Name:	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Initial Letter of Credit Requirement

No definition available.

Name:	s_InitialLetterofCreditRequirement
Namespace Prefix:	s_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Loss Contingency, Sales Receipts Alleged To Not Be Reported, Amount

No definition available.

Name:	s_LossContingencySalesReceiptsAllegedToNotBeReportedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	s_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Minimum cash obligation under the FCC Report and Order for 800 MHz spectrum band reconfiguration

No definition available.

Name:	s_MinimumSpectrumReconfigurationObligations
Namespace Prefix:	s_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Payments directly attributable to performance under the report and order, net change.

No definition available.

Name:	s_PaymentsDirectlyAttributableToPerformanceUnderReportAndOrderNetChange
Namespace Prefix:	s_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments directly attributable to performance under report and order

No definition available.

Name:	s_TotalPaymentsDirectlyAttributableToPerformanceUnderReportAndOrder
Namespace Prefix:	s_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount awarded from other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

No definition available.

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

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349

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

Number of claims dismissed.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=s_UnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityExpiresIn2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=s_LetterOfCreditRequiredByFccsReportAndOrderMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_StockholderDerivativeSuit2009Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_NewYorksalestaxesonreceiptsfromsaleofwirelessservicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_DerivativeShareholderSuitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_LouisianaMunicipalPoliceEmployeesRetirementSystemMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_JohnsonCountyKansasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=s_FederalCourtofKansasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: