SUPPLEMENTAL CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Revenue:
Service revenues	$ 15,368	$ 14,198	$ 42,146	$ 41,774
Subscriber equipment sales	5,169	3,989	15,110	13,666
Total revenue	20,537	18,187	57,256	55,440
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation, amortization, and accretion shown separately below)	5,558	8,332	16,715	22,684
Cost of subscriber equipment sales	4,040	2,871	10,465	9,321
Cost of subscriber equipment sales - reduction in the value of inventory	660	979	957	1,401
Marketing, general, and administrative	9,280	12,249	26,565	34,004
Reduction in the value of long-lived assets		3,038	7,218	3,484
Contract termination charges			22,048
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	18,654	12,106	49,277	35,512
Total operating expenses	38,192	39,575	133,245	106,406
Loss from operations	(17,655)	(21,388)	(75,989)	(50,966)
Other income (expense):
Interest income and expense, net of amounts capitalized	(6,565)	(1,232)	(13,396)	(3,599)
Derivative gain (loss)	(16,473)	23,793	(2,562)	34,090
Other	(439)	(1,876)	(938)	(573)
Total other income (expense)	(23,477)	20,685	(16,896)	29,918
Loss before income taxes	(41,132)	(703)	(92,885)	(21,048)
Income tax benefit (expense)	56	(22)	361	167
Net (loss) gain	(41,188)	(681)	(93,246)	(21,215)
Comprehensive loss	(40,069)	(815)	(91,578)	(21,356)
Parent Company [Member]
Revenue:
Service revenues	14,296	8,120	35,609	21,693
Subscriber equipment sales	255	301	809	710
Total revenue	14,551	8,421	36,418	22,403
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation, amortization, and accretion shown separately below)	1,784	4,595	5,678	9,602
Cost of subscriber equipment sales	134		284	529
Cost of subscriber equipment sales - reduction in the value of inventory			2
Marketing, general, and administrative	5,236	3,839	15,493	8,702
Reduction in the value of long-lived assets		788	79	1,073
Contract termination charges			22,048
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	13,313	6,187	32,789	16,208
Total operating expenses	20,467	15,409	76,373	36,114
Loss from operations	(5,916)	(6,988)	(39,955)	(13,711)
Other income (expense):
Interest income and expense, net of amounts capitalized	(6,172)	(641)	(12,126)	(2,046)
Derivative gain (loss)	(16,473)	23,793	(2,562)	34,090
Equity in subsidiary earnings	(12,120)	(16,544)	(37,737)	(39,816)
Other	(456)	(302)	(687)	295
Total other income (expense)	(35,221)	6,306	(53,112)	(7,477)
Loss before income taxes	(41,137)	(682)	(93,067)	(21,188)
Income tax benefit (expense)	51	(1)	179	27
Net (loss) gain	(41,188)	(681)	(93,246)	(21,215)
Comprehensive loss	(41,188)	(681)	(93,246)	(21,215)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue:
Service revenues	10,832	9,992	30,528	29,624
Subscriber equipment sales	4,138	2,905	12,328	10,567
Total revenue	14,970	12,897	42,856	40,191
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation, amortization, and accretion shown separately below)	3,585	1,421	6,231	6,262
Cost of subscriber equipment sales	4,742	2,661	9,420	7,998
Cost of subscriber equipment sales - reduction in the value of inventory	658	312	904	735
Marketing, general, and administrative	1,944	5,980	4,997	17,470
Reduction in the value of long-lived assets		2,195	7,139	2,356
Contract termination charges
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	13,782	9,171	36,817	27,396
Total operating expenses	24,711	21,740	65,508	62,217
Loss from operations	(9,741)	(8,843)	(22,652)	(22,026)
Other income (expense):
Interest income and expense, net of amounts capitalized	(1)		(7)
Derivative gain (loss)
Equity in subsidiary earnings	2,205	(3,349)	6,703	(7,193)
Other	(117)	247	(12)	(117)
Total other income (expense)	2,087	(3,102)	6,684	(7,310)
Loss before income taxes	(7,654)	(11,945)	(15,968)	(29,336)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(18)	(23)	30
Net (loss) gain	(7,636)	(11,922)	(15,998)	(29,336)
Comprehensive loss	(7,636)	(11,922)	(15,998)	(29,336)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenue:
Service revenues	4,002	5,049	11,609	13,179
Subscriber equipment sales	2,941	229	5,676	3,871
Total revenue	6,943	5,278	17,285	17,050
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation, amortization, and accretion shown separately below)	1,983	3,498	5,888	9,996
Cost of subscriber equipment sales	3,780	2,187	5,377	3,472
Cost of subscriber equipment sales - reduction in the value of inventory	2	667	51	666
Marketing, general, and administrative	3,379	2,430	9,426	7,832
Reduction in the value of long-lived assets		55		55
Contract termination charges
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	4,338	3,836	12,343	10,901
Total operating expenses	13,482	12,673	33,085	32,922
Loss from operations	(6,539)	(7,395)	(15,800)	(15,872)
Other income (expense):
Interest income and expense, net of amounts capitalized	(394)	(582)	(1,261)	(1,552)
Derivative gain (loss)
Equity in subsidiary earnings
Other	218	(1,924)	(163)	(695)
Total other income (expense)	(176)	(2,506)	(1,424)	(2,247)
Loss before income taxes	(6,715)	(9,901)	(17,224)	(18,119)
Income tax benefit (expense)	23	2	152	140
Net (loss) gain	(6,738)	(9,903)	(17,376)	(18,259)
Comprehensive loss	(5,619)	(10,034)	(15,708)	(18,397)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Revenue:
Service revenues	(13,762)	(8,963)	(35,600)	(22,722)
Subscriber equipment sales	(2,165)	554	(3,703)	(1,482)
Total revenue	(15,927)	(8,409)	(39,303)	(24,204)
Operating expenses:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation, amortization, and accretion shown separately below)	(1,794)	(1,182)	(1,082)	(3,176)
Cost of subscriber equipment sales	(4,616)	(1,977)	(4,616)	(2,678)
Cost of subscriber equipment sales - reduction in the value of inventory
Marketing, general, and administrative	(1,279)		(3,351)
Reduction in the value of long-lived assets
Contract termination charges
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	(12,779)	(7,088)	(32,672)	(18,993)
Total operating expenses	(20,468)	(10,247)	(41,721)	(24,847)
Loss from operations	4,541	1,838	2,418	643
Other income (expense):
Interest income and expense, net of amounts capitalized	2	(9)	(2)	(1)
Derivative gain (loss)
Equity in subsidiary earnings	9,915	19,893	31,034	47,009
Other	(84)	103	(76)	(56)
Total other income (expense)	9,833	19,987	30,956	46,952
Loss before income taxes	14,374	21,825	33,374	47,595
Income tax benefit (expense)
Net (loss) gain	14,374	21,825	33,374	47,595
Comprehensive loss	$ 14,374	$ 21,822	$ 33,374	$ 47,592