| **Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Supplemental Disclosures** | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
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| **Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]**                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental Disclosures         | Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental DisclosuresChanges in operating assets and liabilities consist of (amounts in thousands):Nine Months Ended September 30,2013 2012Increase in accounts receivable, net$(41,962) (52,020)Increase in prepaid expenses(1,066) (312)(Increase) decrease in inventories3,218 (4,426)Decrease in other current assets1,379 1,167Decrease in other assets(197) 3,337Increase (decrease) in accounts payable6,114 (3,768)Increase in deferred revenues1,012 1,900Increase (decrease) in accrued payroll and payroll related obligations7,234 (1,320)Increase in accrued liabilities1,259 14,616Increase in accrued interest14,972 14,678Decrease in subscriber deposits(22) (125)Increase (decrease) in long-term deferred revenue(739) 5,739Decrease in components of other long-term liabilities(1,090) (1,093)Total change in operating assets and liabilities$(9,888) (21,627)The following items are for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands):Net cash paid or received:2013 2012Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized$40,417 37,874The following items are non-cash investing and financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands): 2013 2012Non-cash additions for purchases of property and  equipment$17,013 20,854Asset retirement obligation additions to property and  equipment$1,066 644Deferred compensation distribution denominated in  shares$621 511Net assets acquired with equity in AWN (see Note 1(d))$272,198 — |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for supplemental cash flow activities, including cash, noncash, and part noncash transactions, for the period. Noncash is defined as information about all investing and financing activities of an enterprise during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586
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