Segment Reporting (Balance Sheet Data of Reportable Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	$ 54,502.9	$ 30,454.7
Total assets	67,714.3	38,307.7
European Operations Division Virgin Media (U.K.) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	23,570.6	0
Total assets	29,788.3	0
European Operations Division Germany (Unitymedia KabelBW) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	10,754.7	10,626.4
Total assets	11,968.2	10,960.2
European Operations Division Belgium (Telenet) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	4,737.4	4,617.8
Total assets	5,909.2	6,243.1
European Operations Division Netherlands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	2,496.5	2,378.3
Total assets	2,845.3	2,676.6
European Operations Division Switzerland [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	4,745.7	4,685.6
Total assets	5,173.5	5,032.9
European Operations Division Other Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	1,967.6	1,886.9
Total assets	2,121.8	1,952.7
European Operations Division Total Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	48,272.5	24,195.0
Total assets	57,806.3	26,865.5
European Operations Division Central and Eastern Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	2,839.4	2,866.1
Total assets	3,057.4	3,002.5
European Operations Division Central and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	522.8	365.3
Total assets	1,709.1	1,420.9
Total European Operations Division [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	51,634.7	27,426.4
Total assets	62,572.8	31,288.9
VTR Group (Chile) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	1,139.7	1,363.3
Total assets	1,628.9	1,680.3
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	1,214.9	1,232.1
Total assets	2,760.3	4,550.2
Continuing operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	53,989.3	30,021.8
Total assets	66,962.0	37,519.4
Discontinued operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	513.6	432.9
Total assets	$ 752.3	$ 788.3