Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Land and rights-of-way	$ 4,300,000		$ 4,300,000	$ 49,700,000
Buildings and leasehold improvements	172,800,000		172,800,000	895,900,000
Network equipment	2,897,700,000		2,897,700,000	2,858,400,000
Office software, furniture, fixtures and vehicles	152,900,000		152,900,000	133,800,000
Construction in process	20,700,000		20,700,000	78,600,000
Gross value	3,248,400,000		3,248,400,000	4,016,400,000
Accumulated depreciation	(2,345,600,000)		(2,345,600,000)	(2,429,000,000)
Property, plant and equipment, net	902,800,000		902,800,000	1,587,400,000
Depreciation			166,000,000	198,800,000	180,400,000
Depreciation associated with cost of providing services			85.00%	87.00%	84.00%
Impairment of assets, excluding goodwill			0	(14,200,000)	(2,100,000)
Change in Accounting Estimate, Effect of Change on Operating Results, Increase in Depreciation Expense	3,000,000	8,500,000
Change in Accounting Estimate, Effect of Change on Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ (0.01)	$ (0.03)
Change in Accounting Estimate, Effect of Change on Future Operating Results, Increase in Depreciation Expense for Next Fiscal Year			36,000,000
Capital Lease and Other Financing Arrangements Assets, Gross	126,800,000		126,800,000	244,100,000
Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			20 years
Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum in Practice			9
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum in Practice			22
Data Center Colocation [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, excluding goodwill				11,800,000
Wireless [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, excluding goodwill			0	400,000	1,100,000
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Deferred Gain, Remaining Amortization Period	30 months		30 months
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Current Period Gain Recognized			3,300,000
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Gain to be Recognized in Next Fiscal Year			14,000,000
Wireless [Member] | Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life		3 years 0 months 0 days
Wireless [Member] | Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	30 months
Wireline [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, excluding goodwill			$ 0	$ 500,000	$ 1,000,000
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			2 years
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			2 years
Minimum [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			2 years
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			40 years
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			50 years
Maximum [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life			14 years