| **Long-Term Debt**             | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      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| **Debt Disclosure [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               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| Long-Term Debt                 | Long-Term DebtLong-term debt consists of the following at December 31, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands): 2013 20122021 Notes (a)$325,000 325,0002019 Notes (b)425,000 425,000Senior Credit Facility (c)261,000 90,000Rural Utilities Service ("RUS") debt (d)39,425 38,997CoBank Mortgage note payable— 797Debt1,050,425 879,794Less unamortized discount paid on the 2019 Notes2,445 2,743Less current portion of long-term debt2,836 1,928Long-term debt, net$1,045,144 875,123(a)We pay interest of 6.75% on notes that are due in 2021 ("2021 Notes"). The 2021 Notes are senior unsecured obligations which rank equally in right of payment with our existing and future senior unsecured debt, including our 2019 Notes, and senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness.The 2021 Notes are not redeemable prior to June 1, 2016.  At any time on or after June 1, 2016, the 2021 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing June 1 of the year indicated:Redemption Price2016103.375%2017102.250%2018101.125%2019 and thereafter100.000%The 2021 Notes mature on June 1, 2021.  Semi-annual interest payments are payable on June 1 and December 1.The 2021 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of May 20, 2011, between us and Union Bank, N.A., as trustee.We are not required to make mandatory sinking fund payments with respect to the 2021 Notes. Upon the occurrence of a change of control, each holder of the 2021 Notes will have the right to require us to purchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof, except that no 2021 Note will be purchased in part if the remaining portion thereof would not be at least $2,000) of such holder’s 2021 Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of such 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such 2021 Notes, if any.  If we or certain of our subsidiaries engage in asset sales, we must generally either invest the net cash proceeds from such sales in our business within a period of time, prepay debt under any outstanding credit facility, or make an offer to purchase a principal amount of the 2021 Notes equal to the excess net cash proceeds, with the purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.The terms of the Indenture include customary affirmative and negative covenants and customary events of default. At any time after the occurrence and during the continuation of an event of default under the Indenture, the trustee or holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Notes may, among other options, declare the 2021 Notes immediately due and payable.We paid closing costs totaling $3.6 million in connection with the offering, which were recorded as deferred loan costs and are being amortized over the term of the 2021 Notes. During the year ended December 31, 2011, we recorded a $9.1 million Loss on Extinguishment of Debt on our Consolidated Income Statement.  Included in the loss was $2.9 million in unamortized deferred loan costs, $1.5 million for the unamortized portion of the original issue discount and $4.7 million in call premium payments to redeem our 2014 Notes.We were in compliance with all 2021 Notes loan covenants at December 31, 2013.(b)We pay interest of 8.63% on notes that are due in 2019 (“2019 Notes”).  The 2019 Notes are senior unsecured obligations which rank equally in right of payment with the existing and future senior unsecured debt, including our 2021 Notes described previously, and senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness.  The 2019 Notes are carried on our Consolidated Balance Sheets net of the unamortized portion of the discount, which is being amortized to Interest Expense over the term of the 2019 Notes using the effective interest method and an effective interest rate of 9.09%.The 2019 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principle amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing November 15 of the year indicated:Redemption Price2014104.313%2015102.875%2016101.438%2017 and thereafter100.000%The 2019 Notes mature on November 15, 2019.  Semi-annual interest payments are payable on May 15 and November 15 of each year.The 2019 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009, between us and Union Bank, N.A., as trustee.We are not required to make mandatory sinking fund payments with respect to the 2019 Notes. Upon the occurrence of a change of control, each holder of the 2019 Notes will have the right to require us to purchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof, except that no 2019 Note will be purchased in part if the remaining portion thereof would not be at least $2,000) of such holder’s 2019 Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of such 2019 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such 2019 Notes, if any.  If we or certain of our subsidiaries engage in asset sales, we must generally either invest the net cash proceeds from such sales in our business within a period of time, prepay debt under any outstanding credit facility, or make an offer to purchase a principal amount of the 2019 Notes equal to the excess net cash proceeds, with the purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.The terms of the Indenture include customary affirmative and negative covenants and customary events of default. At any time after the occurrence and during the continuation of an event of default under the Indenture, the trustee or holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the 2019 Notes may, among other options, declare the 2019 Notes immediately due and payable. We paid closing costs totaling $9.4 million in connection with the offering, which were recorded as deferred loan costs and are being amortized over the term of the 2019 Notes.We were in compliance with all 2019 Notes loan covenants at December 31, 2013.(c)On April 30, 2013, GCI Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GCI, entered into a Third Amended and Restated Credit and Guarantee Agreement with Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, as administrative agent ("Amended Senior Credit Facility"). The Amended Senior Credit Facility provides up to $240.0 million in delayed draw term loans and a $150.0 million revolving credit facility. The Amended Senior Credit Facility replaced our then existing Senior Credit Facility. The interest rate on our Amended Senior Credit Facility is London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus the following Applicable Margin set forth opposite each applicable Total Leverage Ratio below.    Total Leverage Ratio (as defined)Applicable Margin>=5.53.00%>=5.0 but <5.52.75%>=4.5 but <5.02.50%>=4.0 but <4.52.25%<4.02.00%Borrowings under the Amended Senior Credit Facility are subject to certain financial covenants and restrictions on indebtedness.  Our Amended Senior Credit Facility Total Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not exceed 6.5 to one through June 30, 2014 and shall not exceed 5.95 to one any time thereafter; the Senior Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not exceed 3.00 to one; and our Interest Coverage Ratio (as defined) must not be less than 2.50 to one at any time. The terms of the Amended Senior Credit Facility include customary representations and warranties, customary affirmative and negative covenants and customary events of default. At any time after the occurrence of an event of default under the Amended Senior Credit Facility, the lenders may, among other options, declare any amounts outstanding under the Amended Senior Credit Facility immediately due and payable and terminate any commitment to make further loans under the Amended Senior Credit Facility. The obligations under the Amended Senior Credit Facility are secured by a security interest on substantially all of the assets of GCI Holdings, Inc. and the subsidiary guarantors, as defined in the Amended Senior Credit Facility, and on the stock of GCI Holdings, Inc.The Amended Senior Credit Facility was a partial substantial modification of our existing Senior Credit Facility resulting in a $0.1 million write-off of previously deferred loan fees on our Consolidated Income Statement for the year ended December 31, 2013.  Net deferred loan fees of $0.7 million associated with the portion of our previous Senior Credit Facility that was determined not to have been substantially modified are being amortized over the life of the Amended Senior Credit Facility.In connection with the Amended Senior Credit Facility, we paid loan fees and other expenses of $0.4 million that were expensed immediately on our Consolidated Income Statement for the year ended December 31, 2013 and $3.0 million that were deferred and are being amortized over the life of the Amended Senior Credit Facility.We have borrowed $229.0 million under the delayed draw term loan, $32.0 million under the revolving portion and have $4.4 million of letters of credit outstanding under the Amended Senior Credit Facility at December 31, 2013, which leaves $124.6 million available for borrowing as of December 31, 2013.(d)UUI, our wholly owned subsidiary, has entered into various loans with the RUS.  The long-term debt is due in monthly installments of principal based on a fixed rate amortization schedule.  The interest rates on the various loans to which this debt relates range from 2.4% to 4.5%.  Substantially all of the assets of UUI are pledged as collateral for the amounts due to RUS.Maturities of long-term debt as of December 31, 2013 are as follows (amounts in thousands):Years ending December 31, 2014$2,83620151,52820161,57320171,6202018262,6682019 and thereafter780,200 1,050,425Less unamortized discount paid on 2019 Notes2,445Less current portion of long-term debt2,836 $1,045,144 |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for long-term debt.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
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