2.2.0.25falsefalse40302 - Disclosure - Debt (Debt) (Details)truefalseIn Thousandsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $As_Of_3_31_2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016instant2011-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $As_Of_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001037016instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0nihd_DebtAbstractnihdfalsenadurationDebt [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringDebt [Abstract]falsefalseDebt3false0us-gaap_SeniorNotesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse20301480002030148falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse12795240001279524falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 falsefalseSenior notes, net4false0us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10529090001052909falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10432360001043236falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of a written promise to pay a note, initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer, which can be exchanged for a specified amount of one or more securities (typically common stock), at the option of the issuer or the holder.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 falsefalseConvertible notes, net5false0nihd_SyndicatedLoanFacilitiesnihdfalsecreditinstantSyndicated Loan Facilitiesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse432625000432625falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse458964000458964falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetarySyndicated Loan FacilitiesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalseSyndicated loan facilities6false0nihd_TowerFinancingObligationsnihdfalsecreditinstantTower financing obligationsfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse178742000178742falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse175932000175932falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTower financing obligationsNo authoritative reference available.falsefalseTower financing obligations7false0us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse118842000118842falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse114303000114303falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 falsefalseCapital lease obligations8false0nihd_BrazilImportFinancingnihdfalsecreditinstantBrazil Import Financingfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse154753000154753falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse128094000128094falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryBrazil Import FinancingNo authoritative reference available.falsefalseBrazil import financing9false0us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebtus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse100455000100455falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse6536500065365falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding both current and noncurrent portions, carrying amount as of the balance-sheet date of other forms of debt not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 20, 22 -Article 5 falsefalseOther10false0us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse40684740004068474falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse32654180003265418falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetarySum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.No authoritative reference available.truefalseTotal debt11false0us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1truefalsefalse-491975000-491975falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-446995000-446995falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryObligation related to long-term debt (excluding convertible debt) and capital leases, the portion which is due in one year or less in the future.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseLess: current portion12false0us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse35764990003576499falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse28184230002818423falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetarySum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, but excluding the portions thereof scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 6 -Section H truefalseTotal long-term debt211Debt (Debt) (Details) (USD $)ThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue