Significant Acquisitions, Dispositions and Other Agreements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended								6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Jun. 30, 2011 Licensing Agreements [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Customer Relationships [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Savary Island [Member] Ring Island [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Ring Island [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member] Loan and Security Agreement With Pocket [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Cricket Communications [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Loan and Security Agreement With Pocket [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Promissory Note [Member] Non Negotiable Promissory Notes Due in 2015 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Savary Island Credit Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Parent Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Parent Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 STX Wireless [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Savary Island [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pocket Customer Call Center [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Savary Island Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Savary Island Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination Debt Assumed																										$ 211,600,000
Line of Credit Facility Additional Borrowing Capacity For Working Capital Needs																	5,000,000
Maximum Loan Committed to Joint Venture Partner												30,000,000
Controlling Membership Interest Percentage																				75.75%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners																				24.25%
Customers Provided Service Upon Commencement Of Operations													323,000									700,000
POP Network Footprint																						4,400,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Cash																						40,730,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Other													34,101,000	65,793,000
Total consideration																						140,624,000
Variable Interest Entity - Ownership Percentage																					85.00%
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Purchase of Interest by Parent																17.50%
Joint Venture Partner Contribution										5,100,000
Assets:
Inventories																						2,331,000
Other current assets																						1,204,000
Property and equipment																						41,971,000
Customer relationships							33,716,000	50,435,000
Goodwill																						31,094,000
Total Assets																						160,751,000
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities																						4,020,000
Deferred revenue																						4,224,000
Deferred tax liability																						10,693,000
Other long-term liabilities																						1,190,000
Total liabilities																						20,127,000
Total net assets acquired																						140,624,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life								4
Business Combination, Acquisition of Less than 100 Percent, Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value																						51,500,000
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Carrying Amount	119,060,000	53,162,000	119,060,000	53,162,000	104,788,000	71,632,000																113,810,000	99,500,000		5,250,000	5,300,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Pro Rata Distributions Received			5,700,000								1,700,000
Noncontrolling Interest Buyout Minimum Cash Consideration																						25,000,000
Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests, before tax			14,796,000	2,503,000																		14,272,000	48,100,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage															8.00%		9.50%
Impairments and other charges	631,000	0	631,000	0														0	0
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price																								850,000
Noncontrolling Interest Buyout Subsequent Ownership PercentageThreshold																						9.90%
Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Limited Partnership (LP), Managing Member or General Partner, Ownership Interest									15.00%
Business Combination Cost of Acquired Entity Additional Purchase Price if Sale is Completed Without Incurring Any Unjust Enrichment Payments																									150,000
Assets held for sale	27,677,000		27,677,000		0													0	0
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions	$ 18,217,000