Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Consolidated Debt and Capital Lease Obligations) (Schedule) (Details) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Notes [Member] GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2013 VM Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Credit Facility [Member] GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2013 VM Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Convertible Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VM Convertible Notes [Member] GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2013 VM Convertible Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPC Broadband Holding Bank Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPC Broadband Holding Bank Facility [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 UPC Broadband Holding Bank Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPC Holding Senior Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPC Holding Senior Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 UPC Holding Senior Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPCB SPE Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 UPCB SPE Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 UPCB SPE Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Unitymedia KabelBW Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Unitymedia KabelBW Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Unitymedia KabelBW Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Unitymedia KabelBW Revolving Credit Facilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Unitymedia KabelBW Revolving Credit Facilities [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Unitymedia KabelBW Revolving Credit Facilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Ziggo Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Ziggo Credit Facility [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Ziggo Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Ziggo Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Ziggo Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Ziggo Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Telenet SPE Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Telenet SPE Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Telenet SPE Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Telenet Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Telenet Credit Facility [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Telenet Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VTR Finance Senior Secured Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 VTR Finance Senior Secured Notes [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 VTR Finance Senior Secured Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Sumitomo Collar Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Sumitomo Collar Loan [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Sumitomo Collar Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Liberty Puerto Rico Bank Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Liberty Puerto Rico Bank Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 ITV Collar Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 ITV Collar Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Vendor Financing [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Vendor Financing [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Other Debt [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Other Debt [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Unitymedia KabelBW Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Unitymedia KabelBW Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Telenet Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Telenet Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Virgin Media Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Virgin Media Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Other Subsidiaries Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Other Subsidiaries Capital Lease [Member] USD ($)
Debt:
Weighted average interest rate	5.13%		5.83%	5.83%		3.78%	3.78%		6.50%	6.50%		3.56%	3.56%		7.16%	7.16%		6.88%	6.88%		5.75%	5.75%		2.63%	2.63%		3.63%	3.63%		6.82%	6.82%		5.93%	5.93%		3.44%	3.44%		6.88%	6.88%		1.88%	1.88%		5.20%		1.73%		3.45%		9.28%
Unused borrowing capacity	$ 3,974.1		$ 0	£ 0		$ 1,028.4	£ 660.0		$ 0	£ 0		$ 1,266.0	€ 1,046.2		$ 0	€ 0		$ 0	€ 0		$ 0	€ 0		$ 266.2	€ 220.0		$ 786.5	€ 650.0		$ 0	€ 0		$ 0	€ 0		$ 390.8	€ 322.9		$ 0	€ 0		$ 0	€ 0		$ 40.0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 196.2
Estimated fair value	46,151.1	44,229.0	8,461.0		9,188.7	4,734.9		4,388.9	178.7		164.1	3,156.4		5,717.8	2,603.6		3,297.4	4,279.0		4,536.5	7,869.3		8,058.2	319.4		0	4,663.0		0	1,082.3		0	2,450.4		2,916.5	1,633.4		1,956.9	1,439.4		0	818.0		939.3	666.2	666.2	678.2	0	946.4	603.1	171.5	1,795.4
Carrying value	44,611.4	42,856.0	8,060.7		9,150.1	4,804.0		4,352.8	56.8		57.5	3,179.2		5,671.4	2,391.6		3,099.2	4,009.4		4,219.5	7,400.9		7,651.9	338.8		0	4,710.8		0	1,077.0		0	2,299.0		2,759.2	1,638.6		1,936.9	1,400.0		0	787.7		894.3	672.0	665.0	667.0	0	946.4	603.1	171.5	1,795.1
Capital lease obligations:
Total capital lease obligations	1,547.6	1,848.3																																																			810.1	952.0	413.4	451.2	255.3	373.5	68.8	71.6
Total debt and capital lease obligations	46,159.0	44,704.3
Current maturities	(1,550.9)	(1,023.4)
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 44,608.1	$ 43,680.9