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Acquisitions, Divestures and Exchanges (Details) (USD $) | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2008
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Acquisitions, divestures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  | $ 2,963,000 | [1]
Licenses | 17,101,000 |  | 15,750,000 |  | 337,622,000 |
Customer lists |  |  |  |  | 1,045,000 |
Net tangible assets (liabilities) |  |  |  |  | 341,000 |
Purchase price | 17,101,000 | [2] | 15,750,000 | [2] | 341,971,000 | [2]
Amortizable goodwill acquired |  |  |  |  | 1,600,000 |
FCC Auction73 Licenses [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisitions, divestures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  |
Licenses |  |  |  |  | 300,479,000 | [3]
Purchase price |  |  |  |  | 300,479,000 | [2],[3]
Other Licenses [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisitions, divestures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  |
Licenses |  |  |  |  | 32,340,000 |
Purchase price |  |  |  |  | 32,340,000 | [2]
Businesses [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisitions, divestures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  | 2,963,000 | [1]
Licenses |  |  |  |  | 4,803,000 |
Customer lists |  |  |  |  | 1,045,000 |
Net tangible assets (liabilities) |  |  |  |  | 341,000 |
Purchase price |  |  |  |  | $ 9,152,000 | [2]
[1] | $1.6 million of the goodwill was amortizable for income tax purposes in 2008.
[2] | Cash amounts paid for the acquisitions may differ from the purchase price due to cash acquired in the transactions and the timing of cash payments related to the respective transactions.
[3] | King Street Wireless L.P., an entity in which a subsidiary of U.S. Cellular is a limited partner, made these payments. U.S. Cellular loaned these funds to the partnership and the general partner and made direct capital investments to fund the auction payment.

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- Definition The aggregate amount assigned to a major class of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets (in either an asset acquisition or business combination). A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar, either by their nature or by their use in the operations of a company. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 44 -Subparagraph a(1) + Details
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- Definition The aggregate cost of a major indefinite-lived intangible asset class acquired, during the period, either individually or as part of a group of assets (in either an asset acquisition or business combination). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 44 -Subparagraph b + Details
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- Definition The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph d + Details
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- Definition The total purchase price of the acquired entity. This includes cash paid to equity interest holders of the acquired entity, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to equity holders of the acquired entity, and transaction costs paid to third parties to consummate the acquisition. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph d Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 35 + Details
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- Definition Amount of goodwill arising from a business combination, which is the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 52 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 53 -Subparagraph d + Details
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