Asset Retirement Obligation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Asset Retirement Obligation [Abstract]

Asset retirement obligations

			U.S.		TDS				TDS
(Dollars in thousands)			Cellular		Telecom		Other		Consolidated
Balance December 31, 2012			$	179,607	$	69,969	$	4,034	$	253,610
	Additional liabilities accrued			635		257		-		892
	Revisions in estimated cash outflows			6,268		(2,562)		-		3,706
	Acquisition of assets			-		3,410		-		3,410
	Disposition of assets (1)			(3,534)		(577)		-		(4,111)
	Accretion expense (2)			12,592		4,898		241		17,731
Balance December 31, 2013 (3)			$	195,568	$	75,395	$	4,275	$	275,238
Balance December 31, 2011			$	143,402	$	65,209	$	3,806	$	212,417
	Additional liabilities accrued			5,578		367		-		5,945
	Revisions in estimated cash outflows (4)			22,588		-		-		22,588
	Disposition of assets			(2,674)		(298)		-		(2,972)
	Accretion expense (2)			10,713		4,691		228		15,632
Balance December 31, 2012			$	179,607	$	69,969	$	4,034	$	253,610
(1)		Included $2.0 million of incremental disposition costs related to the Divestiture Transaction in 2013.
(2)		Included $1.1 million and $0.2 million of incremental accretion related to the Divestiture Transaction in 2013 and 2012, respectively.
(3)		In 2013, as a result of the accelerated settlement dates of certain asset retirement obligations related to the Divestiture Transaction, TDS reclassified $37.7 million of its asset retirement obligations from Other deferred liabilities and credits to Other current liabilities.
(4)		Included increases of $14.9 million as a result of changes in expected settlement dates related to the Divestiture Transaction in 2012.