Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Textuals) (Details) (USD $)					3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes First Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes First Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes First Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes Second Tranche [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High Yield Bonds [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 9% Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 9% Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.75% Secured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.75% Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.125% Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High Yield Bonds [Member] Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.125% Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] 2012 Secured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High Yield Bonds [Member] 2012 Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] 2012 secured notes tranche A [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 High Yield Bonds [Member] 2012 secured notes tranche B [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Secured Term Loan B [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 CCOC [Member] 2012 Credit Facility [Member] Senior Secured 2012 Revolver [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 CCOC [Member] Senior Secured Term Loan B [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] CCOC [Member] 2012 Credit Facility [Member] Senior Secured 2012 Revolver [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] CCOC [Member] 2012 Credit Facility [Member] Senior Secured 2012 Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total revolving commitment																													$ 1,500,000,000
Availablity on revolver																													412,000,000
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate																														3.00%	2.00%	2.75%
Debt Instrument, LIBOR Floor																												25.00%		1.00%
Additional interest accruing following anticipated repayment dates					5.00%
Debt instrument, face amount						300,000,000	350,000,000	1,300,000,000	250,000,000	300,000,000	1,000,000,000																	1,580,000,000
Total cash obligations	10,827,307,000											123,800,000	70,000,000
Cash and cash equivalents	160,865,000	441,364,000	1,063,684,000	80,120,000
Total debt and other obligations	$ 10,836,156,000	$ 11,611,242,000												$ 98,652,000	$ 92,568,000	$ 3,648,166,000	$ 4,244,222,000	$ 0	$ 304,718,000	$ 0	$ 291,394,000	$ 498,166,000	$ 498,110,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000