Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of The Registrant (Parent Company) - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						8 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash flow from operating activities
Net (loss) income	$ 8,301	$ (4,370)	$ (2,343)	$ (1,535)	$ 8,036	$ 7,166	$ 9,403	$ 24,870	$ (212)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of deferred financing costs								4,832	7,823
Amortization of debt discount								5,172	8,179
Stock-based compensation								1,934	4,846
Changes in:
Accounts receivable								(215)	(3,516)
Other assets								(1,148)	(1,365)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities								32,024	2,806
Net cash provided by operating activities								293,208	375,988
Cash flow from investing activities
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired									(488,788)
Consideration paid to Windstream Services, LLC								(1,035,029)
Net cash used in investing activities								(1,079,442)	(535,231)
Cash flow from financing activities
Principal payment on debt								(10,700)	(22,027)
Dividends paid								(156,854)	(367,830)
Proceeds from issuance of Term Loans								1,127,000
Proceeds from issuance of Notes									548,875
Borrowings under revolving credit facility									641,000
Payments under revolving credit facility									(641,000)
Capital lease payments									(1,549)
Deferred financing costs								(30,057)	(20,557)
Common stock issuance, net of costs								(543)	54,213
Net share settlement								(113)	(2,359)
Cash in-lieu of fractional shares								(19)
Net cash provided by financing activities								928,714	188,766
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents									(267)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents								142,480	29,256
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	$ 18				142,498			18	142,498
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		171,754				142,498		142,498	171,754
CS&L, Inc.
Cash flow from operating activities
Net (loss) income								24,870	(212)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of deferred financing costs								4,832	7,823
Amortization of debt discount								5,172	8,179
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries								(208,601)	(276,521)
Distributions from subsidiaries								253,362	194,500
Stock-based compensation								1,934	4,846
Changes in:
Accounts receivable									3
Other assets									(1,066)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities								24,763	3,372
Net cash provided by operating activities								106,332	(59,076)
Cash flow from investing activities
Consideration paid to Windstream Services, LLC								(1,035,029)
Net cash used in investing activities								(1,035,029)
Cash flow from financing activities
Principal payment on debt								(10,700)	(22,027)
Dividends paid								(156,854)	(367,830)
Proceeds from issuance of Term Loans								1,127,000
Proceeds from issuance of Notes									548,875
Borrowings under revolving credit facility									641,000
Payments under revolving credit facility									(641,000)
Deferred financing costs								(30,057)	(20,557)
Common stock issuance, net of costs								(543)	54,213
Net share settlement								(113)	(2,359)
Intercompany transactions, net									(111)
Cash in-lieu of fractional shares								(19)
Net cash provided by financing activities								928,714	190,204
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents								17	131,128
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period					$ 17				17
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		$ 131,145				$ 17		$ 17	$ 131,145