COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation—The Company periodically becomes involved in various claims, lawsuits and proceedings that are incidental to its business. In the opinion of Company management, after consultation with counsel, there are no matters currently pending that would, in the event of an adverse outcome, materially impact the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Verizon Transaction—On March 27, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement with various operating entities of Verizon that provides for the lease, sublease or management of 11,286 wireless communications sites from Verizon commencing March 27, 2015. The average term of the lease or sublease for all sites at the inception of the agreement was approximately 28 years, assuming renewals or extensions of the underlying ground leases for the sites. The Company has the option to purchase the leased sites in tranches, subject to the applicable lease, sublease or management right upon its scheduled expiration. Each tower is assigned to an annual tranche, ranging from 2034 to 2047, which represents the outside expiration date for the sublease rights to the towers in each tranche. The purchase price for each tranche is a fixed amount stated in the lease for such tranche plus the fair market value of certain alterations made to the related towers. The aggregate purchase option price for the towers leased and subleased is approximately $5.0 billion. Verizon will occupy the sites as a tenant for an initial term of ten years with eight optional successive five-year terms; each such term shall be governed by standard master lease agreement terms established as a part of the transaction.

AT&T Transaction—The Company has an agreement with SBC Communications Inc., a predecessor entity to AT&T Inc. (“AT&T”), that currently provides for the lease or sublease of approximately 2,350 towers from AT&T with the lease commencing between December 2000 and August 2004. Substantially all of the towers are part of the 2013 Securitization. The average term of the lease or sublease for all sites at the inception of the agreement was approximately 27 years, assuming renewals or extensions of the underlying ground leases for the sites. The Company has the option to purchase the sites subject to the applicable lease or sublease upon its expiration. Each tower is assigned to an annual tranche, ranging from 2013 to 2032, which represents the outside expiration date for the sublease rights to that tower. The purchase price for each site is a fixed amount stated in the lease for that site plus the fair market value of certain alterations made to the related tower by AT&T. As of December 31, 2016, the Company has purchased an aggregate of 77 of the subleased towers upon expiration of the applicable agreement. The aggregate purchase option price for the remaining towers leased and subleased is $760.1 million and will accrete at a rate of 10% per annum through the applicable expiration of the lease or sublease of a site. For all such sites purchased by the Company prior to June 30, 2020, AT&T will continue to lease the reserved space at the then-current monthly fee which shall escalate in accordance with the standard master lease agreement for the remainder of AT&T’s tenancy. Thereafter, AT&T shall have the right to renew such lease for up to four successive five-year terms. For all such sites purchased by the Company subsequent to June 30, 2020, AT&T has the right to continue to lease the reserved space for successive one-year terms at a rent equal to the lesser of the agreed upon market rate and the then-current monthly fee, which is subject to an annual increase based on changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index.

Alltel Transaction—In December 2000, the Company entered into an agreement with Alltel, to acquire towers through a 15-year sublease agreement. Pursuant to the agreement, as amended, with Verizon Wireless, the Company acquired rights to approximately 1,800 towers in tranches between April 2001 and March 2002. The Company has the option to purchase each tower at the expiration of the applicable sublease. The Company exercised the purchase options for 1,523 towers in a single closing which occurred on December 8, 2016. The Company has provided notice to the tower owner of its intent to exercise the purchase options related to the 243 remaining towers. As of December 31, 2016, the purchase price per tower was $42,844 payable in cash or, at the tower owner’s option, with 769 shares of the Company’s common stock per tower. The aggregate cash purchase option price for the remaining subleased towers was $10.4 million as of December 31, 2016.

Other Contingencies—The Company is subject to income tax and other taxes in the geographic areas where it operates, and periodically receives notifications of audits, assessments or other actions by taxing authorities. The Company evaluates the circumstances of each notification based on the information available and records a liability for any potential outcome that is probable or more likely than not unfavorable if the liability is also reasonably estimable. On December 5, 2016, the Company received an income tax assessment of Essar Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited (“ETIPL”) for the fiscal year ending 2008 in the amount of 4.75 billion INR ($69.8 million on the date of assessment) related to capital contributions. The Company is challenging the assessment before India’s tax authority Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) and estimates that there is a more likely than not probability that the Company’s position will be sustained. Accordingly, no such liability has been recorded. Additionally, the assessment was made with respect to transactions that took place in the tax year commencing in 2007, prior to the Company’s acquisition of ETIPL. Under the Company’s definitive acquisition agreement of ETIPL, the seller is obligated to indemnify and defend the Company with respect to any tax-related liability that may arise from activities prior to March 31, 2010.

Lease Obligations—The Company leases certain land, office and tower space under operating leases that expire over various terms. Many of the leases contain renewal options with specified increases in lease payments upon exercise of the renewal option. Escalation clauses present in operating leases, excluding those tied to CPI or other inflation-based indices, are recognized on a straight-line basis over the non-cancellable term of the leases.

Future minimum rental payments under non-cancellable operating leases include payments for certain renewal periods at the Company’s option because failure to renew could result in a loss of the applicable communications sites and related revenues from tenant leases, thereby making it reasonably assured that the Company will renew the leases. Such payments at December 31, 2016 are as follows (in millions):



Year Ending December 31,
2017	$	869
2018	846
2019	816
2020	776
2021	737
Thereafter	6,638
Total	$	10,682

Aggregate rent expense (including the effect of straight-line rent expense) under operating leases for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 approximated $986.2 million, $804.8 million and $655.0 million, respectively.

Future minimum payments under capital leases in effect at December 31, 2016 were as follows (in millions):



Year Ending December 31,
2017	$	28
2018	24
2019	22
2020	18
2021	14
Thereafter	163
Total minimum lease payments	269
Less amounts representing interest	(132		)
Present value of capital lease obligations	$	137

Tenant Leases—The Company’s lease agreements with its tenants vary depending upon the region and the industry of the tenant, and generally have initial terms of ten years with multiple renewal terms at the option of the tenant.

Future minimum rental receipts expected from tenants under non-cancellable operating lease agreements in effect at December 31, 2016 were as follows (in millions):



Year Ending December 31,
2017	$	4,646
2018	4,502
2019	4,240
2020	3,905
2021	3,372
Thereafter	10,477
Total	$	31,142

Guaranties and Indemnifications—The Company enters into agreements from time to time in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which it agrees to guarantee or indemnify third parties for certain claims. The Company has also entered into purchase and sale agreements relating to the sale or acquisition of assets containing customary indemnification provisions. The Company’s indemnification obligations under these agreements generally are limited solely to damages resulting from breaches of representations and warranties or covenants under the applicable agreements, but do not guarantee future performance. In addition, payments under such indemnification clauses are generally conditioned on the other party making a claim that is subject to whatever defenses the Company may have and are governed by dispute resolution procedures specified in the particular agreement. Further, the Company’s obligations under these agreements may be limited in duration and amount, and in some instances, the Company may have recourse against third parties for payments made by the Company. The Company has not historically made any material payments under these agreements and, as of December 31, 2016, is not aware of any agreements that could result in a material payment.