CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 473,771	$ 352,672
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	739,399	591,876
Stock-based compensation expense	49,986	53,906
(Gain) loss on early retirement of long-term obligations	(830)	78,793
Other non-cash items reflected in statements of operations	53,464	75,531
Decrease in restricted cash	12,170	26,804
Increase in net deferred rent asset	(34,931)	(46,653)
Increase in assets	(32,984)	(99,179)
Increase in liabilities	51,271	2,710
Cash provided by operating activities	1,311,316	1,036,460
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Payments for purchase of property and equipment and construction activities	(319,427)	(311,122)
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,216,467)	(670,246)
Payment for Verizon transaction	(4,748)	(5,060,416)
Proceeds from sale of short-term investments and other non-current assets	2,601	781,469
Payments for short-term investments	0	(816,038)
Deposits, restricted cash, investments and other	(5,360)	(3,087)
Cash used for investing activities	(1,543,401)	(6,079,440)
CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Repayments of short-term borrowings, net	(2,843)	0
Borrowings under credit facilities	1,326,866	4,740,308
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes, net	2,237,503	1,492,298
Proceeds from term loan	0	500,000
Proceeds from other borrowings	70,806	0
Proceeds from issuance of securities in securitization transaction, net	0	875,000
Repayments of notes payable, credit facilities and capital leases	(2,858,415)	(5,931,401)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders, net	(503)	(383)
Proceeds from stock options and ESPP	60,361	17,364
Distributions paid on common stock	(426,564)	(329,766)
Distributions paid on preferred stock	(53,563)	(31,085)
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock, net	0	2,440,327
Proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock, net	0	1,337,946
Payment for early retirement of long-term obligations	(125)	(86,107)
Deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(23,264)	(34,284)
Cash provided by financing activities	330,259	4,990,217
Net effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(8,322)	13,973
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	89,852	(38,790)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD	320,686	313,492
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD	410,538	274,702
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]
CASH PAID FOR INCOME TAXES (NET OF REFUNDS OF $14,011 AND $3,311, RESPECTIVELY)	50,413	29,911
CASH PAID FOR INTEREST	288,880	291,103
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses for purchases of property and equipment and construction activities	(36,083)	(20,632)
Purchases of property and equipment under capital leases	21,651	10,510
Settlement of accounts receivable related to acquisitions	$ 0	$ 735