Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Customer Relationships [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Savary Island [Member] Ring Island [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Ring Island [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member] Loan and Security Agreement With Pocket [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Pocket Wireless [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Cricket Communications [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Cricket Communications [Member] STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Loan and Security Agreement With Pocket [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Promissory Note [Member] Non Negotiable Promissory Notes Due in 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Savary Island Credit Agreement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Parent Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 STX Wireless [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Savary Island [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 STX Wireless Acquisition [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Pocket Customer Call Center [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Savary Island Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Savary Island Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination Debt Assumed																							$ 211,600,000	$ 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
Wireless licenses																				33,716,000
Customer relationships						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	93,510,000		93,510,000		104,788,000															88,300,000	99,500,000		5,300,000	5,300,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Pro Rata Distributions Received									1,700,000			5,700,000
Noncontrolling Interest Buyout Minimum Cash Consideration																				25,000,000
Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests, before tax			(10,499,000)																	(11,300,000)	48,100,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage														8.00%		9.50%
Post-acquisition charges	23,316,000	0	23,947,000	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	30,409,000		30,409,000		0												0
Dividend received from equity investee	18,200,000
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions, Operating Activities	6,600,000
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions, Investing Activities			$ 11,606,000	$ 0													$ 0