Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 Segment State	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 State	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Information [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	3
Non Sprint-Nextel operations, number of states	4		4
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	$ 67,428	$ 61,767	$ 200,620	$ 180,297
Other revenues	10,085	11,109	30,356	32,780
Total external revenues	77,513	72,876	230,976	213,077
Internal revenues	0	0	0	0
Total operating revenues	77,513	72,876	230,976	213,077
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	31,778	32,995	93,006	92,067
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	17,481	17,680	49,966	47,788
Depreciation and amortization	14,992	16,794	45,034	47,860
Total operating expenses	64,251	67,469	188,006	187,715
Operating income (loss)	13,262	5,407	42,970	25,362
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	13,262	5,407	42,970	25,362
Interest expense	(2,050)	(2,323)	(6,270)	(5,641)
Non-operating income (expense), net	725	381	1,882	1,431
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	11,937	3,465	38,582	21,152
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	597,499		597,499		570,740
Wireless [Member]
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	45,938	41,517	136,365	120,107
Other revenues	2,550	3,307	7,897	9,991
Total external revenues	48,488	44,824	144,262	130,098
Internal revenues	1,090	837	3,238	2,495
Total operating revenues	49,578	45,661	147,500	132,593
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	17,969	19,121	53,354	52,432
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	9,317	9,651	27,152	25,746
Depreciation and amortization	6,799	8,643	20,608	23,153
Total operating expenses	34,085	37,415	101,114	101,331
Operating income (loss)	15,493	8,246	46,386	31,262
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	15,493	8,246	46,386	31,262
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	204,527		204,527		179,929
Cable [Member]
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	17,630	16,509	52,575	48,918
Other revenues	2,874	2,413	7,875	7,446
Total external revenues	20,504	18,922	60,450	56,364
Internal revenues	19	79	121	233
Total operating revenues	20,523	19,001	60,571	56,597
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	13,333	12,521	37,974	36,381
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	6,188	6,199	17,192	16,427
Depreciation and amortization	5,682	5,908	17,094	17,963
Total operating expenses	25,203	24,628	72,260	70,771
Operating income (loss)	(4,680)	(5,627)	(11,689)	(14,174)
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	(4,680)	(5,627)	(11,689)	(14,174)
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	207,405		207,405		202,436
Wireline [Member]
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	3,860	3,741	11,680	11,272
Other revenues	4,661	5,389	14,584	15,343
Total external revenues	8,521	9,130	26,264	26,615
Internal revenues	5,127	4,597	14,935	13,803
Total operating revenues	13,648	13,727	41,199	40,418
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	6,099	6,302	18,282	18,048
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	1,777	1,752	5,147	5,107
Depreciation and amortization	2,502	2,233	7,308	6,691
Total operating expenses	10,378	10,287	30,737	29,846
Operating income (loss)	3,270	3,440	10,462	10,572
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	3,270	3,440	10,462	10,572
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	90,892		90,892		88,776
Other [Member]
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	0	0	0	0
Other revenues	0	0	0	0
Total external revenues	0	0	0	0
Internal revenues	0	0	0	0
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	0	2	0	25
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	812	640	2,165	2,220
Depreciation and amortization	9	10	24	53
Total operating expenses	821	652	2,189	2,298
Operating income (loss)	(821)	(652)	(2,189)	(2,298)
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	(821)	(652)	(2,189)	(2,298)
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	465,130		465,130		458,650
Eliminations [Member]
External revenues [Abstract]
Service revenues	0	0	0	0
Other revenues	0	0	0	0
Total external revenues	0	0	0	0
Internal revenues	(6,236)	(5,513)	(18,294)	(16,531)
Total operating revenues	(6,236)	(5,513)	(18,294)	(16,531)
Operating expenses [Abstract]
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	(5,623)	(4,951)	(16,604)	(14,819)
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below	(613)	(562)	(1,690)	(1,712)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(6,236)	(5,513)	(18,294)	(16,531)
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Reconciliation of income from continuing operations from segments to consolidated [Abstract]
Total consolidated operating income	0	0	0	0
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	(370,455)		(370,455)		(359,051)
Total Segments [Member]
Assets by segment [Abstract]
Assets	$ 967,954		$ 967,954		$ 929,791