Debt and Other Obligations (Textuals) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended											12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable Rate Revolver [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Variable Rate Revolver [Member]	Jan. 31, 2010 Variable Rate Revolver [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable Rate 2007 Term Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes First Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes First Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes First Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 9% Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.75% Secured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.125% Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 High Yield Bonds - Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Collateralized [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Collateralized [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.75% Secured Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2007 2007 Credit Agreement [Member] CCOC [Member] Term Loan Joinder Pursuant [Member] Variable Rate 2007 Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2007 2007 Credit Agreement [Member] CCOC [Member] Second Term Loan Joinder Pursuant [Member] Variable Rate 2007 Term Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 2007 Credit Agreement [Member] CCOC [Member] Security Interest [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock	Jan. 31, 2012 Issuance of Debt [Member] 2012 Credit Facility [Member] CCOC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total revolving commitment						$ 450,000,000	$ 400,000,000
Total debt and other obligations	6,885,699,000	6,778,894,000																			54,406,000	34,537,000
Availablity on revolver					199,000,000
Debt Instrument Additional Interest Rate Federal Funds Rate					0.50%			0.50%
Debt instrument credit spread prime federal funds rate, minimum					1.00%
Debt Instrument Credit Spread Prime Federal Funds Rate Maximum					1.40%
Debt instrument credit spread LIBOR rate minimum					2.00%
Debt Instrument Credit Spread Libor Rate Maximum					2.40%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate								1.50%
Additional interest accruing following anticipated repayment dates									5.00%
Face amount of debt instrument										300,000,000	350,000,000	1,300,000,000	250,000,000	300,000,000	1,000,000,000															3,100,000,000
Principal balance outstanding on debt instruments	6,958,306,000															146,400,000	70,000,000
Effective yield rate, inclusive of discount																		11.30%	8.20%	7.20%
Debt instrument interest rate stated percentage rate range maximum																					10.00%
Contractual maturity date, start																					1 year
Contractual maturity date, end																					20 years
Line of credit facility possible additional borrowing capacity						50,000,000
Additional borrowings																										600,000,000	50,000,000
Security interest	80,120,000	112,531,000	766,146,000	155,219,000																								47,800,000
Commitment fee	0.40%
Property and equipment, net	$ 4,861,227,000	$ 4,893,651,000																						$ 1,700,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000
Stated interest rate																		9.00%	7.75%	7.125%
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	7.0 to 1.0
Debt to Adjusted Cash Flow Ratio																							7.0
Redemption pricing percentage of principal amount																			100.00%				100.00%
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage																													6.25%