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Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, exchanges (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Feb. 28, 2014
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Exchanges              
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges         $ (146,884) $ (112,993) $ (255,479)
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges         342,870 187,645 811,120
Other current liabilities     $ 181,803   127,023 181,803  
Carrying value     1,453,574   1,844,348 1,453,574  
U.S. Cellular              
Exchanges              
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges         $ (146,884) (112,993) $ (255,479)
U.S. Cellular | PCS and AWS license exchange              
Exchanges              
Asset exchange description         In September 2014, U.S. Cellular entered into an agreement with a third party to exchange certain PCS and AWS licenses for certain other PCS and AWS licenses and $28.0 million of cash. This license exchange was accomplished in two closings. The first closing occurred in December 2014 at which time U.S. Cellular transferred licenses to the counterparty with a net book value of $11.5 million, received licenses with an estimated fair value, per a market approach, of $51.5 million, recorded a $21.7 million gain and recorded an $18.3 million deferred credit in Other current liabilities. The license that was transferred to the counterparty in the second closing had a net book value of $22.2 million. The second closing occurred in July 2015. At the time of the second closing, U.S. Cellular received $28.0 million in cash and recognized the deferred credit from the first closing, resulting in a total gain of $24.0 million recorded on this part of the license exchange.    
U.S. Cellular | PCS and AWS license exchange - first closing              
Exchanges              
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges     (21,700)        
Fair value     51,500     51,500  
Other current liabilities     18,300     18,300  
Carrying value     $ 11,500     $ 11,500  
U.S. Cellular | PCS and AWS license exchange - second closing              
Exchanges              
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges $ (24,000)            
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges 28,000            
Carrying value $ 22,200            
U.S. Cellular | PCS license exchange              
Exchanges              
Asset exchange description         In March 2015, U.S. Cellular exchanged certain of its unbuilt PCS licenses for certain other PCS licenses located in U.S. Cellular’s existing operating markets and $117.0 million of cash. As of the transaction date, the licenses received in the transaction had an estimated fair value, per a market approach, of $43.5 million. A gain of $125.2 million was recorded in (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in the first quarter of 2015.    
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges   $ (125,200)          
Fair value   43,500          
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges   $ 117,000          
U.S. Cellular | Spectrum exchange              
Exchanges              
Asset exchange description         In February 2014, U.S. Cellular completed an exchange whereby U.S. Cellular received one E block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI in exchange for one D block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI.  The exchange of licenses provided U.S. Cellular with spectrum to meet anticipated future capacity and coverage requirements.  No cash, customers, network assets, other assets or liabilities were included in the exchange.  As a result of this transaction, TDS recognized a gain of $15.7 million, representing the difference between the $15.9 million fair value of the license surrendered, calculated using a market approach valuation method, and the $0.2 million carrying value of the license surrendered.  This gain was recorded in (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in the first quarter of 2014.    
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges       $ (15,700)      
Fair value       15,900      
Carrying value       $ 200