Property and Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property and equipment

Property and equipment (including assets held under capital leases) consisted of the following as of December 31, (in thousands):

	Estimated Useful  Lives (years) (1)	2016			2015
Towers	Up to 20	$	11,740,479		$	10,726,656
Equipment	2 - 15	1,176,260			1,095,906
Buildings and improvements	3 - 32	621,874			607,661
Land and improvements (2)	Up to 20	1,909,732			1,728,115
Construction-in-progress		203,411			238,960
Total		15,651,756			14,397,298
Less accumulated depreciation		(5,134,498		)	(4,530,874		)
Property and equipment, net		$	10,517,258		$	9,866,424

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(1) Assets on leased land are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the corresponding ground lease taking into consideration lease renewal options and residual value.

(2) Estimated useful lives apply to improvements only.