Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Capitalized Labor Costs	$ 265,000	$ 238,000	$ 270,000
Asset write-down charges	$ 34,000	21,000	74,000
Revenue Recognition Non-cancelable Term - Fiber	three to 20 years
Deferred site rental receivables, current	$ 127,000	92,000
Deferred site rental receivables	1,954,000	1,588,000
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Amount	2,300,000	2,600,000	2,800,000
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	668,000	595,000
Employee Severance Payments			20,000
Interest expense on debt obligations	685,000	644,000	683,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs and adjustments on long-term debt, net	26,000	25,000	23,000
Capitalized interest	(12,000)	(12,000)	(17,000)
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	$ 699,000	657,000	689,000
Percentage of tax position that is likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement	50.00%
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 1,675,000	1,096,000	1,056,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock	0	0	(57,000)
Net Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Available to Common Shareholders, Basic	1,675,000	1,158,000	999,000
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 1,675,000	$ 1,096,000	$ 999,000
Basic (in shares)	433	432	423
Diluted (in shares)	434	434	425
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 3.87	$ 2.54	$ 2.36
Diluted (in dollars per share)	3.86	2.53	2.35
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 5.98	$ 5.46	$ 4.93
Portion of company site rental costs that are Towers ground lease expenses	50.00%
Ground Lease Agreement Initial Term	five to 10 years
Useful life of site rental contracts and customer relationships (years)	20 years
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%
Other current assets	$ 73,000	$ 53,000
Revenue recognition for Wireless Tenants	five to 15 years
Performance Obligations
Other current assets	$ 43,000	$ 65,000
Minimum [Member]
Ground Lease Agreement Initial Term	five years
Maximum [Member]
Ground Lease Agreement Initial Term	10 years
Preferred Stock [Member]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)			14
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Effect of assumed dilution from potential common shares relating to stock options and restricted stock awards	1	2	2
Sprint Cancellation [Member]
Asset write-down charges		$ 63,000
Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Asset write-down charges	$ 39,000	$ 19,000	$ 77,000
Communication Infrastructure [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Communication Infrastructure [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	1 year
Communication Infrastructure [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Towers [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years