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Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, exchanges (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015
Exchanges |  |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | $ (122,873,000)usm_GainLossOnLicenseSalesAndExchanges | $ (91,446,000)usm_GainLossOnLicenseSalesAndExchanges |  |  |
Carrying value | 1,827,102,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedLicenseAgreements |  | 1,443,438,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedLicenseAgreements | 1,827,102,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedLicenseAgreements |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges | 274,111,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses | 103,042,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses |  |  |
Other current liabilities | 130,780,000 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent |  | 149,853,000 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent | 130,780,000 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent |
Assets held for sale | 22,203,000 us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent |  | 107,055,000 us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent | 22,203,000 us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent |
PCS and AWS license exchange |  |  |  |  |
Exchanges |  |  |  |  |
Asset exchange description | In September 2014, U.S. Cellular entered into an agreement with a third party to exchange certain PCS and AWS licenses for certain other PCS and AWS licenses and $28.0 million of cash. This license exchange will be accomplished in two closings. The first closing occurred in December 2014 at which time U.S. Cellular received licenses with an estimated fair value, per a market approach, of $51.5 million, recorded a $21.7 million gain and recorded an $18.3 million deferred credit in Other current liabilities. The second closing is expected to occur in the second half of 2015. A license with a $22.2 million book value will be transferred and has been classified as “Assets held for sale” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2015. At the time of the second closing, U.S. Cellular will recognize the deferred credit from the first closing and expects to record a gain on this part of the license exchange. |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net |  |  | (21,700,000)usm_GainLossOnLicenseSalesAndExchanges / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member |  |
Fair value |  |  | 51,500,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillFairValueDisclosure / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member |  |
Other current liabilities |  |  | 18,300,000 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member |  |
Assets held for sale | 22,200,000 us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member |  |  | 22,200,000 us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationCurrent / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member |
PCS license exchange |  |  |  |  |
Exchanges |  |  |  |  |
Asset exchange description | In March 2015, U.S. Cellular exchanged certain of its unbuilt PCS licenses for certain other PCS licenses located in U.S. Cellular’s existing operating markets and $117.0 million of cash. The licenses received in the transaction have an estimated fair value, per a market approach, of $43.5 million. A gain of $125.2 million was recorded in (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in the first quarter of 2015. |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net |  |  |  | (125,200,000)usm_GainLossOnLicenseSalesAndExchanges / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange2Member |
Fair value | 43,500,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillFairValueDisclosure / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange2Member |  |  | 43,500,000 us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillFairValueDisclosure / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange2Member |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  | 117,000,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange2Member |
Expected event | PCS and AWS license exchange |  |  |  |  |
Exchanges |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  |  | $ 28,000,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses / usm_ExchangeEventAxis = usm_LicenseExchange1Member / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = us-gaap_ScenarioForecastMember

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