Operating Segments (Financial Results for the Company's Operating Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	$ 747,162,000		$ 615,415,000
Network services and other	128,788,000		124,645,000
Net revenues	875,950,000		740,060,000
Site rental	228,076,000	[1]	177,606,000	[1]
Network services and other	72,874,000	[1]	77,377,000	[1]
General and administrative	64,849,000		58,246,000
Asset write-down charges	2,733,000		3,715,000
Acquisition and integration costs	5,659,000		1,602,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	250,191,000		186,459,000
Total operating expenses	624,382,000		505,005,000
Operating income (loss)	251,568,000		235,055,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(146,400,000)		(164,369,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		(35,909,000)
Interest income	173,000		297,000
Other income (expense)	(2,736,000)		(629,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	188,000		(17,708,000)
Net income (loss)	102,793,000		16,737,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	1,296,000		1,275,000
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	101,497,000		15,462,000
Capital expenditures	142,943,000		116,353,000
Total assets (at quarter end)	20,569,666,000				20,594,908,000
CCUSA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	714,792,000		581,265,000
Network services and other	126,971,000		117,862,000
Net revenues	841,763,000		699,127,000
Site rental	218,644,000	[1]	167,591,000	[1]
Network services and other	71,799,000	[1]	71,848,000	[1]
General and administrative	58,641,000		52,562,000
Asset write-down charges	2,636,000		3,603,000
Acquisition and integration costs	5,659,000		1,602,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	245,176,000		179,126,000
Total operating expenses	602,555,000		476,332,000
Operating income (loss)	239,208,000		222,795,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(146,400,000)		(164,369,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		(35,909,000)
Interest income	114,000		203,000
Other income (expense)	947,000		3,819,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	3,040,000		(15,613,000)
Net income (loss)	96,909,000		10,926,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	96,909,000		10,926,000
Capital expenditures	138,838,000		113,199,000
CCAL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Site rental	32,370,000		34,150,000
Network services and other	1,817,000		6,783,000
Net revenues	34,187,000		40,933,000
Site rental	9,432,000	[1]	10,015,000	[1]
Network services and other	1,075,000	[1]	5,529,000	[1]
General and administrative	6,208,000		5,684,000
Asset write-down charges	97,000		112,000
Acquisition and integration costs	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	5,015,000		7,333,000
Total operating expenses	21,827,000		28,673,000
Operating income (loss)	12,360,000		12,260,000
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(3,683,000)		(4,445,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		0
Interest income	59,000		94,000
Other income (expense)	0		(3,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(2,852,000)		(2,095,000)
Net income (loss)	5,884,000		5,811,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	1,296,000		1,275,000
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders	4,588,000		4,536,000
Capital expenditures	4,105,000		3,154,000
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	3,683,000		4,445,000
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0		0
Interest income	0		0
Other income (expense)	(3,683,000)		(4,445,000)
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.