SEGMENT REPORTING (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 item	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
SEGMENT REPORTING
Number of reportable segments			4
Revenue
Revenue	$ 175,072,000	$ 185,496,000	$ 347,940,000	$ 368,583,000
Depreciation and amortization	25,454,000	26,582,000	51,255,000	53,606,000
Non-cash stock-based compensation	1,226,000	813,000	2,071,000	1,908,000
Operating income (loss)	20,137,000	23,066,000	37,906,000	41,196,000
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	450,832,000		450,832,000		450,547,000
Goodwill	45,077,000		45,077,000		45,077,000
Total assets	892,512,000		892,512,000		910,875,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			52,183,000	32,272,000
Retail
Revenue
Revenue	80,733,000	84,002,000	162,015,000	170,686,000
Wholesale
Revenue
Revenue	42,030,000	51,553,000	82,332,000	98,937,000
International Wireless
Revenue
Revenue	21,837,000	20,271,000	43,267,000	39,171,000
Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	20,877,000	21,074,000	41,441,000	42,804,000
Equipment and other
Revenue
Revenue	9,595,000	8,596,000	18,885,000	16,985,000
U.S. Wireless
Revenue
Revenue	130,290,000	142,483,000	259,793,000	283,365,000
Depreciation and amortization	17,170,000	18,324,000	34,985,000	37,026,000
Non-cash stock-based compensation	60,000	58,000	99,000	116,000
Operating income (loss)	17,250,000	23,978,000	32,267,000	42,900,000
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	264,787,000		264,787,000		262,372,000
Goodwill	32,148,000		32,148,000		32,148,000
Total assets	527,689,000		527,689,000		539,008,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			35,844,000	20,411,000
U.S. Wireless | Retail
Revenue
Revenue	80,733,000	84,002,000	162,015,000	170,686,000
U.S. Wireless | Wholesale
Revenue
Revenue	42,030,000	51,553,000	82,332,000	98,937,000
U.S. Wireless | Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	152,000	154,000	304,000	297,000
U.S. Wireless | Equipment and other
Revenue
Revenue	7,375,000	6,774,000	15,142,000	13,445,000
International Integrated Telephony
Revenue
Revenue	22,208,000	23,441,000	44,900,000	47,012,000
Depreciation and amortization	4,535,000	4,490,000	8,925,000	9,017,000
Operating income (loss)	6,235,000	4,141,000	12,568,000	10,377,000
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	122,200,000		122,200,000		126,532,000
Total assets	194,590,000		194,590,000		191,314,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			6,116,000	4,131,000
International Integrated Telephony | International Wireless
Revenue
Revenue	6,530,000	6,705,000	13,284,000	13,052,000
International Integrated Telephony | Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	15,170,000	16,212,000	30,853,000	33,003,000
International Integrated Telephony | Equipment and other
Revenue
Revenue	508,000	524,000	763,000	957,000
Island Wireless
Revenue
Revenue	16,962,000	14,811,000	32,856,000	28,615,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,560,000	2,783,000	5,155,000	5,569,000
Operating income (loss)	2,301,000	279,000	3,935,000	(1,362,000)
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	30,624,000		30,624,000		33,745,000
Goodwill	5,438,000		5,438,000		5,438,000
Total assets	81,816,000		81,816,000		77,120,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			1,910,000	2,521,000
Island Wireless | International Wireless
Revenue
Revenue	15,307,000	13,566,000	29,983,000	26,119,000
Island Wireless | Equipment and other
Revenue
Revenue	1,655,000	1,245,000	2,873,000	2,496,000
U.S. Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	6,795,000	4,761,000	13,426,000	9,591,000
Depreciation and amortization	794,000	693,000	1,436,000	1,438,000
Operating income (loss)	(124,000)	(666,000)	(532,000)	(1,089,000)
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	23,331,000		23,331,000		17,489,000
Goodwill	7,491,000		7,491,000		7,491,000
Total assets	39,420,000		39,420,000		30,888,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			6,689,000	3,538,000
U.S. Wireline | Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	6,738,000	4,708,000	13,319,000	9,504,000
U.S. Wireline | Equipment and other
Revenue
Revenue	57,000	53,000	107,000	87,000
Reconciling Items
Revenue
Revenue	(1,183,000)		(3,035,000)
Depreciation and amortization	395,000	292,000	754,000	556,000
Non-cash stock-based compensation	1,166,000	755,000	1,972,000	1,792,000
Operating income (loss)	(5,525,000)	(4,666,000)	(10,332,000)	(9,630,000)
Segment Assets
Net fixed assets	9,890,000		9,890,000		10,409,000
Total assets	48,997,000		48,997,000		72,545,000
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures			1,624,000	1,671,000
Reconciling Items | Wireline
Revenue
Revenue	$ (1,183,000)		$ (3,035,000)