LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						0 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - term loan tranche	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior secured credit facility - term loan	Sep. 30, 2012 First term loan tranche	Sep. 30, 2012 First term loan tranche LIBOR	Sep. 30, 2012 First term loan tranche Alternate base rate	Sep. 30, 2012 Second term loan tranche	Sep. 30, 2012 Second term loan tranche LIBOR	Sep. 30, 2012 Second term loan tranche Alternate base rate	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan SureWest	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan Weighted-average	Sep. 30, 2011 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan Weighted-average	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan LIBOR Minimum	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan LIBOR Maximum	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan LIBOR Weighted-average	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan Alternate base rate Minimum	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan Alternate base rate Maximum	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior secured credit facility - revolving loan Alternate base rate Weighted-average	Feb. 05, 2012 Senior Unsecured Bridge Loan Facility SureWest	May 30, 2012 Senior Notes due 2020	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes due 2020	May 30, 2012 Senior Notes due 2020 Related parties	Sep. 30, 2012 Obligations under capital lease	Dec. 31, 2011 Obligations under capital lease
Debt
Total long-term debt and capital leases	$ 1,211,088,000		$ 1,211,088,000		$ 884,711,000	$ 873,400,000	$ 880,000,000							$ 35,000,000												$ 298,117,000		$ 4,571,000	$ 4,711,000
Less: current portion of long-term debt and capital leases	(9,029,000)		(9,029,000)		(8,992,000)
Total long-term debt	1,202,059,000		1,202,059,000		875,719,000
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility														50,000,000										350,000,000
Aggregate principal amount						873,400,000		467,400,000			406,000,000														300,000,000		10,800,000
Number of tranches						2
Margin (as a percent)									2.50%	1.50%		3.75%	2.75%					2.75%	3.50%	3.25%	1.75%	2.50%	2.25%
Reference rate			one month LIBOR						LIBOR	Alternative base rate		LIBOR	Alternative base rate					LIBOR	LIBOR	LIBOR	Alternative base rate	Alternative base rate	Alternative base rate
Quarterly principal payments required						2,200,000
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)																6.49%	5.73%
Term of debt																								4 months
Financing fees capitalized															1,200,000									4,100,000	7,800,000
Financing fees recognized as expense	$ 14,525,000	$ 109,000	$ 19,909,000	$ 2,649,000											$ 3,500,000
Interest rate (as a percent)																									10.875%
Issue price as a percentage of principal amount																									99.345%
Yield to maturity (as a percent)																									11.00%