CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 234,315	$ 26,759	$ 204,962	$ 2,594
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		48,080
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	33,883		33,883
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(1,472)			(1,472)
Dividends declared	(11,333)		(11,333)
Dividends reinvested in common stock	572	$ 572
Dividends reinvested in common stock (in shares)		39
Stock based compensation	2,624	$ 2,624
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options	1,141	$ 1,141
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options (in shares)		102
Common stock issued for share awards (in shares)		162
Common stock issued	6	$ 6
Common stock issued (in shares)		2
Common stock repurchased	(1,785)	$ (1,785)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)		(120)
Net excess tax benefit from stock options exercised	395	$ 395
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	258,346	$ 29,712	227,512	1,122
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		48,265
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	40,864		40,864
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(707)			(707)
Dividends declared	(11,629)		(11,629)
Dividends reinvested in common stock	544	$ 544
Dividends reinvested in common stock (in shares)		22
Stock based compensation	2,719	$ 2,719
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options	996	$ 996
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options (in shares)		87
Common stock issued for share awards (in shares)		212
Common stock issued	11	$ 11
Common stock issued (in shares)		1
Common stock repurchased	(1,885)	$ (1,885)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)		(111)
Net excess tax benefit from stock options exercised	679	$ 679
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 289,938	$ 32,776	256,747	415
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	48,475	48,475
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ (895)		(895)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	6,373			6,373
Dividends declared	(12,228)		(12,228)
Dividends reinvested in common stock	524	$ 524
Dividends reinvested in common stock (in shares)		19
Stock based compensation	3,506	$ 3,506
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options	3,359	$ 3,359
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options (in shares)		371
Common stock issued for share awards (in shares)		190
Common stock issued	14	$ 14
Common stock issued (in shares)		2
Common stock issued to acquire non-controlling interests of nTelos	10,400	$ 10,400
Common stock issued to acquire a non-controlling interests of nTelos (in shares)		76
Common stock repurchased	(5,097)	$ (5,097)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)		(198)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 295,894	$ 45,482	$ 243,624	$ 6,788
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	48,935	48,935