XML 39 R65.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Intangible Assets - Narrative (Details) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) license | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Total winning bid | $ 256,000,000 |
Goodwill |  |
Loss on impairment |  | $ 370,000,000
Goodwill |  | $ 0
Auction 101 |  |
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Licenses won | license | 408 |
Auction 102 |  |
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Licenses won | license | 282 |

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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&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 of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13777-109266 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillRollForward
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Total number of licenses won in an FCC license auction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | usm_FccLicenseAuctionTotalLicensesWon
Namespace Prefix: | usm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The total winning bid amount in a FCC license auction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | usm_FccLicenseAuctionTotalWinningBid
Namespace Prefix: | usm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | usm_AcquisitionEventAxis=usm_Auction101AcquisitionEventMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | usm_AcquisitionEventAxis=usm_Auction102AcquisitionEventMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |