Equipment Installment Plans - Gross Receivables by Credit Category (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	$ 1,120	$ 1,151
2021	19
2022	351
2023	579
2024	171
Unbilled
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	1,060	1,085
Billed \| Current
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	43	43
Billed \| Past due
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	17	23
Lowest Risk
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	1,004	1,024
2021	18
2022	328
2023	510
2024	148
Lowest Risk \| Unbilled
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	957	977
Lowest Risk \| Billed \| Current
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	38	35
Lowest Risk \| Billed \| Past due
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	9	12
Lower Risk
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	93	100
2021	1
2022	20
2023	56
2024	16
Lower Risk \| Unbilled
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	84	88
Lower Risk \| Billed \| Current
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	4	5
Lower Risk \| Billed \| Past due
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	5	7
Slight Risk
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	18	21
2021	0
2022	2
2023	10
2024	6
Slight Risk \| Unbilled
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	15	16
Slight Risk \| Billed \| Current
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	1	2
Slight Risk \| Billed \| Past due
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	2	3
Higher Risk
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	5	6
2021	0
2022	1
2023	3
2024	1
Higher Risk \| Unbilled
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	4	4
Higher Risk \| Billed \| Current
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	0	1
Higher Risk \| Billed \| Past due
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Equipment installment plan receivables, gross	$ 1	$ 1

Amortized cost of financing receivable originated in current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-79

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-6

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableOriginatedInCurrentFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of financing receivable originated in fiscal year prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableOriginatedInFiscalYearBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of financing receivable originated three years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableOriginatedThreeYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of financing receivable originated two years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableOriginatedTwoYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-79

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost, before allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement and net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 80
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-80

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-79

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3)(b))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (1)
-Publisher SEC

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (2)
-Publisher SEC

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1404
-Paragraph (a)
-Publisher SEC

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-14

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7A
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 310
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-7A

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByBillingStatusTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnbilledRevenuesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByBillingStatusTypeAxis=us-gaap_BilledRevenuesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablesPeriodPastDueAxis=us-gaap_FinancialAssetNotPastDueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablesPeriodPastDueAxis=us-gaap_FinancialAssetPastDueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=tds_LowestRiskMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=us-gaap_PrimeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=tds_SlightRiskMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=us-gaap_SubprimeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: