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Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2008
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | $ 424,155 |  | $ 276,915 |  | $ 302,991 | $ 173,586
Short-term investments | 127,039 |  | 146,586 |  |  |
Long-term investments | 30,057 |  | 46,033 |  |  |
Long term investment maturities - begin | 18 months from December 31, 2011 |  |  |  |  |
Long term investment maturities - end | 21 months from December 31, 2011 |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 424,155 | [1] | 276,915 | [1] |  |
Long-term investments | 30,140 | [2],[3],[4] | 46,034 | [2],[3],[4] |  |
Long-term debt | 899,022 | [5] | 850,374 | [5] |  |
Fair Value | Certificates of deposit |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Short-term investments |  |  | 250 | [2],[6] |  |
Fair Value | Government backed securities |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Short-term investments | 127,039 | [2],[3],[6] | 146,336 | [2],[3],[6] |  |
Book Value |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 424,155 | [1] | 276,915 | [1] |  |
Long-term investments | 30,057 | [2],[3],[4] | 46,033 | [2],[3],[4] |  |
Long-term debt | 876,111 | [5] | 863,657 | [5] |  |
Book Value | Certificates of deposit |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Short-term investments |  |  | 250 | [2],[6] |  |
Book Value | Government backed securities |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Short-term investments | $ 127,039 | [2],[3],[6] | $ 146,336 | [2],[3],[6] |  |
[1] | In preparing its Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended December 31, 2011, U.S. Cellular discovered certain errors related to the classification of outstanding checks with the right of offset. This error resulted in the misstatement of Cash for the year ended December 31, 2010. The amounts herein have been revised to reflect the proper amounts. See Note 2 — Revision of Prior Period Amounts for additional information.
[2] | Designated as held-to-maturity investments and are recorded at amortized cost in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
[3] | Includes U.S. treasuries and corporate notes guaranteed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program.
[4] | Maturities range between 18 and 21 months from the balance sheet date.
[5] | Excludes capital lease obligations and current portion of Long-term debt.
[6] | Maturities are less than twelve months from the respective balance sheet dates.

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- Definition Includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the Entity may deposit additional funds at any time and also effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Compensating balance arrangements that do not legally restrict the withdrawal or usage of cash amounts may be reported as Cash and Cash Equivalents, while legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or company statements of intention with regard to particular deposits are not generally reported as cash and cash equivalents. Includes cash and cash equivalents associated with the entity's continuing operations. Excludes cash and cash equivalents associated with the disposal group (and discontinued operation). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 1 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 7 -Footnote 1 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3044-108585 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 8, 9 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6361293&loc=d3e6676-107765 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Cash -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 7, 26 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Cash Equivalents -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016 + Details
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