Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. There were no significant changes to our accounting policies as described in Note 1 of our consolidated financial statements included in Item 15(a)(1) of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The terms “TCS,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” as used in this Form 10-Q refer to TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries as a combined entity, except where it is made clear that such terms mean only TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. Use of Estimates. The preparation of these financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures. Significant estimates and assumptions in these consolidated financial statements include estimates used in revenue recognition, fair value of business combinations, fair value associated with goodwill, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairment tests, estimated values of software development costs, income taxes and deferred valuation allowances, the fair value of marketable securities and stock-based compensation, and legal and contingency fees. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Reclassifications. Certain amounts previously presented for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. These immaterial reclassifications had no effect on net income, working capital, or equity previously reported. Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance on business combinations to simplifying the accounting for measurement-period adjustments. The new guidance requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. Prior to the issuance of the standard, entities were required to retrospectively apply adjustments made to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the subsequent measurement of inventory to be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Prior to the issuance of this standard, inventory was measured at the lower of cost or market. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs by requiring debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the update. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued new guidance for presentation of financial statements for going-concern, which addresses when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued. An entity must provide certain disclosures if conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The new guidance applies to all entities and is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance for revenue recognition. The new guidance provides a five-step revenue recognition model which replaces the prior revenue recognition guidance in its entirety. The core principle of the new standard is that an entity will recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. The standard also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of the financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The guidance provides alternative methods of initial adoption; retrospectively applied to each prior reporting period or a modified retrospective approach, in which the cumulative effect of initially applying this new guidance is recognized at the date of initial application with additional disclosures. In July 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date to January 1, 2018 and is allowing early adoption beginning January 1, 2017. We are currently evaluating the alternative transition methods and the impact that this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

1. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. There were no significant changes to our accounting policies as described in Note 1 of our consolidated financial statements included in Item 15(a)(1) of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The terms “TCS,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” as used in this Form 10-Q refer to TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries as a combined entity, except where it is made clear that such terms mean only TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of these financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures. Significant estimates and assumptions in these consolidated financial statements include estimates used in revenue recognition, fair value of business combinations, fair value associated with goodwill, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairment tests, estimated values of software development costs, income taxes and deferred valuation allowances, the fair value of marketable securities and stock-based compensation, and legal and contingency fees. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications. Certain amounts previously presented for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. These immaterial reclassifications had no effect on net income, working capital, or equity previously reported.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance on business combinations to simplifying the accounting for measurement-period adjustments. The new guidance requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. Prior to the issuance of the standard, entities were required to retrospectively apply adjustments made to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the subsequent measurement of inventory to be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Prior to the issuance of this standard, inventory was measured at the lower of cost or market. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs by requiring debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the update. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued new guidance for presentation of financial statements for going-concern, which addresses when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued. An entity must provide certain disclosures if conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The new guidance applies to all entities and is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. The amended guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance for revenue recognition. The new guidance provides a five-step revenue recognition model which replaces the prior revenue recognition guidance in its entirety. The core principle of the new standard is that an entity will recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. The standard also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of the financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The guidance provides alternative methods of initial adoption; retrospectively applied to each prior reporting period or a modified retrospective approach, in which the cumulative effect of initially applying this new guidance is recognized at the date of initial application with additional disclosures. In July 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date to January 1, 2018 and is allowing early adoption beginning January 1, 2017. We are currently evaluating the alternative transition methods and the impact that this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.