XML 50 R56.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8

Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Licenses
Balance, beginning of period	$ 1,456,794	$ 1,470,769
Acquisitions	16,540	122,690
Divestitures	(59,419)
Transferred to Assets held for sale	(16,027)	(140,599)
Other	3,238	3,934
Balance, end of period	1,401,126	1,456,794
Goodwill
Assigned value at time of acquisition	494,737	494,737
Transferred to Assets held for sale	(72,994)
Balance, beginning of period	421,743	494,737
Divestitures	(505)
Transferred to Assets held for sale		(72,994)
NY1 & NY2 Deconsolidation	(33,714)
Balance, end of period	$ 387,524	$ 421,743

X

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount before accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a,h)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

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

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, resulting from a business combination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of write-off of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit associated with the sale of all or a portion of a reporting unit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Accumulated goodwill transferred to assets held for sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_Accumulatedassetsheldforsalegoodwilltransferred
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Goodwill that is transferred to assets held for sale during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_AssetsHeldForSaleGoodwillTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Indefinite-lived intangible assets that were transferred to assets held for sale during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_AssetsHeldForSaleIndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The aggregate amount of goodwill that was deconsolidated in the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_GoodwillDeconsolidated
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Changes not otherwise specified in the taxonomy to the account balance of a major indefinite-lived intangible asset class during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsOtherChanges
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration