The Company	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
The Company	The Company Leap Wireless International, Inc. (“Leap”), a Delaware corporation, together with its subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures, is a wireless communications carrier that offers digital wireless services in the United States under the “Cricket^®” brand. Cricket service offerings provide customers with unlimited nationwide wireless services for a flat rate without requiring a fixed-term contract or a credit check. The Company's primary service is Cricket Wireless, which offers customers unlimited nationwide voice and data services for a flat monthly rate. Leap conducts operations through its subsidiaries and has no independent operations or sources of income other than interest income and through dividends, if any, from its subsidiaries. Cricket service is offered by Cricket Communications, Inc. (“Cricket”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap. Cricket service is also offered in South Texas by the Company's joint venture, STX Wireless Operations, LLC (“STX Operations”), which Cricket controls through a 75.75% controlling membership interest in its parent company STX Wireless, LLC (“STX Wireless”). In addition, Cricket owns an 85% non-controlling membership interest in Savary Island Wireless, LLC (“Savary Island”), which holds wireless spectrum in the upper Midwest portion of the U.S. and which leases a portion of that spectrum to Cricket. For more information regarding the ventures described above, see Note 6. Leap, Cricket and their subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures are collectively referred to herein as the “Company.”

The Company

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Leap Wireless International, Inc. (“Leap”), a Delaware corporation, together with its subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures, is a wireless communications carrier that offers digital wireless services in the United States under the “Cricket^®” brand. Cricket service offerings provide customers with unlimited nationwide wireless services for a flat rate without requiring a fixed-term contract or a credit check. The Company's primary service is Cricket Wireless, which offers customers unlimited nationwide voice and data services for a flat monthly rate. Leap conducts operations through its subsidiaries and has no independent operations or sources of income other than interest income and through dividends, if any, from its subsidiaries.

Cricket service is offered by Cricket Communications, Inc. (“Cricket”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap. Cricket service is also offered in South Texas by the Company's joint venture, STX Wireless Operations, LLC (“STX Operations”), which Cricket controls through a 75.75% controlling membership interest in its parent company STX Wireless, LLC (“STX Wireless”). In addition, Cricket owns an 85% non-controlling membership interest in Savary Island Wireless, LLC (“Savary Island”), which holds wireless spectrum in the upper Midwest portion of the U.S. and which leases a portion of that spectrum to Cricket. For more information regarding the ventures described above, see Note 6.

Leap, Cricket and their subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures are collectively referred to herein as the “Company.”