Operating Segments (Financial Results for the Company's Operating Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	$ 497,529,000		$ 456,196,000
Network services and other	54,216,000		42,843,000
Net revenues	551,745,000		499,039,000
Site rental	122,871,000	[1]	118,415,000	[1]
Network services and other	31,521,000	[1]	27,224,000	[1]
General and administrative	51,001,000		44,744,000
Asset write-down charges	3,044,000		4,401,000
Acquisition and integration costs	1,680,000		554,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	139,400,000		137,273,000
Total operating expenses	349,517,000		332,611,000
Operating income (loss)	202,228,000		166,428,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(137,472,000)		(126,686,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	(7,068,000)		0
Interest income	354,000		171,000
Other income (expense)	(1,077,000)		(606,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(6,695,000)		817,000
Net income (loss)	50,270,000		40,124,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	239,000		107,000
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	50,031,000		40,017,000
Capital expenditures	65,052,000		52,650,000
CCUSA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	468,119,000		430,643,000
Network services and other	46,968,000		37,664,000
Net revenues	515,087,000		468,307,000
Site rental	113,944,000	[1]	110,425,000	[1]
Network services and other	26,802,000	[1]	23,957,000	[1]
General and administrative	43,653,000		39,597,000
Asset write-down charges	3,033,000		4,357,000
Acquisition and integration costs	1,652,000		554,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	131,641,000		129,976,000
Total operating expenses	320,725,000		308,866,000
Operating income (loss)	194,362,000		159,441,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(137,459,000)		(126,361,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	(7,068,000)		0
Interest income	197,000		70,000
Other income (expense)	4,287,000		5,013,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(6,174,000)		1,369,000
Net income (loss)	48,145,000		39,532,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(210,000)		0
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	48,355,000		39,532,000
Capital expenditures	62,214,000		51,246,000
CCAL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	29,410,000		25,553,000
Network services and other	7,248,000		5,179,000
Net revenues	36,658,000		30,732,000
Site rental	8,927,000	[1]	7,990,000	[1]
Network services and other	4,719,000	[1]	3,267,000	[1]
General and administrative	7,348,000		5,147,000
Asset write-down charges	11,000		44,000
Acquisition and integration costs	28,000		0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	7,759,000		7,297,000
Total operating expenses	28,792,000		23,745,000
Operating income (loss)	7,866,000		6,987,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(5,337,000)		(5,942,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		0
Interest income	157,000		101,000
Other income (expense)	(40,000)		(2,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(521,000)		(552,000)
Net income (loss)	2,125,000		592,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	449,000		107,000
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	1,676,000		485,000
Capital expenditures	2,838,000		1,404,000
Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	0		0
Network services and other	0		0
Net revenues	0		0
Site rental	0	[1]	0	[1]
Network services and other	0	[1]	0	[1]
General and administrative	0		0
Asset write-down charges	0		0
Acquisition and integration costs	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	0		0
Total operating expenses	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0		0
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	5,324,000		5,617,000
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		0
Interest income	0		0
Other income (expense)	(5,324,000)		(5,617,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0		0
Net income (loss)	0		0
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	0		0
Capital expenditures	$ 0		$ 0

[1] Exclusive of depreciation, amortization and accretion shown separately.