Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Capital expenditures anticipated [Abstract]
Range of capital expenditures anticipated for legacy and acquired properties - minimum	$ 625,000,000
Range of capital expenditures anticipated for legacy and acquired properties, maximum	675,000,000
Percentage of households in markets served to have broadband availability (in hundredths)	85.00%
Targeted minimum megabits per second in markets acquired by year 2013 (in Mbps)	3
Targeted minimum megabits per second in markets acquired by year 2015 (in Mbps)	4
Percentage of households throughout acquired Territories with broadband availability in excess of 1 Mbps (in hundredths)	86.00%
Percentage of households throughout acquired Territories with broadband availability in excess of 3 Mbps (in hundredths)	84.00%
Percentage of households throughout acquired Territories with broadband availability in excess of 4 Mbps (in hundredths)	78.00%
Number of state regulatory commissions requiring capital investment commitments	3
Aggregate amount placed into a cash escrow account for capital investment commitments required by state regulatory commissions	115,000,000
Amount of letter of credit obtained for capital investment commitments required by state regulatory commissions	190,000,000
Aggregate amount of cash in escrow accounts for service quality initiatives in the state of West Virginia	72,400,000
Restricted cash balance held in escrow accounts	42,700,000
Letter of credit reduced	40,000,000
Operating Leases [Abstract]
Term of lease arrangements, lower range (in years)	1
Term of lease arrangements, upper range (in years)	99
Number of vehicles accepted by the company for delivery	2,150
Additional expected number of vehicles to accept the delivery by next year	1,614
Percentage of expected vehicles to be leased under the program (in hundredths)	50.00%
Minimum lease commitment	1 year
Total annual lease expense for all new vehicles expected	30,000,000
Rental expense	79,300,000	70,200,000	48,500,000
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Fiscal Year Maturity Schedule [Abstract]
2013	132,000,000
2014	141,800,000
2015	140,800,000
Total	414,600,000
Number of utilities forming the Vermont Joint Owners consortium	14
Purchase power obligation (in hundredths)	10.00%
Number of years assumed if members of the consortium remained in default for the duration of the contract (in years)	3
Undiscounted purchase obligation if members of the consortium remained in default for the duration of the contract	431,100,000
Future minimum rental commitments [Abstract]
2013	95,323,000
2014	20,096,000
2015	10,319,000
2016	8,157,000
2017	6,528,000
Thereafter	41,751,000
Total minimum lease payments	182,174,000
Estimated future payments for obligations under long distance contracts and service agreements [Abstract]
2013	48,338,000
2014	21,357,000
2015	15,442,000
2016	4,593,000
2017	4,275,000
Thereafter	1,200,000
Total	95,205,000
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding performance letters of credit	86,845,000
Associated liability related to the cash in escrow account	23,900,000
Liability associated with cash in escrow accounts for service quality initiatives in the state of West Virginia	200,000
Amount released from escrow	145,000,000
Amount of letter of credit obtained for capital investment commitments	190,000,000
Public Service Commission of West Virginia [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding performance letters of credit	40,000,000
CNA [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding performance letters of credit	45,659,000
Other Letters of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding performance letters of credit	$ 1,186,000