Operating Segments and Concentrations of Credit Risk Operating Segment Results (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Site Rental Revenues	$ 3,233,307	$ 3,018,413	$ 2,866,613
Segment Network Services and Other Revenues	687,918	645,438	672,143
Segment Revenues	3,921,225	3,663,851	3,538,756
Segment Site Rental Cost of Operations	987,668	934,370	879,614
Segment Network Services and Other Cost of Operations	409,454	352,187	395,564
Segment Cost of Operations	1,397,122	1,286,557	1,275,178
Segment site rental gross margin	2,245,639	2,084,043	1,986,999
Segment network services gross margin	278,464	293,251	276,579
Segment General and Administrative Expenses	296,580	258,111	212,321
Segment Operating Profit	2,227,523	2,119,183	2,051,257
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	96,538	67,148	56,432
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments	21,300	20,500	20,000
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net	1,108,551	1,036,178	985,781
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	515,032	527,128	573,291
Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	133,548	14,900	100,683
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	373,854	473,829	335,070
Capital Expenditures	873,883	908,892	758,535
Assets	22,675,092	21,936,966
Goodwill	5,757,676	5,513,551	5,196,485
Towers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Site Rental Revenues	2,830,708	2,734,045	2,677,932
Segment Network Services and Other Revenues	603,689	591,655	631,787
Segment Revenues	3,434,397	3,325,700	3,309,719
Segment Site Rental Cost of Operations	840,209	827,175	814,332
Segment Network Services and Other Cost of Operations	344,595	309,025	359,901
Segment Cost of Operations	1,184,804	1,136,200	1,174,233
Segment site rental gross margin	1,990,499	1,906,870	1,863,600
Segment network services gross margin	259,094	282,630	271,886
Segment General and Administrative Expenses	92,903	91,899	78,523
Segment Operating Profit	2,156,690	2,097,601	2,056,963
Capital Expenditures	429,526	564,753
Assets	18,394,572	17,974,847
Goodwill	5,114,639	4,863,847
Small Cells [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Site Rental Revenues	402,599	284,368	188,681
Segment Network Services and Other Revenues	84,229	53,783	40,356
Segment Revenues	486,828	338,151	229,037
Segment Site Rental Cost of Operations	147,459	107,195	65,282
Segment Network Services and Other Cost of Operations	64,859	43,162	35,663
Segment Cost of Operations	212,318	150,357	100,945
Segment site rental gross margin	255,140	177,173	123,399
Segment network services gross margin	19,370	10,621	4,693
Segment General and Administrative Expenses	60,676	38,379	25,869
Segment Operating Profit	213,834	149,415	102,223
Capital Expenditures	409,710	314,882
Assets	3,440,600	3,511,956
Goodwill	643,037	649,704
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment General and Administrative Expenses	143,001	127,833	107,929
Segment Operating Profit	(143,001)	(127,833)	(107,929)
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	96,538	67,148	56,432
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net	1,108,551	1,036,178	985,781
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	515,032	527,128	573,291
Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	133,548	14,900	100,683
Capital Expenditures	34,647	29,257
Assets	839,920	450,163
Goodwill	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	74,500	52,800	44,900
Cost of Sales [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 22,100	$ 14,300	$ 11,500