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Common Shareholders' Equity (Details) - shares
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Share repurchases    
Common share repurchase authorization In November 2009, the Board of Directors of U.S. Cellular authorized the repurchase of up to 1,300,000 Common Shares on an annual basis beginning in 2009 and continuing each year thereafter, on a cumulative basis.  In December 2016, the U.S. Cellular Board amended this authorization to provide that, beginning on January 1, 2017, the authorized repurchase amount with respect to a particular year will be any amount from zero to 1,300,000, as determined by the Pricing Committee, and that if the Pricing Committee did not specify an amount for any year, such amount would be zero for such year.  The Pricing Committee did not specify any amount as of January 1, 2018.  The Pricing Committee also was authorized to decrease the cumulative amount of the authorization at any time, but has not taken any action to do so at this time.  As a result, there was no change to the cumulative amount of the share repurchase authorization as of January 1, 2018.  As of December 31, 2017, the total cumulative amount of Common Shares authorized to be purchased is 5,900,849. The authorization provides that share repurchases will be made pursuant to open market purchases, block purchases, private purchases, or otherwise, depending on market prices and other conditions.  This authorization does not have an expiration date.  
Series A Common Shares    
Common shareholders' equity, other disclosures    
Voting rights for number of board of directors 75%  
Common Shares    
Common shareholders' equity, other disclosures    
Voting rights for number of board of directors 25%  
Common Shares | 401(k)    
Common shareholders' equity, other disclosures    
Shares reserved 67,215  
Common Shares | Treasury shares    
Common shareholders' equity, other disclosures    
Shares reissued   1,000,000
Share repurchases    
Repurchase expiration This authorization does not have an expiration date.  
Repurchase authorization, cumulative shares authorized 5,900,849  
Common Shares | Treasury shares | Minimum    
Share repurchases    
Repurchase authorization, additional number of shares per year 0  
Common Shares | Treasury shares | Maximum    
Share repurchases    
Repurchase authorization, additional number of shares per year 1,300,000