Property and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	$ 11,166,714,000	$ 8,685,363,000
Less: accumulated depreciation	(4,249,183,000)	(3,824,136,000)
Total property and equipment, net	6,917,531,000	4,861,227,000
Depreciation expense	438,900,000	387,800,000	379,300,000
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	2,600,000,000
Accumulated Depreciation on Capital Lease Assets	423,200,000
Land owned in fee and perpetual easements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	1,119,592,000	960,191,000
Buildings [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	56,883,000	37,454,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	40 years
Wireless Infrastructure [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	9,589,282,000	7,359,480,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Information technology assets and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	160,670,000	151,992,000
Construction in Process [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	$ 240,287,000	$ 176,246,000
Minimum [Member] | Wireless Infrastructure [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	1 year
Minimum [Member] | Information technology assets and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	2 years
Maximum [Member] | Wireless Infrastructure [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] | Information technology assets and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	10 years