Income Taxes - (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current provision:
Federal	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
State	4,059	3,595	3,250
Foreign	0	466	0
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,059	4,061	3,250
Deferred provision:
Federal	50,544	32,229	35,337
State	3,301	3,087	3,926
Foreign	0	0	0
Deferred income tax expense	53,845	35,316	39,263
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations	57,904	39,377	42,513
Reconciliation of statutory federal income tax rate to income before income taxes
Amounts computed at statutory federal rate	(45,280)	(97,405)	(259,890)
Non-deductible expenses	477	376	505
State income tax expense, net of federal income tax impact	5,944	5,708	6,019
Net tax expense (benefit) related to ventures	(6,737)	(2,856)	18,352
Non-deductible share-based compensation	5,776	6,623	4,505
Non-deductible goodwill impairment	0	0	125,164
Other	0	(2,936)	0
Change in valuation allowance	97,724	129,867	147,858
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,008,492	973,560
Wireless licenses	13,291	21,046
Capital loss carryforwards	0	3,031
Reserves and allowances	13,990	8,818
Share-based compensation	29,698	34,631
Deferred charges	49,898	53,835
Investments and deferred tax on unrealized losses	395	5,478
Intangible assets	15,502	18,545
Goodwill	28,546	30,869
Other	2,156	2,328
Gross deferred tax assets	1,161,968	1,152,141
Deferred tax liabilities:
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment	(222,260)	(302,373)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other	(242)	(439)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	939,466	849,329
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	(937,568)	(847,399)
Other deferred tax liabilities:
Wireless licenses	(378,876)	(317,682)
Investment in joint ventures	(1,653)	(10,236)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(378,631)	(325,988)
Current deferred tax assets (included in other current assets)	6,480	7,816
Long-term deferred tax liabilities	$ (385,111)	$ (333,804)