Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	$ 11,573,678,000		$ 11,594,500,000
Less: current maturities and short-term debt and other current obligations	106,673,000		103,586,000
Non-current portion of long-term debt and other long-term obligations	11,467,005,000		11,490,914,000
Term Loans Tranche B - Due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	567,000,000
Term Loans Tranche B - Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	2,300,000,000
Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Contractual maturity date	Various	[1]
Original Debt Issuance Date	Various
Percentage of debt instrument interest rate stated	Various	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	147,106,000		129,585,000
Fixed Rate Securitized Debt 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Additional Interest Rate Margin	5.00%
2012 Credit Facility [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2012 [Member] | CCOC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total revolving commitment	1,500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount	1,100,000,000
Bank Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	3,846,747,000		3,900,650,000
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jan. 01, 2012
Contractual maturity date	Nov. 2018/Jan. 2019	[1]
Stated interest rate	1.90%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	354,000,000	[3]	374,000,000
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate 2012 Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jan. 01, 2012
Contractual maturity date	Nov. 2018/Jan. 2019	[1]
Stated interest rate	1.90%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	650,078,000		662,500,000
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate 2012 Term Loans Tranche B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jan. 01, 2012
Contractual maturity date	Jan. 2019/Jan. 2021	[1],[4]
Stated interest rate	3.00%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	2,842,669,000	[4]	2,864,150,000
Securitized Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	3,583,904,000		3,915,963,000
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jan. 01, 2010
Contractual maturity date	2035 - 2040	[1],[5]
Stated interest rate	6.00%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	1,600,000,000		1,900,000,000
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Aug. 01, 2010
Contractual maturity date	2035 - 2040	[1],[5]
Stated interest rate	4.50%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	1,550,000,000		1,550,000,000
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jul. 01, 2009
Contractual maturity date	2019/2029	[1],[5]
Stated interest rate	7.40%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	165,591,000		179,792,000
Securitized Debt [Member] | WCP Securitized Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Jan. 01, 2010
Contractual maturity date	Nov. 2040	[1],[5]
Stated interest rate	5.70%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	268,313,000		286,171,000
High Yield Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt and other obligations	3,995,921,000		3,648,302,000
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Fixed Rate - High Yield Bonds, 7.125% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Oct. 01, 2009
Contractual maturity date	Nov. 2019	[1]
Percentage of debt instrument interest rate stated	N/A	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	0	[6]	498,332,000
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Five and One Fourth Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Oct. 01, 2012
Contractual maturity date	Jan. 2023	[1]
Stated interest rate	5.25%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	1,649,970,000		1,649,970,000
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 2012 Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date	Dec. 01, 2012
Contractual maturity date	Dec. 2017/Apr. 2023	[1]
Stated interest rate	3.36%	[1],[2]
Total debt and other obligations	1,500,000,000		1,500,000,000
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	850,000,000
Original issue date	Apr. 01, 2014
Contractual maturity date	Apr. 2022
Stated interest rate	4.875%
Total debt and other obligations	845,951,000	[6]	0
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	$ 839,000,000

[1] See the 2013 Form 10-K, including note 7, for additional information regarding the maturity and principal amortization provisions and interest rates relating to the Company's indebtedness.

[2] Represents the weighted-average stated interest rate.

[3] As of September 30, 2014, the undrawn availability under the $1.5 billion 2012 Revolver is $1.1 billion.

[4] During January 2014, the Company amended its senior credit facility (as amended, "2012 Credit Facility") by extending the maturity date on a portion of the Tranche B Term Loans, including Incremental Tranche B Term Loans, to January 2021. As of September 30, 2014, the Company's Tranche B Term Loans, including the Incremental Tranche B Term Loans and the Incremental Tranche B-2 Term Loans, consist of $2.3 billion aggregate principal amount due January 2021 and $567.0 million aggregate principal amount due January 2019.

[5] If the respective series of such debt is not paid in full on or prior to an applicable date then Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the indenture) of the issuers of such notes will be used to repay principal of the applicable series, and additional interest (of an additional approximately 5% per annum) will accrue on the respective series. See the 2013 Form 10-K for additional information regarding these provisions.

[6] In April 2014, the Company issued $850.0 million of senior notes due in April 2022 ("4.875% Senior Notes"). The 4.875% Senior Notes are general obligations of CCIC and rank equally with all existing and future senior debt of CCIC. The net proceeds from the offering were approximately $839 million, after the deduction of associated fees. The Company utilized the net proceeds from the 4.875% Senior Notes offering (1) to repay $300.0 million of the January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes with an anticipated repayment date of January 2015 and (2) to redeem all of the previously outstanding 7.125% Senior Notes (collectively, "2014 Refinancings").