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Intangible Assets, Net (Gross And Net Carrying Amounts For Each Major Class Of Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Gross amount $ 5,305,854us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 5,492,833us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Accumulated amortization (1,379,862)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization (1,303,293)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Net book value 3,925,992us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 4,189,540us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Current Contract Intangibles [Member]    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Gross amount 3,926,022us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
4,090,129us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
Accumulated amortization (946,412)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
(891,374)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
Net book value 2,979,610us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
3,198,755us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_CurrentContractIntangiblesMember
Network Location Intangibles [Member]    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Gross amount 1,379,832us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember
1,402,704us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember
Accumulated amortization (433,450)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember
(411,919)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember
Net book value $ 946,382us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember
$ 990,785us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= sbac_NetworkLocationIntangiblesMember