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Debt, Fixed Rate Debt (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Long term debt |  |  |  |
Obligation on capital leases | $ 4,336,000 |  | $ 4,385,000 |
Total long-term debt | 880,447,000 |  | 868,042,000 |
Less: Current portion of long-term debt | 127,000 |  | 101,000 |
Total long-term debt excluding current portion | 880,320,000 |  | 867,941,000 |
6.95% Senior Notes |  |  |  |
Long term debt |  |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.95% | [1],[2] |  |
Date of debt issuance | May 2011 |  |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | May 01, 2060 |  |  |
Call date of debt issued | May 01, 2016 | [3] |  |
Debt issuance cost | 11,000,000 |  |  |
Long term debt | 342,000,000 | [1],[2] |  |
7.5% Senior Notes |  |  |  |
Long term debt |  |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 7.50% | [1],[4] |  |
Date of debt issuance | June 2004 |  |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Jun. 01, 2034 |  |  |
Call date of debt issued | Jun. 01, 2009 | [3] |  |
Long term debt |  |  | 330,000,000 | [1],[4]
Debt redemption |  |  |  |
Amount of debt redeemed | 330,000,000 |  |  |
Date of debt redemption | June 20, 2011 |  |  |
Previously capitalized debt issuance cost recognized to interest expense | 8,200,000 |  |  |
6.7% Senior Notes |  |  |  |
Long term debt |  |  |  |
Interest rate on debt | 6.70% | [1] |  |
Date of debt issuance | December 2003 and June 2004 |  |  |
Maturity date of debt issued | Dec. 01, 2033 |  |  |
Call date of debt issued | Dec. 01, 2003 | [3] |  |
Long term debt, face value | 544,000,000 |  | 544,000,000 |
Unamortized discount | (9,889,000) |  | (10,343,000) |
Long term debt | $ 534,111,000 | [1] | $ 533,657,000 | [1]
[1] | Interest on the 6.7% Senior Notes is payable semi-annually, and on the 6.95% Senior Notes is payable quarterly.
[2] | Capitalized debt issuance costs totaled $11.0 million and are being amortized over the life of the notes. Such issuance costs are included in Other assets and deferred charges.
[3] | U.S. Cellular may redeem the 6.95% Senior Notes, in whole or in part at any time after the call date, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. U.S. Cellular may redeem the 6.7% Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time prior to maturity at a redemption price equal to the greater of (a) 100% of the principal amount of such notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, or (b) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points.
[4] | On June 20, 2011, U.S. Cellular used substantially all of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 6.95% Senior Notes to redeem $330 million (the entire outstanding amount) of its unsecured 7.5% Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. This redemption required U.S. Cellular to write-off to interest expense $8.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.5% Senior Notes in 2011.

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