Equity-Based Compensation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2012	Apr. 01, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity-based grants vesting period in years, minimum	one
Equity-based grants vesting period in years, maximum	four
Vesting period for a majority of equity-based compensation awards granted in years	three
Number of shares for equity-based compensation grants approved by shareholders	53,889,977
Number of shares for equity-based compensation approved by shareholders available for grant	16,819,606
Contractual term of stock options and stock appreciation rights, years	10
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercised stock options	$ 0.2
Unrecognized equity-based compensation cost	31.3
Weighted average period for equity-based compensation recognition, years	1.9
Weighted average fair value of stock options granted	$ 1.30
Performance Stock Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares issued for each PSU granted, maximum	2
Weighted average grant date fair value	$ 3.99
Performance stock units granted	1,887,064	1,611,541
Percentage of performance stock units earned	50.00%
Shares earned per performance stock unit	0.50
Number of common shares vested and issued for performance stock units granted in 2011	99,420
Weighted average fair value of performance stock units granted during period	$ 3.99	$ 5.42
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Fair market value of restricted stock vested	$ 3.2
Weighted average grant date fair value	$ 3.99	$ 5.43

Contractual term of stock options and stock appreciation rights.

No definition available.

Name:	tlab_ContractualTermOfStockOptionsAndStockAppreciationRights
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of common shares vested and issued for performance stock units granted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_NumberOfCommonSharesVestedAndIssuedForTwoThousandAndElevenPerformanceStockUnits
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of performance stock units earned for performance stock units granted. The percentage of performance stock units earned is based on the percentage of performance targets achieved up to two hundred percent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_PercentageOfPerformanceStockUnitsEarned
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Performance stock units granted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_PerformanceStockUnitsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average price of performance stock units granted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_PerformanceStockUnitsGrantedWeightedAveragePrice
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Shares earned for each performance stock unit granted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_SharesEarnedPerPerformanceStockUnit
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Shares issued for each PSU granted, maximum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tlab_SharesIssuedForEachPsuGrantedMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	tlab_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

As of the balance sheet date, the aggregate unrecognized cost of equity-based awards made to employees under equity-based compensation awards that have yet to vest.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, using a decimal to express in number of years.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the period of time over which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, which may be expressed in a variety of ways (for example, in years, month and year).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum vesting term over which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriodMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum vesting term over which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriodMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph b(2)(c)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph c(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total fair value of equity-based awards for which the grantee gained the right during the reporting period, by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash in accordance with the terms of the arrangement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total accumulated difference between fair values of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options which were exercised (or share units converted) into shares during the reporting period under the plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration