Document And Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 09, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	OTELCO INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001288359
Trading Symbol	otel
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 28.7
Entity Shell Company	false
Document Type	10-K/A
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	true
Amendment Description	This Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (the “2019 10-K”) of Otelco Inc. is being filed for the sole purpose of correcting a clerical error in which Exhibit 101 containing the XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) Interactive Data File for the financial statements and notes included in Part II, Item 8 of the 2019 10-K was inadvertently omitted from the EDGAR filing of the 2019 10-K, as originally filed on March 9, 2020. This Amendment No. 1 contains currently dated Section 302 certifications as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2. No attempt has been made in this Amendment No. 1 to modify or update the disclosures presented in the 2019 10-K as previously filed. This Amendment No. 1 does not reflect events occurring after the filing of the original 2019 10-K or modify or update those disclosures that may be affected by subsequent events. Accordingly, this Amendment No. 1 should be read in conjunction with the 2019 10-K and the registrant’s other filings with the SEC.
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A Common Stock ($0.01 par value per share)
Common Class A [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		3,412,805
Common Class B [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		0