Long-Term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations (Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Exchangeable notes [Member] | Clearwire Communications LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	$ 629
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.25%
Successor [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net discount from beneficial conversion feature on convertible bond	0
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Premium (Discount), Net	1,815
Current and Long-term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations	33,551
Long Term Debt Financing And Capital Lease Obligations, Current portion	(1,131)	0
Long-term debt, financing and capital lease obligations	32,420	0
Successor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	7.25%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	7.88%
Maturity Date Range, Start	Sep. 15, 2021
Maturity Date Range, End	Sep. 15, 2023
Long-term Debt, Gross	6,500
Successor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Capital Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	6.88%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	8.75%
Maturity Date Range, Start	May 01, 2019
Maturity Date Range, End	Mar. 15, 2032
Long-term Debt, Gross	6,204
Successor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	6.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	11.50%
Maturity Date Range, Start	Dec. 01, 2016
Maturity Date Range, End	Nov. 15, 2022
Long-term Debt, Gross	9,280
Successor [Member] | Guaranteed notes [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	7.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	9.00%
Maturity Date Range, Start	Nov. 15, 2018
Maturity Date Range, End	Mar. 01, 2020
Long-term Debt, Gross	4,000
Successor [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | iPCS Inc Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	3.52%
Maturity Date Range, Start	May 01, 2014
Long-term Debt, Gross	181
Successor [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Clearwire Communications LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	12.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	14.75%
Maturity Date Range, Start	Dec. 01, 2015
Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 01, 2017
Long-term Debt, Gross	3,150
Successor [Member] | Exchangeable notes [Member] | Clearwire Communications LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	8.25%
Long-term Debt, Gross	629	0
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Dec. 01, 2040
Successor [Member] | Convertible Debt [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Oct. 15, 2019
Successor [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility expires in 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	2.81%
Maturity Date Range, End	Feb. 28, 2018
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0
Successor [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Export Development Canada Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	3.62%
Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 15, 2015
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	500
Successor [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Secured Equipment Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	2.03%
Maturity Date Range, End	Mar. 30, 2017
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	715
Successor [Member] | Vendor financing notes [Member] | Clearwire Communications LLC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	5.77%
Long-term Debt, Gross	27	0
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Dec. 01, 2015
Successor [Member] | Financing Obligation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	6.09%
Maturity Date Range, End	Sep. 30, 2021
Long-term Debt, Gross	351
Successor [Member] | Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	2.35%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	10.52%
Maturity Date Range, Start	Apr. 30, 2014
Maturity Date Range, End	Nov. 21, 2023
Long-term Debt, Gross	199
Predecessor [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net discount from beneficial conversion feature on convertible bond		(247)
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Premium (Discount), Net		(45)
Current and Long-term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations		24,341
Long Term Debt Financing And Capital Lease Obligations, Current portion		(379)
Long-term debt, financing and capital lease obligations		23,962
Predecessor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		0
Predecessor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Capital Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		6,204
Predecessor [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		9,280
Predecessor [Member] | Guaranteed notes [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		4,000
Predecessor [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | iPCS Inc Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		481
Predecessor [Member] | Convertible Debt [Member] | Sprint Nextel Corporation Guaranteed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		3,100
Predecessor [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility expires in 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		0
Predecessor [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Export Development Canada Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		500
Predecessor [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Secured Equipment Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		296
Predecessor [Member] | Financing Obligation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		698
Predecessor [Member] | Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross		$ 74