Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The information contained herein has been prepared by Novatel Wireless, Inc. (the “Company”) in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The information at March 31, 2015 and the results of the Company’s operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring accruals, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results of the interim periods presented. These condensed consolidated financial statements and notes hereto should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements from which they were derived and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The accounting policies used in preparing these condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those described in the Company’s Form 10-K. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other interim period or for the year as a whole. Principles of Consolidation The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Segment Information In the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Company and its Chief Operating Decision Maker (the “CODM”) completed a reassessment of the Company's operations in light of a series of restructuring efforts, organizational transformation and reporting changes, including the hiring of a new CEO and CFO. As a result of this reassessment, the Company has consolidated the Mobile Computing and M2M divisions into one reportable segment. The current CEO, who is also the CODM, evaluates the business as a single entity and reviews financial information and makes business decisions based on the overall results of the business. As a result, the Company no longer identifies separate operating segments for management reporting purposes. The results of operations are the basis on which management evaluates operations and makes business decisions. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Significant estimates include allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, provision for excess and obsolete inventory, valuation of intangible and long-lived assets, valuation of goodwill, royalty costs, fair value of warrants, accruals relating to litigation, restructuring, valuation of retention bonus payments, provision for warranty costs, income taxes and share-based compensation expense. Intangible Assets Intangible assets include purchased definite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets resulting from the acquisitions of Feeney Wireless, LLC and Enfora, Inc. (“Enfora”), along with the costs of non-exclusive and perpetual worldwide software technology licenses. Definite-lived intangible assets, including software technology licenses, are amortized on an accelerated basis or on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets, depending on the anticipated utilization of the asset. License fees are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the term of the license or an estimate of their useful life, ranging from one to three years. Developed technologies are amortized on a straight-line basis over their useful lives, ranging from five to eight years. Customer relationships, trademarks and trade names are amortized on a straight-line basis over ten years. Indefinite-lived assets are not amortized; however, they are tested for impairment annually and between annual tests if certain events occur indicating that the carrying amounts may be impaired. If a qualitative assessment is used and the Company determines that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50%) less than its carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test will be performed. If indefinite-lived intangible assets are quantitatively assessed for impairment, a two-step approach is applied. First, the Company compares the estimated fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset to its carrying value. The second step, if necessary, measures the amount of such impairment by comparing the implied fair value of the asset to its carrying value. No impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets was recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2015. Derivative Financial Instruments The Company evaluates stock options, stock warrants and other contracts to determine if those contracts or embedded components of those contracts qualify as derivative financial instruments to be separately accounted for under the relevant sections of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification. The result of this accounting treatment could be that the fair value of a financial instrument is classified as a derivative financial instrument and is marked-to-market at each balance sheet date and recorded as an asset or liability. In the event that the fair value is recorded as an asset or liability, the change in fair value is recorded in the statement of operations as other income or other expense. Upon conversion, exercise or expiration of a derivative financial instrument, the instrument is marked to fair value and then that fair value is reclassified to equity. Acquisitions When acquiring companies, the Company recognizes separately from goodwill the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. Goodwill as of the acquisition date is measured as the excess of consideration transferred and the net of the acquisition date fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. While the Company uses its best estimates and assumptions as a part of the purchase price allocation process to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date, the Company's estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, the Company records adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Accounting for business combinations requires the Company's management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially at the acquisition date with respect to intangible assets, support liabilities assumed, and pre-acquisition contingencies. Although the Company believes the assumptions and estimates it has made in the past have been reasonable and appropriate, they are based in part on historical experience, market data and information obtained from the management of the acquired companies and are inherently uncertain. Examples of critical estimates in valuing certain of the intangible assets the Company has acquired include but are not limited to: (i) future expected cash flows from customer relationships; (ii) estimates to develop or use technology; and (iii) discount rates. If the Company determines that a pre-acquisition contingency is probable in nature and estimable as of the acquisition date, the Company records its best estimate for such a contingency as a part of the preliminary fair value allocation. The Company continues to gather information for and evaluate pre-acquisition contingencies throughout the measurement period and if the Company makes changes to the amounts recorded or if the Company identifies additional pre-acquisition contingencies during the measurement period, such amounts will be included in the fair value allocation during the measurement period and, subsequently, in the Company's results of operations. The Company may be required to pay future consideration to the former shareholders of acquired companies, depending on the terms of the applicable purchase agreements, which may be contingent upon the achievement of certain financial and operating targets, as well as the retention of key employees. If the future consideration is considered to be compensation, amounts will be expensed when incurred. New Accounting Pronouncements From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB, which are adopted by the Company as of the specified date. Unless otherwise discussed, management believes the impact of recently issued standards, some of which are not yet effective, will not have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements upon adoption. In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The standard affects reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this new guidance. In January 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-01, Income Statement —Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20): Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating the Concept of Extraordinary Items. The standard eliminates the concept of extraordinary items from GAAP but retains the presentation and disclosure guidance for items that are unusual in nature or occur infrequently and expands the guidance to include items that are both unusual in nature and occur infrequently. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. A reporting entity may apply this ASU prospectively. A reporting entity may also apply this ASU retrospectively to all periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this new guidance.

Basis of Presentation

The information contained herein has been prepared by Novatel Wireless, Inc. (the “Company”) in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The information at March 31, 2015 and the results of the Company’s operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring accruals, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results of the interim periods presented. These condensed consolidated financial statements and notes hereto should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements from which they were derived and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The accounting policies used in preparing these condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those described in the Company’s Form 10-K. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other interim period or for the year as a whole.

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Segment Information

In the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Company and its Chief Operating Decision Maker (the “CODM”) completed a reassessment of the Company's operations in light of a series of restructuring efforts, organizational transformation and reporting changes, including the hiring of a new CEO and CFO. As a result of this reassessment, the Company has consolidated the Mobile Computing and M2M divisions into one reportable segment. The current CEO, who is also the CODM, evaluates the business as a single entity and reviews financial information and makes business decisions based on the overall results of the business. As a result, the Company no longer identifies separate operating segments for management reporting purposes. The results of operations are the basis on which management evaluates operations and makes business decisions.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Significant estimates include allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, provision for excess and obsolete inventory, valuation of intangible and long-lived assets, valuation of goodwill, royalty costs, fair value of warrants, accruals relating to litigation, restructuring, valuation of retention bonus payments, provision for warranty costs, income taxes and share-based compensation expense.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets include purchased definite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets resulting from the acquisitions of Feeney Wireless, LLC and Enfora, Inc. (“Enfora”), along with the costs of non-exclusive and perpetual worldwide software technology licenses. Definite-lived intangible assets, including software technology licenses, are amortized on an accelerated basis or on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets, depending on the anticipated utilization of the asset. License fees are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the term of the license or an estimate of their useful life, ranging from one to three years. Developed technologies are amortized on a straight-line basis over their useful lives, ranging from five to eight years. Customer relationships, trademarks and trade names are amortized on a straight-line basis over ten years. Indefinite-lived assets are not amortized; however, they are tested for impairment annually and between annual tests if certain events occur indicating that the carrying amounts may be impaired. If a qualitative assessment is used and the Company determines that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50%) less than its carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test will be performed. If indefinite-lived intangible assets are quantitatively assessed for impairment, a two-step approach is applied. First, the Company compares the estimated fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset to its carrying value. The second step, if necessary, measures the amount of such impairment by comparing the implied fair value of the asset to its carrying value. No impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets was recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2015.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company evaluates stock options, stock warrants and other contracts to determine if those contracts or embedded components of those contracts qualify as derivative financial instruments to be separately accounted for under the relevant sections of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification. The result of this accounting treatment could be that the fair value of a financial instrument is classified as a derivative financial instrument and is marked-to-market at each balance sheet date and recorded as an asset or liability. In the event that the fair value is recorded as an asset or liability, the change in fair value is recorded in the statement of operations as other income or other expense. Upon conversion, exercise or expiration of a derivative financial instrument, the instrument is marked to fair value and then that fair value is reclassified to equity.

Acquisitions

When acquiring companies, the Company recognizes separately from goodwill the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. Goodwill as of the acquisition date is measured as the excess of consideration transferred and the net of the acquisition date fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. While the Company uses its best estimates and assumptions as a part of the purchase price allocation process to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date, the Company's estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, the Company records adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Accounting for business combinations requires the Company's management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially at the acquisition date with respect to intangible assets, support liabilities assumed, and pre-acquisition contingencies. Although the Company believes the assumptions and estimates it has made in the past have been reasonable and appropriate, they are based in part on historical experience, market data and information obtained from the management of the acquired companies and are inherently uncertain.

Examples of critical estimates in valuing certain of the intangible assets the Company has acquired include but are not limited to: (i) future expected cash flows from customer relationships; (ii) estimates to develop or use technology; and (iii) discount rates.

If the Company determines that a pre-acquisition contingency is probable in nature and estimable as of the acquisition date, the Company records its best estimate for such a contingency as a part of the preliminary fair value allocation. The Company continues to gather information for and evaluate pre-acquisition contingencies throughout the measurement period and if the Company makes changes to the amounts recorded or if the Company identifies additional pre-acquisition contingencies during the measurement period, such amounts will be included in the fair value allocation during the measurement period and, subsequently, in the Company's results of operations.

The Company may be required to pay future consideration to the former shareholders of acquired companies, depending on the terms of the applicable purchase agreements, which may be contingent upon the achievement of certain financial and operating targets, as well as the retention of key employees. If the future consideration is considered to be compensation, amounts will be expensed when incurred.

New Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB, which are adopted by the Company as of the specified date. Unless otherwise discussed, management believes the impact of recently issued standards, some of which are not yet effective, will not have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The standard affects reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this new guidance.

In January 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-01, Income Statement —Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20): Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating the Concept of Extraordinary Items. The standard eliminates the concept of extraordinary items from GAAP but retains the presentation and disclosure guidance for items that are unusual in nature or occur infrequently and expands the guidance to include items that are both unusual in nature and occur infrequently. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. A reporting entity may apply this ASU prospectively. A reporting entity may also apply this ASU retrospectively to all periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this new guidance.