Interest payable dates.

No definition available.

Name:	sbac_InterestPayableDates
Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of face value price for issuance of senior notes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbac_PercentageOfFaceValuePriceForIssuanceOfSeniorNotes
Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of noncash expense included in interest expense to issue debt and obtain financing associated with the related debt instruments. Alternate captions include noncash interest expense.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 8

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 8

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Article 5

-Subsection 19, 20, 22

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=sbac_TelecommunicationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_FivePointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_FourPointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt (Senior Notes) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2014	Sep. 28, 2012	Jul. 13, 2012	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing fees				$ 4,803	$ 4,599	$ 13,973	$ 13,114
5.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes			$ 800,000
Debt instrument, maturity date						Jul. 15, 2020
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			5.75%	5.75%		5.75%
Interest payable dates						July 15 and January 15
Deferred financing fees			$ 14,000
5.75% Senior Notes [Member] \| Telecommunications [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership interest				100.00%		100.00%
5.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes		$ 500,000
Debt instrument, maturity date						Oct. 01, 2019
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		5.625%		5.625%		5.625%
Interest payable dates						April 1 and October 1
Deferred financing fees		$ 8,600
4.875% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes	$ 750,000
Debt instrument, maturity date						Jul. 15, 2022
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.875%			4.875%		4.875%
Interest payable dates						January 15 and July 15
Deferred financing fees	$ 11,600
Percentage of face value price for issuance of senior notes	99.178%