Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Unitymedia Notes) (Details) € in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					4.875%	4.875%
Outstanding principal amount			$ 45,781,200,000			$ 42,541,800,000
Estimated fair value						344,400,000
Carrying value			45,426,300,000			42,315,900,000
UPC Holding Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding principal amount			1,491,100,000			1,451,500,000
Estimated fair value			1,601,400,000			1,569,800,000
Carrying value						$ 1,441,000,000.0
Gains (losses) on extinguishment of debt			(69,300,000)	$ 41,500,000
Payment for debt redemption premium			59,200,000	19,700,000
Write off of deferred financing costs			10,100,000	4,400,000
Write-off of unamortized debt discount (premium)			0	17,400,000
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					6.125%	6.125%
Original issue amount						$ 900,000,000.0
Outstanding principal amount						900,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						925,900,000
Carrying value						$ 895,300,000
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		103.063%
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.042%
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.021%
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2025 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2027 UM Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					3.75%	3.75%
Original issue amount | €					€ 700.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 700.0	$ 738,300,000
Estimated fair value						702,300,000
Carrying value						$ 732,600,000
2027 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.875%
2027 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.938%
2027 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.469%
2027 UM Senior Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.50%	5.50%
Original issue amount						$ 1,000,000,000.0
Outstanding principal amount						1,000,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						1,037,500,000
Carrying value						$ 992,700,000
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.75%
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.833%
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.917%
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.75%	5.75%
Original issue amount | €					€ 500.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 405.0	$ 427,200,000
Estimated fair value						458,400,000
Carrying value						$ 425,100,000
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.875%
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.917%
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.958%
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 5.75% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.125%	5.125%
Original issue amount | €					€ 500.0
Outstanding principal amount	€ 450.0				€ 405.0	$ 427,200,000	$ 474,600,000
Estimated fair value						453,600,000
Carrying value						$ 425,600,000
Percentage of principal amount redeemed	10.00%
Redemption price	103.00%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.563%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.708%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.854%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
January 2023 5.125% UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.50%	5.50%
Original issue amount | €					€ 650.0
Outstanding principal amount	€ 585.0				€ 526.5	$ 555,300,000	$ 617,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						587,900,000
Carrying value						$ 550,000,000.0
Percentage of principal amount redeemed	10.00%
Redemption price	103.00%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.75%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.833%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.917%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2022 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.625%	5.625%
Original issue amount | €					€ 350.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 280.0	$ 295,300,000
Estimated fair value						317,500,000
Carrying value						$ 293,500,000
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.813%
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.875%
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.938%
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
April 2023 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					4.00%	4.00%
Original issue amount | €					€ 1,000.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 1,000.0	$ 1,054,700,000
Estimated fair value						1,101,500,000
Carrying value						$ 1,049,000,000.0
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.00%
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.333%
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.667%
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2025 UM Euro Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					5.00%	5.00%
Original issue amount						$ 550,000,000.0
Outstanding principal amount						550,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						550,700,000
Carrying value						$ 547,000,000.0
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.50%
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.667%
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.833%
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2025 UM Dollar Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2026 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					4.625%	4.625%
Original issue amount | €					€ 420.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 420.0	$ 443,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						469,500,000
Carrying value						$ 441,200,000
2026 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.313%
2026 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.156%
2026 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.578%
2026 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2027 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					3.50%	3.50%
Original issue amount | €					€ 500.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 500.0	$ 527,300,000
Estimated fair value						519,100,000
Carrying value						$ 522,600,000
2027 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.75%
2027 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.875%
2027 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.438%
2027 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
2029 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate of debt					6.25%	6.25%
Original issue amount | €					€ 475.0
Outstanding principal amount					€ 475.0	$ 501,000,000.0
Estimated fair value						555,800,000
Carrying value						494,300,000
2029 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		103.125%
2029 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		102.083%
2029 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		101.042%
2029 UM Senior Secured Notes [Member] | 2024 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price		100.00%
Unitymedia Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding principal amount			7,682,000,000.0			7,419,300,000
Estimated fair value			7,631,600,000			7,679,700,000
Carrying value						$ 7,368,900,000
Additional basis points used to determine redemption premium					50.00%	50.00%
Gains (losses) on extinguishment of debt		$ (4,300,000)	(102,400,000)	(130,800,000)
Payment for debt redemption premium		3,400,000	98,800,000	115,100,000
Write off of deferred financing costs		$ 900,000	2,200,000	14,000,000.0
Write-off of unamortized debt discount (premium)			$ 1,400,000	12,300,000
Write-off of unamortized debt premium				$ (10,600,000)