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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