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Debt and Other Obligations (Textuals) (Details) - USD ($)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 16,159,620,000 $ 12,171,142,000      
Borrowings under revolving credit facility 2,820,000,000 3,440,000,000 $ 1,790,000,000    
Debt Instrument, Face Amount         $ 1,650,000,000
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date         Jan. 01, 2023
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount   4,026,390,000 1,069,361,000    
Principal balance outstanding on debt instruments 16,261,760,000        
Cash and equivalents $ 314,094,000 567,599,000      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date         Oct. 01, 2012
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage         5.30%
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description 7.0 to 1.0        
Variable Rate Revolver [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Availability on revolver $ 2,500,000,000        
Fixed Rate Securitized Debt 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest rate, increase (decrease) 5.00%        
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 2,300,000,000        
Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 227,783,000 226,847,000      
Contractual maturity date, start 1 year        
Contractual maturity date, end 30 years        
2016 Revolver [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 3,500,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Aug. 01, 2017        
Line of Credit Facility, Change in Borrowing Capacity $ 1,000,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Aug. 01, 2022        
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount   500,000,000      
2016 Term Loan A [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Feb. 01, 2017        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Jan. 01, 2022        
Securitized Debt [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 3,332,309,000 3,345,805,000      
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.222% due 2042 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations 300,000,000        
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.663% due 2045 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations 700,000,000        
Bank Debt [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations 3,376,588,000 1,954,173,000      
Bank Debt [Member] | 2016 Revolver [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity   2,500,000,000      
Total debt and other obligations $ 980,000,000 [1] 0      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Jan. 01, 2016        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage [2],[3] 2.60%        
Bank Debt [Member] | 2016 Term Loan A [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 2,396,588,000 1,954,173,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   2,000,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Jan. 01, 2016        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage [2],[3] 2.60%        
January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Repayments of Debt       $ 300,000,000.0  
High Yield Bonds [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 9,222,940,000 6,644,317,000      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | May 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 1,000,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date   May 01, 2016      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations 842,090,000 $ 840,322,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 850,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date       Apr. 01, 2022  
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Apr. 01, 2014     Apr. 01, 2014  
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.90% [2]     4.90%  
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.000% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 493,833,000 0      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 500,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Mar. 01, 2027        
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Feb. 01, 2017        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage [2] 4.00%        
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Domain]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 1,500,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date   Feb. 01, 2016      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 3.400% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 849,859,000 $ 849,698,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 250,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Feb. 01, 2016        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 3.40% [2] 3.40%      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 3.700% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 742,727,000 $ 741,908,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 750,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date   Jun. 01, 2026      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date May 01, 2016        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 3.70% [2] 3.70%      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.450% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 891,145,000 $ 890,118,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 900,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date   Feb. 01, 2026      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Feb. 01, 2016        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.50% [2] 4.50%      
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.750% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 343,209,000 $ 0      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 350,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date May 01, 2047        
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date May 01, 2017        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage [2] 4.80%        
High Yield Bonds [Member] | August 2017 Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 1,750,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date Aug. 01, 2017        
High Yield Bonds [Member] | August 2017 Senior Unsecured 3.200% Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 750,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Sep. 01, 2024        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 3.20%        
High Yield Bonds [Member] | August 2017 Senior Unsecured 3.650% Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 1,000,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Sep. 01, 2027        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 3.70%        
2.250% Senior Notes [Member] | September 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 700,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date   Sep. 01, 2021      
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date   Sep. 01, 2016      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   2.30%      
2.381% Secured Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount   $ 500,000,000      
2.381% Secured Notes [Member] | September 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   2.40%      
Repayments of Debt   $ 500,000,000.0      
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt $ 839,000,000        
2012 Revolver [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount   0      
2012 secured notes tranche B [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations $ 1,000,000,000        
Maximum [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2012 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 2.00%        
Maximum [Member] | Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 10.00%        
Minimum [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2012 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 1.10%        
August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes ARD [Domain] | Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes 5 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Total debt and other obligations     $ 250,000,000    
Collateral Pledged [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, PPE Collaterized Amount $ 1,100,000,000        
Additional Principal Incurred [Member] | 2016 Term Loan A [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 500,000,000        
Additional Principal Incurred [Member] | Bank Debt [Member] | Senior Unsecured 364-Day Revolving Credit Facility [Domain]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity   1,000,000,000      
February 2016 Senior Note Upsizing [Member] | High Yield Bonds [Member] | 3.400% Senior Notes [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 600,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   3.40%      
[1] As of December 31, 2017, the undrawn availability under the 2016 Revolver was $2.5 billion.
[2] Represents the weighted-average stated interest rate.
[3] The 2016 Revolver and senior unsecured term loan A facility ("2016 Term Loan A") bear interest at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus a credit spread ranging from 1.125% to 2.000%, based on the Company's senior unsecured debt rating. The Company pays a commitment fee of approximately 0.200% per annum on the undrawn available amount under the 2016 Revolver.