Segment Reporting (Performance Measures) (Schedule) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 4,468.0	$ 4,276.5	$ 3,057.8	$ 2,671.9	$ 2,619.9	$ 2,430.2	$ 2,430.6	$ 2,450.1	$ 14,474.2	$ 9,930.8	$ 9,118.3
Operating cash flow									6,740.7	4,830.9	4,440.6
European Operations Division Virgin Media (U.K.) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									3,653.7	0	0
Operating cash flow									1,524.9	0	0
European Operations Division Germany (Unitymedia KabelBW) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									2,559.2	2,311.0	1,450.0
Operating cash flow									1,541.1	1,364.3	863.7
European Operations Division Belgium (Telenet) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									2,185.9	1,918.0	1,918.5
Operating cash flow									1,049.4	940.7	967.0
European Operations Division Netherlands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,242.4	1,229.1	1,273.4
Operating cash flow									721.7	737.1	755.3
European Operations Division Switzerland [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,332.1	1,259.8	1,282.6
Operating cash flow									778.3	717.9	721.9
European Operations Division Other Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									898.7	848.4	893.3
Operating cash flow									445.3	407.7	418.7
European Operations Division Total Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									11,872.0	7,566.3	6,817.8
Operating cash flow									6,060.7	4,167.7	3,726.6
European Operations Division Central and Eastern Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,141.2	1,115.7	1,122.5
Operating cash flow									548.5	555.1	548.0
European Operations Division Central and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									130.4	117.0	122.7
Operating cash flow									(203.1)	(161.6)	(140.5)
Total European Operations Division [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									13,143.6	8,799.0	8,063.0
Operating cash flow									6,406.1	4,561.2	4,134.1
VTR Group (Chile) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									991.6	940.6	889.0
Operating cash flow									353.6	314.2	341.2
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									374.3	224.1	213.6
Operating cash flow									(63.8)	(83.1)	(73.8)
Intersegment eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									(35.3)	(32.9)	(47.3)
Operating cash flow									$ 44.8	$ 38.6	$ 39.1