Segment Reporting (Capital Expenditures of Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	$ 2,398.3	$ 2,228.9
Assets acquired under capital-related vendor financing arrangements	(1,312.7)	(946.4)
Assets acquired under capital leases	(106.4)	(41.8)
Changes in current liabilities related to capital expenditures	213.7	35.4
Total consolidated capital expenditures	1,192.9	1,276.1
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division U.K / Ireland [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	970.6	771.9
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Belgium [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	288.4	225.4
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Germany [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	322.1	284.1
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Switzerland / Austria [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	149.5	144.2
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Netherlands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	0.0	283.0
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Total Western Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	1,730.6	1,708.6
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Central and Eastern Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	198.5	142.3
Operating Segments [Member] | European Operations Division Central and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	159.3	166.8
Operating Segments [Member] | Total European Operations Division [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	2,088.4	2,017.7
Operating Segments [Member] | Liberty Global Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	2,088.2	2,024.0
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group CWC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	161.0	53.6
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group Chile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	103.4	109.5
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group Puerto Rico [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	45.7	41.8
Operating Segments [Member] | LiLAC Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	310.1	204.9
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total consolidated property and equipment additions	(0.2)	6.3
VodafoneZiggo JV [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and equipment additions - VodafoneZiggo JV	$ 444.0	$ 0.0