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Revision of Prior Period Amounts, (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2011
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items] |  |  |
Revision of prior period disclosures, reason for revision | 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 and the classification of Accounts payable-trade for Additions to property, plant and equipment. These errors resulted in the misstatement of Cash and cash equivalents and Accounts payable-trade as of December 31, 2010 and each quarterly period in 2011, and the misstatement of Cash flows from operating activities and Cash flows from investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 and each of the quarterly periods in 2011 and 2010. In accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Nos. 99 and 108 ("SAB 99" and "SAB 108"), U.S. Cellular evaluated these errors and determined that they were immaterial to each of the reporting periods affected and, therefore, amendment of previously filed reports was not required. However, in order to provide consistency in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and as permitted by SAB 108, revisions for these immaterial amounts to previously reported amounts were reflected in the financial information as of and for the periods ended December 31, 2011, and are reflected in the financial information herein. |  |
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations |  |  |
Accounts payable - trade | $ (28,902) | $ 41,733 |
Other assets and liabilities | (77,821) | (66,553) |
Cash flows from operating activities | 608,759 | 738,821 |
Cash flows from investing activities |  |  |
Cash used for additions to property, plant and equipment | (611,431) | (462,327) |
Cash flows from investing activities | (619,486) | (451,060) |
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (14,576) | 215,478 |
As Previously Reported |  |  |
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations |  |  |
Accounts payable - trade |  | 79,031 | [1]
Other assets and liabilities |  | (65,048) | [1]
Cash flows from operating activities |  | 777,624 | [1]
Cash flows from investing activities |  |  |
Cash used for additions to property, plant and equipment |  | (506,082) | [1]
Cash flows from investing activities |  | (494,815) | [1]
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |  | 210,526 | [1]
Adjustment |  |  |
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations |  |  |
Accounts payable - trade |  | (37,298) |
Other assets and liabilities |  | (1,505) |
Cash flows from operating activities |  | (38,803) |
Cash flows from investing activities |  |  |
Cash used for additions to property, plant and equipment |  | 43,755 |
Cash flows from investing activities |  | 43,755 |
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |  | $ 4,952 |
[1] | In Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2011, filed on November 9, 2011.

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