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Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Jul. 10, 2013
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2012
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2013
Jul. 09, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Income tax expense $ 1,600,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit                
FCC license amortization period for tax purposes (in years)   15 years              
Effective income tax rate reconciliation, tax settlement, amount     69,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxSettlements            
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, domestic   7,000,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic              
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, state and local   951,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal              
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, foreign   266,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign              
Capital loss carryforward   220,000,000s_CapitalLossCarryforward              
Deferred tax assets, capital loss carryforwards   84,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalLossCarryforwards              
Deferred tax assets, tax credit carryforwards   451,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount              
Significant change in unrecognized tax benefits is reasonably possible, estimated range of change, upper bound   20,000,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound              
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   19,900,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember		              
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   20,600,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		              
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   797,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		              
Federal AMT [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   20,900,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= s_FederalAMTMember		              
State AMT [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   4,900,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= s_StateAMTMember		              
Successor [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Change in valuation allowance   911,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   82,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 4,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 708,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		    
Income tax expense   (574,000,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   56,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 1,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 4,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 45,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		    
Gain on previously-held equity interests   0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		    
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, foreign   398,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   110,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		     263,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		    
Deferred tax assets, capital loss carryforwards   84,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   82,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		          
Unrecognized tax benefit   163,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		   160,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		     166,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		    
Predecessor [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Change in valuation allowance 1,410,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   1,756,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   265,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		        
Income tax expense 1,601,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   154,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   38,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		        
Gain on previously-held equity interests (2,926,000,000)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		        
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, foreign 238,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   319,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		   96,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		        
Clearwire [Member] | Predecessor [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Gain on previously-held equity interests               (2,900,000,000)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= s_ClearwireMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_PredecessorMember		  
Expiration Between 2016 and 2020 [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   1,400,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_Expirationbetween2016and2020Member		              
Expiration Between 2021 and 2034 [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   18,500,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_Expirationbetween2021and2034Member		              
No Expiration [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Deferred tax assets, tax credit carryforwards   128,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_NoexpirationMember		              
No Expiration [Member] | Foreign Tax Authority [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Operating loss carryforwards   426,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_NoexpirationMember		              
Expire Prior to 2016 [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Deferred tax assets, tax credit carryforwards   3,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_Expirepriorto2016Member		              
Expire Between 2016 and 2034 [Member] [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Deferred tax assets, tax credit carryforwards   320,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= s_Expirebetween2016and2034MemberMember		              
Trademarks [Member] | Successor [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived (excluding goodwill)   1,900,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember		 [1]              
Wireless [Member] | Trademarks [Member] | Successor [Member]                  
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]                  
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived (excluding goodwill)                 $ 1,900,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= s_WirelessMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
[1] Net reduction to trademarks for the year ended March 31, 2015 of approximately $1.9 billion was related to the impairment of the Sprint trade name. See discussion below.