Operating Segments Operating Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2016									Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
	Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total		Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total
Segment site rental revenues	$	702,840	$	96,454				$	799,294	$	674,907	$	56,473				$	731,380
Segment network services and other revenues	125,010		10,080					135,090		156,385		12,706					169,091
Segment revenues	827,850		106,534					934,384		831,292		69,179					900,471
Segment site rental cost of operations ^(a)	204,565		37,483					242,048		204,633		20,513					225,146
Segment network services and other cost of operations ^(a)	69,989		8,035					78,024		76,191		9,454					85,645
Segment cost of operations^(a)	274,554		45,518					320,072		280,824		29,967					310,791
Segment site rental gross margin	498,275		58,971					557,246		470,274		35,960					506,234
Segment network services and other gross margin	55,021		2,045					57,066		80,194		3,252					83,446
Segment general and administrative expenses ^(a)	23,599		15,522		36,071			75,192		22,722		7,560		30,098			60,380
Segment operating profit	529,697		45,494		(36,071		)	539,120		527,746		31,652		(30,098		)	529,300
Stock-based compensation expense					$	30,705		30,705						$	16,841		16,841
Depreciation, amortization and accretion					277,875			277,875						251,806			251,806
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs					126,378			126,378						134,439			134,439
Other expenses to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes					52,450			52,450						15,915			15,915
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes								$	51,712								$	110,299
Capital expenditures	$	111,041	$	80,153	$	2,295		$	193,489	$	133,133	$	62,903	$	5,617		$	201,653
Total assets (at period end)	$	18,090,100	$	3,188,474	$	439,677		$	21,718,251	$	18,234,547	$	2,238,790	$	526,493		$	20,999,830

(a)

Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $8.3 million and $3.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.2 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $22.4 million and $13.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.