Segment Reporting (Capital Expenditures of Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	$ 1,023.6	$ 997.0
Assets acquired under capital-related vendor financing arrangements	(628.5)	(438.9)
Assets acquired under capital leases	(32.3)	(27.9)
Changes in current liabilities related to capital expenditures	262.0	106.9
Total consolidated capital expenditures	624.8	637.1
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division U.K / Ireland [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	409.1	368.5
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Belgium [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	124.7	98.9
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Germany [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	144.8	127.0
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Switzerland / Austria [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	67.2	58.4
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Netherlands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	0.0	140.1
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Total Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	745.8	792.9
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Central and Eastern Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	72.0	59.9
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Central and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	69.0	68.6
Operating Segments [Member] | Total European Operations Division [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	886.8	921.4
Operating Segments [Member] | Liberty Global Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	884.4	925.5
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group CWC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	60.5	0.0
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group Chile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	55.4	52.4
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group Puerto Rico [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	23.3	19.1
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	139.2	71.5
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	(2.4)	4.1
VodafoneZiggo JV [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and equipment additions - VodafoneZiggo JV	$ 227.9	$ 0.0