| **Industry Segments Data (Tables)**                                     | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
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| **Segment Reporting [Abstract]**                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment                   | Summarized financial information for our reportable segments for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 follows (amounts in thousands): Wireless Wireline Total Reportable Segments2013     Revenues     Wholesale$197,218 — 197,218Consumer— 274,805 274,805Business Services— 222,814 222,814Managed Broadband— 116,811 116,811Total197,218 614,430 811,648      Cost of Goods Sold68,086 212,376 280,462Contribution 129,132 402,054 531,186Less SG&A20,030 251,035 271,065Plus share-based compensation expense— 6,638 6,638Plus (less) accretion expense507 (430) 77Other expense— 447 447Adjusted EBITDA$109,609 157,674 267,283      Capital expenditures$28,156 152,398 180,554Goodwill$155,445 63,596 219,041Total assets$624,740 1,387,067 2,011,807 Wireless Wireline Total Reportable Segments2012     Revenues     Wholesale$124,745 — 124,745Consumer— 269,357 269,357Business Services— 207,892 207,892Managed Broadband— 108,187 108,187Total124,745 585,436 710,181      Cost of Good Sold58,737 188,764 247,501Contribution66,008 396,672 462,680Less SG&A15,475 227,773 243,248Plus share-based compensation expense— 5,040 5,040Plus non-cash contribution expense— 960 960Plus accretion expense269 239 508Other expense— 869 869Adjusted EBITDA$50,802 176,007 226,809      2011     Revenues     Wholesale$119,521 — 119,521Consumer— 266,750 266,750Business Services— 207,860 207,860Managed Broadband— 85,250 85,250Total119,521 559,860 679,381      Cost of Good Sold42,687 184,712 227,399Contribution76,834 375,148 451,982Less SG&A14,868 220,653 235,521Plus share-based compensation expense— 6,620 6,620Plus accretion expense349 270 619Other expense— (59) (59)Adjusted EBITDA$62,315 161,326 223,641 |
| Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated | A reconciliation of reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated income before income taxes follows (amounts in thousands):Years Ended December 31,2013 2012 2011Reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA$267,283 226,809 223,641Less depreciation and amortization expense(147,259) (130,452) (125,937)Less share-based compensation expense(6,638) (5,040) (6,620)Less non-cash contribution expense— (960) —Less accretion expense(77) (508) (619)Other(447) (869) 59Consolidated operating income112,862 88,980 90,524Less other expense, net(70,178) (67,730) (77,633)Consolidated income before income tax expense$42,684 21,250 12,891                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of  all significant reconciling items in the reconciliation of total profit or loss from reportable segments, to the entity's consolidated income before income taxes, extraordinary items, and discontinued operations.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the profit or loss and total assets for each reportable segment. An entity discloses certain information on each reportable segment if the amounts (a) are included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) are otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss.
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