| 
           Subscriber Revenue (Details) (USD $) 
        In Thousands, unless otherwise specified  | 
        3 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
| 
           Mar. 31, 2012 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2011 
         | 
      |
| Subscriber Revenue | ||
| Subscription fees | $ 696,298 | $ 619,291 | 
| Activation fees | 3,944 | 3,146 | 
| Total subscriber revenue | $ 700,242 | $ 622,437 | 
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- Definition 
          Activation fees. No definition available. 
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- Details 
          
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- Definition 
          Subscription fees. No definition available. 
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- Definition 
          Revenue from sale of subscriptions (such as subscriptions to a magazine or newspaper). Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef 
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