2.2.0.25truefalse40101 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation (Narrative) (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2011_To_3_31_2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 3/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2010_To_3_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-03-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2false0nihd_NonCashFinancingActivitiesnihdfalsedebitdurationNon Cash Financing Activitiesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse5360000053.6falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2330000023.3falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryNon Cash Financing ActivitiesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalseNon cash financing primarily related to the short-term financing3false0nihd_RevenueBasedTaxesAndOtherExciseTaxesnihdfalsedebitdurationRevenue Based Taxes And Other Excise Taxesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse5900000059.0falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse4350000043.5falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRevenue Based Taxes And Other Excise TaxesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalseRevenue-based taxes and other excise taxes4false0us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmountus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse91000009.1falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse85000008.5falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesSecurities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would increase EPS amounts or decrease loss per share amounts for the period presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 13, 14 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 171 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph c falsefalseAntidilutive stock options5false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.nii.com/role/disclosurebasisofpresentationnarrativedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis} : 3.125% Convertible Notes [Member] 3/31/2011 As_Of_3_31_2011_us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis_nihd_ThreePointOneTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016instant2011-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalse3.125% Convertible Notes [Member]us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldinihd_ThreePointOneTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberus-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli04falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis} : 3.125% Convertible Notes [Member] 3/31/2010 As_Of_3_31_2010_us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis_nihd_ThreePointOneTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016instant2010-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalse3.125% Convertible Notes [Member]us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldinihd_ThreePointOneTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberus-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse3.125% Convertible Notes [Member]6false0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageus-gaaptruenainstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.031250.03125falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.031250.03125falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureInterest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 falsefalseNotes interest rate7false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.nii.com/role/disclosurebasisofpresentationnarrativedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis} : 2.75% Convertible Notes [Member] 3/31/2010 As_Of_3_31_2010_us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis_nihd_TwoPointSevenFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016instant2010-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalse2.75% Convertible Notes [Member]us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldinihd_TwoPointSevenFivePercentConvertibleNotesMemberus-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse2.75% Convertible Notes [Member]8false0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageus-gaaptruenainstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.02750.0275falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureInterest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 falsefalseNotes interest rate27Basis of Presentation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)HundredThousandsHundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue