Commitments and Contingencies - (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Oct. 17, 2013	May 31, 2012 Apple Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Apple Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Wholesale Agreement With Sprint [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Site Leases [Member] lease_renewal	May 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] Apple Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Site Leases [Member]	May 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] Apple Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Site Leases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Possible attorney fees and expenses		$ 990,000
Equity method investment, ownership percentage, outstanding membership units, minimum	4.00%
Wholesale agreement, renewal term					1 year
Wholesale agreement, advance notice to terminate agreement					180 days
Total minimum revenue under agreement					300,000,000
Wholesale agreement, term					5 years
Total minimum revenue under agreement in 2012					20,000,000
Total minimum revenue under agreement in 2013					75,000,000
Total minimum revenue under agreement in 2014					80,000,000
Total minimum revenue under agreement in 2015					75,000,000
Total minimum revenue under agreement in 2016					50,000,000
Amount of service revenue which can be credited against minimum revenue requirement					162,000,000
Minimum revenues of service provided in change of control transaction					500,000,000
Termination period with Metro PCS					60 days
Percentage of minimum revenue requirements to be paid after change of control in 2013					20.00%
Percentage of minimum revenue requirements to be paid after change of control in 2014 or 2015					10.00%
Total minimum revenue upon change of control with Metro PCS					350,000,000
Purchase commitment period			3 years
Estimated purchase commitment			800,000,000
Estimated increase in purchase obligation in 2013				100,000,000
Estimated increase in purchase obligation in 2014				200,000,000
Estimated increase in purchase obligation in 2015				300,000,000
Purchase obligation, sell through period							12 months		18 months
Market coverage percentage			40.00%
Lease term								5 years		10 years
Lease agreements, number of renewals						4
Lease agreements, renewal period						5 years
Capital Leases:
Capital Leases, 2014	10,056,000
Capital Leases, 2015	9,111,000
Capital Leases, 2016	7,594,000
Capital Leases, 2017	5,815,000
Capital Leases, 2018	4,309,000
Capital Leases, Thereafter	10,145,000
Capital Leases, Total minimum lease payments	47,030,000
Capital Leases, Less amounts representing interest	(10,485,000)
Capital Leases, Present value of minimum lease payments	36,545,000
Operating Leases:
Operating Leases, 2014	268,453,000
Operating Leases, 2015	260,950,000
Operating Leases, 2016	213,707,000
Operating Leases, 2017	175,826,000
Operating Leases, 2018	135,801,000
Operating Leases, Thereafter	198,999,000
Operating Leases, Total minimum lease payments	$ 1,253,736,000