Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, exchanges (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 License exchange agreements	Dec. 31, 2015 Expected event License exchange agreements number	Feb. 14, 2014 Spectrum exchange	Sep. 30, 2014 Spectrum exchange
Exchanges
Asset exchange description				In September 2014, U.S. Cellular entered into definitive agreements with third parties to transfer certain of its non-operating market licenses (“unbuilt licenses”) representing approximately 148 million MHz/pops. In exchange, the third parties will transfer to U.S. Cellular licenses representing approximately 46 million MHz/pops located in U.S. Cellular’s operating markets plus $145 million of cash. These transactions are subject to regulatory approvals and are expected to close in 2015. In accordance with GAAP, the book value of the licenses have been accounted for and disclosed as “Assets held for sale” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2014. U.S. Cellular expects to record a gain upon consummation of these transactions.			On February 14, 2014, U.S. Cellular completed an exchange whereby U.S. Cellular received one E block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI in exchange for one D block PCS spectrum license covering Milwaukee, WI. The exchange of licenses provided U.S. Cellular with spectrum to meet anticipated future capacity and coverage requirements. No cash, customers, network assets, other assets or liabilities were included in the exchange. As a result of this transaction, U.S. Cellular recognized a gain of $15.7 million, representing the difference between the $15.9 million fair value of the license surrendered, calculated using a market approach valuation method, and the $0.2 million carrying value of the license surrendered. This gain was recorded in (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in the first quarter of 2014.
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges	$ (91,446,000)					$ (15,700,000)
Fair value						15,900,000
Carrying value	1,390,672,000		1,401,126,000			200,000
Asset exchange, valuation method							market approach valuation method
Acquired MHz/pops					46,000,000
Divested MHz/pops					148,000,000
Cash received from divestitures	$ 143,801,000	$ 484,300,000			$ 145,000,000