Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 14

-Article 5

Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment
Land	$ 35,031,000us-gaap_Land	$ 36,266,000us-gaap_Land
Buildings	296,502,000us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross	304,272,000us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross
Leasehold and land improvements	1,086,718,000us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsGross	1,197,520,000us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsGross
Cell site equipment	3,269,609,000us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross	3,306,575,000us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross
Switching equipment	960,377,000usm_SwitchingEquipment	1,161,976,000usm_SwitchingEquipment
Office furniture and equipment	553,630,000us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesGross	539,248,000us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesGross
Other operating assets and equipment	89,663,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther	92,456,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOther
System development	1,042,195,000usm_SystemDevelopmentEquipment	962,698,000usm_SystemDevelopmentEquipment
Work in process	125,015,000us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross	116,501,000us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Property, plant and equipment, gross	7,458,740,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	7,717,512,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(4,730,523,000)	(4,860,992,000)
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,728,217,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2,856,520,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Depreciation and amortization expense	593,200,000	791,100,000	597,700,000
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	$ 21,469,000	$ 30,606,000	$ 18,088,000
Buildings
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	20 years
Leasehold and land improvements \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	1 year
Leasehold and land improvements \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	30 years
Cell site equipment \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	7 years
Cell site equipment \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	25 years
Switching equipment \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	5 years
Switching equipment \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	8 years
Office furniture and equipment \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	3 years
Office furniture and equipment \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	5 years
Other operating assets and equipment \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	3 years
Other operating assets and equipment \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	5 years
System development \| Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	1 year
System development \| Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful life	7 years