| **Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Supplemental Disclosures** | 12 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):Year ended December 31,2013 2012 2011Increase in accounts receivable, net$(68,360) (9,386) (16,900)(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses672 (350) (1,949)(Increase) decrease in inventories1,751 (4,576) (1,718)Decrease in other current assets1,448 1,953 309(Increase) decrease in other assets(1,459) 1,236 907Increase (decrease) in accounts payable15,334 3,085 (1,373)Increase in deferred revenues2,368 3,215 4,707Increase (decrease) in accrued payroll and payroll related obligations10,263 (2,750) (102)Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities(883) 3,043 (1,733)Increase (decrease) in accrued interest302 106 (6,776)Increase (decrease) in subscriber deposits(40) 116 (21)Decrease in long-term deferred revenue(3,554) (5,001) (2,413)Decrease in components of other long-term liabilities(20) (1,301) (1,618)Total change in operating assets and liabilities$(42,178) (10,610) (28,680)The following items are for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (amounts in thousands):Net cash paid or received:2013 2012 2011Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized$71,749 69,083 73,492The following items are non-cash investing and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (amounts in thousands): 2013 2012 2011Non-cash additions for purchases of property and equipment$17,230 9,010 7,233Asset retirement obligation additions to property and equipment$5,292 660 613Deferred compensation distribution denominated in shares$621 511 —Net assets acquired with equity in AWN (see Note 1(d))$267,642 — — |

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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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