CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Pre-Adjustment	Error Correction	Shares of Common Stock (no par value)	Shares of Common Stock (no par value) Pre-Adjustment	Additional Paid in Capital	Additional Paid in Capital Pre-Adjustment	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Pre-Adjustment	Retained Earnings Error Correction	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Pre-Adjustment
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				49,630,000	49,630,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 440,394	$ 444,232	$ (3,838)			$ 47,456	$ 47,456	$ 384,658	$ 388,496	$ (3,838)	$ 8,280	$ 8,280
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	55,500	55,956	(456)					55,500
Net gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax	(7,972)										(7,972)
Dividends declared	(14,442)							(14,442)
Dividends reinvested in common stock (in shares)				14,000
Dividends reinvested in common stock	499					499
Share repurchases (in shares)				(200,000)
Share repurchases	(7,231)					(7,231)
Stock based compensation (in shares)				184,000
Stock based compensation	4,182					4,182
Stock options exercised (in shares)				29,000
Stock options exercised	81					81
Common stock issued	34					34
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards (in shares)				(62,000)
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards	(2,911)					(2,911)
Common stock issued to acquire a non-controlling interests of nTelos (in shares)				76,000
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019				49,671,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2019	468,134					42,110		425,716			308
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	125,673	$ 126,723	$ (1,050)					125,673
Net gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax	(5,014)										(5,014)
Dividends declared	(16,950)							(16,950)
Dividends reinvested in common stock	(2)					(2)
Stock based compensation (in shares)				156,000
Stock based compensation	6,833					6,833
Stock options exercised	36					36
Common stock issued (in shares)				1,000
Common stock issued	31					31
Annual dividend reinvestment (in shares)				12,000
Annual dividend reinvestment	526					526
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards (in shares)				(48,000)
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards	$ (2,217)					(2,217)
Common stock issued to acquire a non-controlling interests of nTelos (in shares)				76,000
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	49,868,000			49,868,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 577,051					47,317		534,440			(4,706)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	998,831							998,831
Net gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax	4,706										4,706
Dividends declared	(940,347)							(940,347)
Stock based compensation (in shares)				133,000
Stock based compensation	3,661					3,661
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards (in shares)				(36,000)
Shares retired for settlement of employee taxes upon issuance of vested equity awards	$ (1,627)					(1,627)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	49,965,000			49,965,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 642,275					$ 49,351		$ 592,924			$ 0