Intangible Assets - Schedules (Details) - Licenses - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Licenses
Balance at beginning of year	$ 4,088	$ 2,629
Acquisitions	595	1,464
Impairment	(3)	0
Transferred to Assets held for sale	1	(18)
Exchanges - Licenses received	1	0
Capitalized interest	8	13
Balance at end of year	$ 4,690	$ 4,088

Amount of impairment loss resulting from write-down of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit to fair value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16373-109275

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126954810&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) during the period in book value of long-lived assets that the reporting entity plans to sell within one year (or one business cycle).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126954810&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAssetsHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, from an acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of assets received, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, from an exchange.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usm_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAcquiredInExchange
Namespace Prefix:	usm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: