Acquisitions (Schedule Of Acquisition Capital Expenditures) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Towers and related intangible assets	$ 42,630,000	$ 918,071,000
Ground lease land purchases	10,649,000sbac_GroundLeaseLandPurchases	9,582,000sbac_GroundLeaseLandPurchases
Total cash acquisition capital expenditures	53,279,000	927,653,000
Ground lease extensions	$ 3,300,000sbac_GroundLeaseExtensions	$ 1,300,000sbac_GroundLeaseExtensions

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration