Income Taxes - (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current provision:
State	$ 3,772	$ 4,059	$ 3,595
Foreign	81	0	466
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	3,853	4,059	4,061
Deferred provision:
Federal	39,537	50,544	32,229
State	2,179	3,301	3,087
Deferred income tax expense	41,716	53,845	35,316
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations	45,569	57,904	39,377
Reconciliation of statutory federal income tax rate to income before income taxes
Amounts computed at statutory federal rate	(195,259)	(45,280)	(97,405)
Non-deductible expenses	282	477	376
State income tax expense, net of federal income tax impact	4,684	5,944	5,708
Net tax benefit related to joint ventures	(1,496)	(6,737)	(2,856)
Non-deductible share-based compensation	3,637	5,776	6,623
Other	0	0	(2,936)
Change in valuation allowance	233,721	97,724	129,867
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,197,188	1,008,492
Wireless licenses	8,492	13,291
Capital loss carryforwards	14	0
Reserves and allowances	8,563	13,990
Share-based compensation	27,423	29,698
Deferred charges	54,026	49,898
Investments and deferred tax on unrealized losses	19,147	395
Intangible assets	12,473	15,502
Goodwill	26,245	28,546
Other	2,083	2,156
Gross deferred tax assets	1,355,654	1,161,968
Deferred tax liabilities:
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment	(148,214)	(222,260)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other	(5,067)	(242)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	1,202,373	939,466
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	(1,200,585)	(937,568)
Other deferred tax liabilities:
Wireless licenses	(422,202)	(378,876)
Investment in joint ventures	0	(1,653)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(420,414)	(378,631)
Current deferred tax assets (included in other current assets)	4,032	6,480
Long-term deferred tax liabilities	$ (424,446)	$ (385,111)