| **Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles (Tables)**        | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| **Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]**        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Excise And Sales Taxes [Table Text Block]                                     |             Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,  2012 2011 2012 2011 Surcharges reported gross$ 1,399  1,376  2,880  2,800                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Schedule of Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments [Table Text Block] |  Consolidated Balance Sheet as of  December 31, 2011: As Previously Reported Adjustment As Revised  Property and equipment in service, net of  depreciation$ 851,705  (2,584)  849,121  Net property and equipment  894,623  (2,584)  892,039  Total assets  1,447,247  (2,584)  1,444,663  Deferred income taxes  115,296  (1,062)  114,234  Total liabilities  1,273,735  (1,062)  1,272,673  Retained deficit  (111,259)  (1,522)  (112,781)  Total GCI stockholder's equity  157,204  (1,522)  155,682  Total stockholder's equity  173,512  (1,522)  171,990  Total liabilities and stockholder's equity  1,447,247  (2,584)  1,444,663           Consolidated Statements of Operations  for the Three Months Ended  June 30, 2011:        Depreciation and amortization expense  30,632  147  30,779  Operating income  22,446  (147)  22,299  Loss before income tax benefit  (3,964)  (147)  (4,111)  Income tax benefit  (2,007)  (60)  (2,067)  Net loss  (1,957)  (87)  (2,044)           Consolidated Statements of Operations  for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2011:        Depreciation and amortization expense  62,352  293  62,645  Operating income  42,854  (293)  42,561  Loss before income tax benefit  (1,028)  (293)  (1,321)  Income tax benefit  (556)  (120)  (676)  Net loss  (472)  (173)  (645)           Consolidated Statement of Stockholder's  Equity for the Six Months Ended  June 30, 2011:        Retained deficit, balance at January 1, 2011  (61,983)  (1,407)  (63,390)  Net loss  (472)  (173)  (645)  Retained deficit, balance at June 30, 2011  (83,767)  (1,580)  (85,347)  Total stockholder's equity, balance at  January 1, 2011  199,213  (1,407)  197,806  Total stockholder's equity, balance at  June 30, 2011  180,406  (1,580)  178,826           Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the          Six Months Ended June 30, 2011:        Net loss  (472)  (173)  (645)  Depreciation and amortization expense  62,352  293  62,645  Income tax benefit  (556)  (120)  (676)           |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the surcharges assessed by a governmental authority that are directly imposed on a revenue-producing transaction between us and a customer.
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No definition available.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of prior period adjustments to previously issued financial statements including (1) the effect of the correction on each financial statement line item and any per-share amounts affected for each prior period presented (2) the cumulative effect of the change on retained earnings or other appropriate components of equity or net assets in the statement of financial position, as of the beginning of the earliest period presented, and (3) the effect of the prior period adjustments (both gross and net of applicable income tax) on the net income of each prior period presented in the entity's annual report for the year in which the adjustments are made.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6801783&loc=d3e22658-107794Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6801783&loc=d3e22663-107794Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 9 -Paragraph 26 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 154 -Paragraph 26 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6801783&loc=d3e22644-107794
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