Income Taxes Income Taxes Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	[3]	Sep. 30, 2015	[3]	Jun. 30, 2015	[3]	Mar. 31, 2015	[3]	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Abstract]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Amount														$ 165,840	$ 117,274	$ 87,850
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential, Amount														527	4,296	3,277
Tax adjustment related to REIT operations														(186,649)	(132,951)	0
Tax adjustment related to the REIT conversion	[1]													0	0	(67,395)
Tax adjustment related to the small cell REIT conversion	[2]													(33,759)	0	0
Losses for which no tax benefit was recognized														414	463	9,570
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount														(3,000)	(9,000)	0
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes, Amount														(1,210)	3,136	14,852
Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations														6,723	7,232	5,240
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Other Adjustments, Amount														(343)	(1,694)	2,816
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		$ (42,077)		$ (3,801)		$ (4,144)		$ (1,435)		$ 3,126	$ 1,977	$ 3,101	$ 3,040	$ (51,457)	$ (11,244)	$ 191,000

[1] Inclusive of a $39.8 million adjustment during the year ended December 31, 2013 to reclassify a deferred tax charge from AOCI to the provision for income taxes.

[2] During the fourth quarter of 2015, the Company de-recognized the net deferred tax liabilities related to the Company's small cells previously included in one or more TRSs in conjunction with the inclusion of small cells in the REIT in January 2016.

[3] Inclusive of the tax adjustment of $33.8 million in conjunction with the inclusion of small cells in the REIT in January 2016 . See also notes 11 and 19.