DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS SALE OF U.S. RETAIL WIRELESS BUSINESS (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 20, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets sold or impaired:
Current assets		$ 703,323,000		$ 703,323,000		$ 578,258,000
Property, plant and equipment, net		253,210,000		253,210,000		238,324,000
Telecommunications licenses		39,501,000		39,501,000		39,905,000
Other assets		6,733,000		6,733,000		6,688,000
Liabilities sold:
Current liabilities		(346,243,000)		(346,243,000)		(170,277,000)
Other liabilities		(6,761,000)		(6,761,000)		(11,452,000)
Net gain on sale		305,197,000		305,197,000
Restricted cash, current		39,000,000		39,000,000
Restricted cash, long-term		39,000,000		39,000,000
Minority shareholders' interests in sale of operations		28,699,000		28,699,000
Revenues and income from discontinued operations
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax expense (benefit)		(1,960,000)	8,922,000	5,166,000	23,428,000
Alltel Sale | AT&T Mobility
SALE OF U.S. RETAIL WIRELESS BUSINESS
Consideration for sale of operations in all-cash transaction	780,000,000
Working capital adjustments	17,400,000
Proceeds:
Received	702,000,000
Escrowed	78,000,000
Working capital- preliminary	24,138,000
Working capital- adjusted	(6,703,000)
Adjust proceeds	797,435,000
Assets sold or impaired:
Current assets	51,597,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	190,970,000
Telecommunications licenses	50,553,000
Other intangible assets	37,434,000
Other assets	13,202,000
Liabilities sold:
Current liabilities	(40,674,000)
Other liabilities	(22,796,000)
Net assets sold or impaired	280,286,000
Less: Transaction related costs	13,517,000
Pre-tax gain	503,632,000
Less: Income taxes at effective rate	198,435,000
Net gain on sale	305,197,000
Release period of escrowed cash	18 months
First release of amount of escrowed cash	19,500,000
Second release of amount of escrowed cash	19,500,000
Third release of amount of escrowed cash	39,000,000
Restricted cash	78,000,000
Restricted cash, current	39,000,000
Restricted cash, long-term	39,000,000
Minority shareholders' interests in sale of operations	28,700,000
Assets and liabilities of discontinued operations
Accounts receivable, net						34,225,000
Materials and supplies						19,047,000
Prepayments and other current assets		4,923,000		4,923,000		5,386,000
Property, plant and equipment, net						212,222,000
Telecommunications licenses						50,553,000
Other intangible assets						42,746,000
Other assets						16,586,000
Assets of discontinued operations		4,923,000		4,923,000		380,765,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		17,719,000		17,719,000		20,486,000
Accrued taxes						3,475,000
Advance payments and deposits						11,435,000
Other current liabilities						27,440,000
Other liabilities						11,074,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations		17,719,000		17,719,000		73,910,000
Revenues and income from discontinued operations
Revenue from discontinued operations		88,036,000	115,692,000	299,519,000	349,703,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax expense (benefit)		(1,960,000)	8,922,000	5,166,000	23,428,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, tax expense (benefit)		(1,020,000)	5,369,000	3,244,000	15,241,000
Alltel Sale | AT&T Mobility | Trade names | Alltel
Liabilities sold:
Impairment of intangible assets	$ 11,900,000
Alltel Sale | AT&T Mobility | Minimum
Liabilities sold:
Period of first release of escrowed cash	180 days
Period of second release of escrowed cash	360 days
Period of third release of escrowed cash	18 months