Equity (Narrative) (Details)		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 14, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) class $ / shares shares	Feb. 15, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares	Jul. 01, 2015 vote	Jan. 26, 2014 shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Share capital authorized, aggregate nominal amount | $		$ 20,000,000.0
Minimum number of classes or series of stock which may be authorized | class		1
Non-controlling interests
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Shares issued in connection with acquisitions | $	$ 185,400,000
VTR Finance [Member] | VTR GlobalCom and VTR Wireless [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Business acquisition consideration issued (in shares)	10,091,178
Call Option [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Call options, exercise price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0
Class A Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of votes allowed per class of stock (in votes) | vote					10
Class B Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of votes allowed per class of stock (in votes) | vote					1
Class C Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Share dividend, number of shares issued under all classes						1
Liberty Global Group [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock repurchase, authorized amount | $		$ 4,000,000,000.0
Liquidation units (in shares)		1
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock repurchase, authorized amount | $			$ 1,000,000,000.0
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Number of ordinary shares convertible to certain class of ordinary shares		1
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		707,293
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		13,182,578
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		3,649,647
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		0.01
Common reserved for issuance (in shares)		10,805,850
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		0
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		0
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		333,334
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		0.01
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		2,754,480
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		32,139,764
Liberty Global Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		6,652,584
LiLAC Group [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock repurchase, authorized amount | $		$ 300,000,000.0
Liquidation units (in shares)		0.94893
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		0.01
Number of ordinary shares convertible to certain class of ordinary shares		1
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		82,818
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		1,973,135
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		550,359
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		0.01
Common reserved for issuance (in shares)		1,888,323
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		0
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		0
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class B Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		58,256
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, nominal value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01		$ 0.01
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | Options
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		212,602
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | SARs and PSARs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Awards outstanding (in shares)		4,757,017
LiLAC Group [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares | PSUs, PGUs, RSUs
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Other than options (in shares)		1,000,190