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Debt, long-term debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | $ 2,529,956 | $ 2,005,673 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 75,823 | 63,796 |
Total long-term debt | 2,454,133 | 1,941,877 |
Cash proceeds | 525,000 | 275,000 | $ 37
Current portion of long-term debt | 14,306 | 808 |
Long-term debt, net | 2,439,827 | 1,941,069 |
TDS Parent Company |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 837,347 | 837,347 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 27,443 | 27,559 |
Long-term debt | 809,904 | 809,788 |
Long-term debt maturities |  |  |
Scheduled principal payments 2016 | 14,300 |  |
Scheduled principal payments 2017 | 12,100 |  |
Scheduled principal payments 2018 | 11,400 |  |
Scheduled principal payments 2019 | 11,400 |  |
Scheduled principal payments 2020 | $ 11,400 |  |
TDS Parent Company | 7% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 7.00% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Mar. 21, 2011 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Mar. 15, 2060 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Mar. 15, 2016 |  |
Principal amount | $ 300,000 | 300,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 9,621 | 9,650 |
Long-term debt | $ 290,379 | 290,350 |
TDS Parent Company | 6.625% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.625% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Mar. 31, 2005 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Mar. 31, 2045 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Mar. 31, 2010 |  |
Principal amount | $ 116,250 | 116,250 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 3,567 | 3,604 |
Long-term debt | $ 112,683 | 112,646 |
TDS Parent Company | 6.875% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.875% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Nov. 16, 2010 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Nov. 15, 2059 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Nov. 15, 2015 |  |
Principal amount | $ 225,000 | 225,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 7,537 | 7,561 |
Long-term debt | $ 217,463 | 217,439 |
TDS Parent Company | 5.875% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 5.875% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Nov. 26, 2012 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Dec. 01, 2061 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Dec. 01, 2017 |  |
Principal amount | $ 195,000 | 195,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 6,718 | 6,744 |
Long-term debt | $ 188,282 | 188,256 |
TDS Parent Company | Purchase contracts |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Date of debt issuance | Oct. 03, 2001 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Oct. 03, 2021 |  |
Principal amount | $ 1,097 | 1,097 |
Purchase contracts | $ 1,097 | 1,097 |
U.S. Cellular | 6.95% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.95% |  |
Date of debt issuance | May 09, 2011 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | May 15, 2060 |  |
Call date of debt issued | May 15, 2016 |  |
Principal amount | $ 342,000 | 342,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 10,905 | 10,937 |
Long-term debt | $ 331,095 | 331,063 |
U.S. Cellular | 6.7% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.70% |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Dec. 15, 2033 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Dec. 31, 2003 |  |
Principal amount | $ 544,000 | 544,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 15,247 | 15,656 |
Long-term debt | $ 528,753 | 528,344 |
U.S. Cellular | 6.7% Senior Notes | Maximum |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Date of debt issuance | Jun. 28, 2004 |  |
U.S. Cellular | 6.7% Senior Notes | Minimum |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Date of debt issuance | Dec. 08, 2003 |  |
U.S. Cellular | 7.25% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 7.25% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Dec. 01, 2014 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Dec. 01, 2063 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Dec. 08, 2019 |  |
Principal amount | $ 275,000 | 275,000 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 9,629 | 9,644 |
Long-term debt | $ 265,371 | 265,356 |
U.S. Cellular | 7.25% Senior Notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 7.25% |  |
Date of debt issuance | Nov. 23, 2015 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Nov. 23, 2064 |  |
Call date of debt issued | Nov. 30, 2020 |  |
Principal amount | $ 300,000 |  |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 10,316 |  |
Long-term debt | 289,684 |  |
Debt issuance cost | 10,300 |  |
Cash proceeds | $ 289,700 |  |
U.S. Cellular | U.S. Cellular Term loan facility |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Date of debt issuance | Jan. 21, 2015 |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Jan. 21, 2022 |  |
Principal amount | $ 225,000 |  |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 2,283 |  |
Long-term debt | 222,717 |  |
U.S. Cellular | Obligation on capital leases |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 2,200 | 2,143 |
Obligation on capital leases | 2,200 | 2,143 |
TDS Telecom | Rural Utility Service and other notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 691 | 699 |
Long-term debt | 691 | 699 |
TDS Telecom | Obligation on capital leases |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 733 | 767 |
Obligation on capital leases | $ 733 | 767 |
Other | Long-term notes |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Dec. 02, 2016 |  |
Principal amount | $ 2,961 | 3,686 |
Long-term debt | 2,961 | 3,686 |
Other | Obligation on capital leases |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 24 | 31 |
Obligation on capital leases | 24 | 31 |
Total Subsidiaries |  |  |
Long-term debt |  |  |
Principal amount | 1,692,609 | 1,168,326 |
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs | 48,380 | 36,237 |
Long-term debt | $ 1,644,229 | $ 1,132,089 |

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