<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:cbb="http://cincinnatibell.net/20200309"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019-01-31"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:us-gaap="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2019-01-31"
  xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="cbb-20200309.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="c20200309to20200309">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000716133</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2020-03-09</startDate>
            <endDate>2020-03-09</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting120InterestInAShareOf634CumulativeConvertiblePreferredStockWithoutParValueMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000716133</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">cbb:DepositarySharesEachRepresenting120InterestInAShareOf634CumulativeConvertiblePreferredStockWithoutParValueMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
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        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2020-03-09</startDate>
            <endDate>2020-03-09</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonShares001ParValueMember">
        <entity>
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            <segment>
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        <period>
            <startDate>2020-03-09</startDate>
            <endDate>2020-03-09</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_f6d18f1c8a6c484aad92acf6b3a69ab8">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_984015eb140243f3bb86ee639c03f72f">0000716133</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_2b3720b0ef654f69ae53651c18542646">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_4b769fed48794e60a4b562eb0a9f1604">2020-03-09</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_2658af87096b4d11a8680b4bb2f272f3">CINCINNATI BELL INC.</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_7db2877296e1421392a091d00d01acd1">OH</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_07aef35e88ac400d8c3a371f19603806">001-8519</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_08ebf61dd47c429c973e4f0d79619038">31-1056105</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_0432322393f7424696093e54ad1088cc">221 East Fourth Street</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_1c449c0dd4a647b7bb42cf44147e7de3">Cincinnati</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_45d6e73a023c45299fc80c02c867b462">OH</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_6bddc0be4e1a431db8880c2b617d1e94">45202</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_b5467751d7e74fab9ceef61eb3de6bcd">513</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_df58e73c1ea1409092cc84fe70911ee4">397-9900</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_44f6dbba0355423b8f7392807312235d">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_db796810b6fa40569dcb044a422f1282">true</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_9f8aea51a5c44ad5806fd15822488726">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_06aa920acd1a4c81b09e506e96558ce1">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonShares001ParValueMember"
      id="Fact_833757e0988943f48dbf646a105dca99">Common Shares ($0.01 par value)</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonShares001ParValueMember"
      id="Fact_8780a3cae43646be81cb4fa3632a5afd">CBB</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonShares001ParValueMember"
      id="Fact_2d55d02defc2424098ba4c070639ecf9">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting120InterestInAShareOf634CumulativeConvertiblePreferredStockWithoutParValueMember"
      id="Fact_2ddb2c31c8c749c29843a45d7ddd51cf">Depositary Shares, each representing 1/20 interest in a Share of 6 3/4% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, without par value</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting120InterestInAShareOf634CumulativeConvertiblePreferredStockWithoutParValueMember"
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    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresenting120InterestInAShareOf634CumulativeConvertiblePreferredStockWithoutParValueMember"
      id="Fact_e20004bfa27f4f06ab502cd4dcb5b156">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="c20200309to20200309"
      id="Fact_48ee16bb089b4a7fa8edbb43ef0f2344">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
