Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit Facility Amendment, Additional Principal		$ 500,000
Credit Facility Amendment, Date		Feb. 13, 2017
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 13,492,973		$ 12,171,142
Less: current maturities and short-term debt and other current obligations		112,882		101,749
Non-current portion of long-term debt and other long-term obligations	[1]	$ 13,380,091		12,069,393
Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Contractual maturity date	[2]	Various
Original Debt Issuance Date		Various
Percentage of debt instrument interest rate stated	[2]	Various
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 233,850		226,847
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 2016 [Member] | CCOC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount		$ 2,200,000
Bank Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 2,776,545		1,954,173
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Jan. 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[3]	Jan. 21, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	2.40%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 335,000	[4],[5]	0
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate 2016 Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Jan. 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[3]	Jan. 21, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	2.40%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 2,441,545	[3]	1,954,173
Securitized Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 3,342,452		3,345,805
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes First Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Jul. 01, 2009
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Aug. 01, 2019
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	6.30%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 46,059		51,416
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Jan. 01, 2010
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[6]	Jan. 01, 2040
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	6.10%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 1,244,704		1,244,237
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Aug. 01, 2010
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[6]	Aug. 01, 2040
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	4.90%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 994,006		993,557
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes Second Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Jul. 01, 2009
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Aug. 01, 2029
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	9.00%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 69,405		68,737
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.222% due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		May 01, 2015
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[6]	May 01, 2042
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	3.20%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 296,733		296,573
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.663% due 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		May 01, 2015
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2],[6]	May 01, 2045
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	3.70%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 691,545		691,285
High Yield Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 7,140,126		6,644,317
High Yield Bonds [Member] | September 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Sep. 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Sep. 01, 2021
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	2.25%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 694,441		693,893
High Yield Bonds [Member] | February 2017 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Feb. 01, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Mar. 01, 2027
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	4.00%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 493,403	[5]	0
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Five and One Fourth Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Oct. 01, 2012
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Jan. 15, 2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	5.25%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 1,637,626		1,637,099
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 2012 secured notes tranche B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Dec. 01, 2012
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Apr. 15, 2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	3.90%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 991,625		991,279
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Apr. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Apr. 01, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	4.875%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 840,761		840,322
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 3.40% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Feb. 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Feb. 15, 2021
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	3.40%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 849,784		849,698
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 3.7% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		May 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Jun. 15, 2026
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	3.70%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 742,112		741,908
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 4.450% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date		Feb. 01, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[2]	Feb. 15, 2026
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[2]	4.50%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	[1]	$ 890,374		$ 890,118
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 4.000% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 500,000
Original issue date		Feb. 02, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Mar. 01, 2027
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.00%
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 2016 Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Jan. 01, 2022

[1] Balances reflect debt issuance costs as a direct reduction from the respective carrying amounts of debt, with the exception of debt issuance costs associated with the Company's revolving credit facilities. See note 2.

[2] See the 2016 Form 10-K, including note 8, for additional information regarding the maturity and principal amortization provisions and interest rates relating to the Company's indebtedness.

[3] In February 2017, the Company entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility to (1) incur additional term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million, and (2) extend the maturity of both the 2016 Term Loan A and the 2016 Revolver to January 2022.

[4] As of March 31, 2017, the undrawn availability under the 2016 Revolver was $2.2 billion.

[5] In February 2017 the Company issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% senior unsecured notes with a final maturity date of March 2027 ("February 2017 Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the February 2017 Senior Notes offering to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver.

[6] 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 2016 Form 10-K for additional information regarding these provisions.