaway RSA Cellular Partnership        
Deconsolidation of New York Partnerships        
Ownership interest in equity method investment 60.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
= tds_Deconsolidation1Member
     
New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership        
Deconsolidation of New York Partnerships        
Ownership interest in equity method investment 57.14%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
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St. Lawrence Seaway RSA Cellular Partnership and New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership        
Deconsolidation of New York Partnerships        
Date Of Deconsolidation Apr. 03, 2013      
Deconsolidation gain 14,500,000us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount
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Investments in unconsolidated entities       $ 114,800,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAffiliatesSubsidiariesAssociatesAndJointVentures
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
= tds_Deconsolidation3Member
Discounted cash flow valuation approach | St. Lawrence Seaway RSA Cellular Partnership and New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership        
Fair Value Inputs        
Average expected revenue growth rate (next ten years)   2.00%tds_FairValueInputsRevenueGrowthRate
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/ us-gaap_ValuationTechniqueAxis
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Terminal revenue growth rate (after year ten)   2.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsLongTermRevenueGrowthRate
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
= tds_Deconsolidation3Member
/ us-gaap_ValuationTechniqueAxis
= us-gaap_IncomeApproachValuationTechniqueMember
   
Discount Rate   10.50%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
= tds_Deconsolidation3Member
/ us-gaap_ValuationTechniqueAxis
= us-gaap_IncomeApproachValuationTechniqueMember
   
Discounted cash flow valuation approach | Minimum | St. Lawrence Seaway RSA Cellular Partnership and New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership        
Fair Value Inputs        
Capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue   14.90%tds_FairValueInputsCapitalExpenditurePercentage
/ tds_DeconsolidationAxis
= tds_Deconsolidation3Member
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
/ us-gaap_ValuationTechniqueAxis
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Discounted cash flow valuation approach | Maximum | St. Lawrence Seaway RSA Cellular Partnership and New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership        
Fair Value Inputs        
Capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue   18.80%tds_FairValueInputsCapitalExpenditurePercentage
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