Name:	tds_SharesPaidForTaxWithholdingAndExerciseOfStockOptionsForShareBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	tds_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

For net-share settlement of share-based awards when the employer withholds shares for the exercise price and income tax withholding obligations, this element represents the value of shares the employees use to repay the employer.

No definition available.

Name:	tds_SharesPaidForTaxWithholdingAndExerciseOfStockOptionsForShareBasedCompensationValue
Namespace Prefix:	tds_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash paid for interest. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond attributable to accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3536-108585

Name:	us-gaap_InterestPaid
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Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NoncashInvestingAndFinancingItemsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash outflow to satisfy an employee's income tax withholding obligation as part of a net-share settlement of a share-based award.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 19A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96949009&loc=SL79513924-113897

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash inflow from issuance of shares under share-based compensation arrangement. Issuance includes, but is not limited to, exercise of stock options and similar instruments.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3255-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=SL79508275-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash inflow from exercise of stock options granted under share-based compensation arrangement.

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_SupplementalCashFlowInformationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=tds_USCellularSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type: