2.4.0.6 Html 297 516 1 true 101 0 false 9 false false R1.htm 0001000 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information true false R2.htm 1001000 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheets Consolidated Balance Sheets false false R3.htm 1001500 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheetsParenthetical Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) false false R4.htm 1002000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Operations Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfOperations Consolidated Statements of Operations false false R5.htm 1003000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlows Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows false false R6.htm 1004000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfStockholdersEquity Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity false false R7.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - The Company Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/Company The Company false false R8.htm 2102100 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPolicies Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies false false R9.htm 2103100 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssets Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets false false R10.htm 2104100 - Disclosure - Supplementary Financial Information Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SupplementaryFinancialInformation Supplementary Financial Information false false R11.htm 2105100 - Disclosure - Wireless Licenses and Goodwill Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/WirelessLicensesAndGoodwill Wireless Licenses and Goodwill false false R12.htm 2106100 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SignificantAcquisitionsAndOtherTransactions Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions false false R13.htm 2107100 - Disclosure - Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ArrangementsWithVariableInterestEntitiesAndJointVentures Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures false false R14.htm 2108100 - Disclosure - Unrestricted Subsidiaries Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/UnrestrictedSubsidiaries Unrestricted Subsidiaries false false R15.htm 2109100 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/LongTermDebt Long-Term Debt false false R16.htm 2110100 - Disclosure - Impairments and Other Charges Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ImpairmentsAndOtherCharges Impairments and Other Charges false false R17.htm 2111100 - Disclosure - Income Taxes Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/IncomeTaxes Income Taxes false false R18.htm 2112100 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensation Share-based Compensation false false R19.htm 2113100 - Disclosure - Employee Savings and Retirement Plan Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/EmployeeSavingsAndRetirementPlan Employee Savings and Retirement Plan false false R20.htm 2114100 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies Commitments and Contingencies false false R21.htm 2115100 - Disclosure - Guarantor Financial Information Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/GuarantorFinancialInformation Guarantor Financial Information false false R22.htm 2202201 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) false false R23.htm 2302302 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesTables Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) false false R24.htm 2303301 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssetsTables Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets (Tables) false false R25.htm 2304301 - Disclosure - Supplementary Financial Information (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SupplementaryFinancialInformationTables Supplementary Financial Information (Tables) false false R26.htm 2305301 - Disclosure - Wireless Licenses and Goodwill (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/WirelessLicensesAndGoodwillTables Wireless Licenses and Goodwill (Tables) false false R27.htm 2306301 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SignificantAcquisitionsAndOtherTransactionsTables Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Tables) false false R28.htm 2307301 - Disclosure - Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ArrangementsWithVariableInterestEntitiesAndJointVenturesTables Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures (Tables) false false R29.htm 2308301 - Disclosure - Unrestricted Subsidiaries (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/UnrestrictedSubsidiariesTables Unrestricted Subsidiaries (Tables) false false R30.htm 2309301 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/LongTermDebtTables Long-Term Debt (Tables) false false R31.htm 2310301 - Disclosure - Impairments and Other Charges (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ImpairmentsAndOtherChargesTables Impairments and Other Charges (Tables) false false R32.htm 2311301 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/IncomeTaxesTables Income Taxes (Tables) false false R33.htm 2312301 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationTables Share-based Compensation (Tables) false false R34.htm 2314301 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesTables Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) false false R35.htm 2315301 - Disclosure - Guarantor Financial Information (Tables) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/GuarantorFinancialInformationTables Guarantor Financial Information (Tables) false false R36.htm 2401401 - Disclosure - The Company (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/CompanyDetails The Company (Details) false false R37.htm 2402403 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesDetails Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) false false R38.htm 2402404 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Long-Lived Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesLongLivedAssetsDetails Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Long-Lived Assets (Details) false false R39.htm 2402405 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Intangible Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesIntangibleAssetsDetails Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Intangible Assets (Details) false false R40.htm 2402406 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesAssetRetirementObligationsDetails Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) false false R41.htm 2402407 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Income Taxes (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesIncomeTaxesDetails Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Income Taxes (Details) false false R42.htm 2403402 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssetsDetails Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets (Details) false false R43.htm 2403403 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Fair Value of Level 3 Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssetsFairValueOfLevel3AssetsDetails Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Fair Value of Level 3 Assets (Details) false false R44.htm 2403404 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Available-for-sale Securities (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssetsAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDetails Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Available-for-sale Securities (Details) false false R45.htm 2403405 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Measured on a Nonrecurring Basis (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsAndNonFinancialAssetsMeasuredOnNonrecurringBasisDetails Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets - Measured on a Nonrecurring Basis (Details) false false R46.htm 2404402 - Disclosure - Supplementary Financial Information - Balance Sheet Disclosures (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SupplementaryFinancialInformationBalanceSheetDisclosuresDetails Supplementary Financial Information - Balance Sheet Disclosures (Details) false false R47.htm 2404403 - Disclosure - Supplementary Financial Information - Cash Flow Disclosures (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SupplementaryFinancialInformationCashFlowDisclosuresDetails Supplementary Financial Information - Cash Flow Disclosures (Details) false false R48.htm 2405402 - Disclosure - Wireless Licenses and Goodwill (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/WirelessLicensesAndGoodwillDetails Wireless Licenses and Goodwill (Details) false false R49.htm 2406402 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SignificantAcquisitionsAndOtherTransactionsDetails Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Details) false false R50.htm 2406403 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions - Dispositions (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/SignificantAcquisitionsAndOtherTransactionsDispositionsDetails Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions - Dispositions (Details) false false R51.htm 2407402 - Disclosure - Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ArrangementsWithVariableInterestEntitiesAndJointVenturesDetails Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures (Details) false false R52.htm 2407403 - Disclosure - Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures - Noncontrolling Interest (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ArrangementsWithVariableInterestEntitiesAndJointVenturesNoncontrollingInterestDetails Arrangements with Variable Interest Entities and Joint Ventures - Noncontrolling Interest (Details) false false R53.htm 2408402 - Disclosure - Unrestricted Subsidiaries (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/UnrestrictedSubsidiariesDetails Unrestricted Subsidiaries (Details) false false R54.htm 2409402 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/LongTermDebtDetails Long-Term Debt (Details) false false R55.htm 2409403 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt - Maturities of Long-Term Debt Obligations (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/LongTermDebtMaturitiesOfLongTermDebtObligationsDetails Long-Term Debt - Maturities of Long-Term Debt Obligations (Details) false false R56.htm 2410402 - Disclosure - Impairments and Other Charges (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ImpairmentsAndOtherChargesDetails Impairments and Other Charges (Details) false false R57.htm 2411402 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/IncomeTaxesDetails Income Taxes (Details) false false R58.htm 2411403 - Disclosure - Income Taxes - Operating Loss Carryforwards (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/IncomeTaxesOperatingLossCarryforwardsDetails Income Taxes - Operating Loss Carryforwards (Details) false false R59.htm 2411404 - Disclosure - Income Taxes - Capital Loss Carryforwards (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/IncomeTaxesCapitalLossCarryforwardsDetails Income Taxes - Capital Loss Carryforwards (Details) false false R60.htm 2412402 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Stock Options (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationStockOptionsDetails Share-based Compensation - Stock Options (Details) false false R61.htm 2412403 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationRestrictedStockAndDeferredStockUnitsDetails Share-based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units (Details) false false R62.htm 2412404 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationEmployeeStockPurchasePlanDetails Share-based Compensation - Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Details) false false R63.htm 2412405 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Allocation of Share-based Compensation Expense and Additional Disclosures (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfShareBasedCompensationExpenseAndAdditionalDisclosuresDetails Share-based Compensation - Allocation of Share-based Compensation Expense and Additional Disclosures (Details) false false R64.htm 2413401 - Disclosure - Employee Savings and Retirement Plan (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/EmployeeSavingsAndRetirementPlanDetails Employee Savings and Retirement Plan (Details) false false R65.htm 2414402 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesDetails Commitments and Contingencies (Details) false false R66.htm 2415402 - Disclosure - Guarantor Financial Information (Details) Sheet http://www.leapwireless.com/role/GuarantorFinancialInformationDetails Guarantor Financial Information (Details) false false All Reports Book All Reports Element leap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageOfPrincipal had a mix of decimals attribute values: 2 5. Element leap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefiniteLivedExcludingGoodwillAssumingTenPercentDeclineInFairValue had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage had a mix of decimals attribute values: 3 4. Element us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssets had a mix of decimals attribute values: -8 -5. Element us-gaap_MinorityInterestChangeInRedemptionValue had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount had a mix of decimals attribute values: -5 -3. Element us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod had a mix of decimals attribute values: -3 0. Element us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1 had a mix of decimals attribute values: -3 -1. 'Monetary' elements on report '2402403 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2402404 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Long-Lived Assets (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2402405 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Intangible Assets (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2402407 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Income Taxes (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2403402 - Disclosure - Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2405402 - Disclosure - Wireless Licenses and Goodwill (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2406402 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2406403 - Disclosure - Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions - Dispositions (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2409402 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2411403 - Disclosure - Income Taxes - Operating Loss Carryforwards (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Shares' elements on report '2412402 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Stock Options (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2412402 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Stock Options (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Shares' elements on report '2412403 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2412403 - Disclosure - Share-based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '2414402 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. Process Flow-Through: 1001000 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Aug. 31, 2011' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Aug. 31, 2010' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2009' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2008' Process Flow-Through: 1001500 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) Process Flow-Through: 1002000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Operations Process Flow-Through: 1003000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows leap-20111231.xml leap-20111231.xsd leap-20111231_cal.xml leap-20111231_def.xml leap-20111231_lab.xml leap-20111231_pre.xml true true