Balance Sheet Components - Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Geographical Regions (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	$ 4,781,858	$ 4,836,388
Impact of foreign currency exchange	217,931	(16,514)
Balance, Ending	5,472,553	4,781,858
xScale
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales	(7,306)	(59,246)
New York 12
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales		(950)
2019 acquisitions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition		22,180
Packet Host, Inc.
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	230,620
Bell Acquisition
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	170,548
Axtel
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	78,902
Americas
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	1,741,689	1,745,804
Impact of foreign currency exchange	(8,977)	(3,165)
Balance, Ending	2,212,782	1,741,689
Americas \| xScale
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales	0	0
Americas \| New York 12
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales		(950)
Americas \| 2019 acquisitions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition		0
Americas \| Packet Host, Inc.
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	230,620
Americas \| Bell Acquisition
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	170,548
Americas \| Axtel
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	78,902
EMEA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	2,426,306	2,474,164
Impact of foreign currency exchange	184,860	(14,475)
Balance, Ending	2,611,166	2,426,306
EMEA \| xScale
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales	0	(59,246)
EMEA \| New York 12
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales		0
EMEA \| 2019 acquisitions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition		25,863
EMEA \| Packet Host, Inc.
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	0
EMEA \| Bell Acquisition
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	0
EMEA \| Axtel
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	0
Asia-Pacific
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	613,863	616,420
Impact of foreign currency exchange	42,048	1,126
Balance, Ending	648,605	613,863
Asia-Pacific \| xScale
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales	(7,306)	0
Asia-Pacific \| New York 12
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Asset sales		0
Asia-Pacific \| 2019 acquisitions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition		$ (3,683)
Asia-Pacific \| Packet Host, Inc.
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	0
Asia-Pacific \| Bell Acquisition
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	0
Asia-Pacific \| Axtel
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting - acquisition	$ 0

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(10)(1))
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
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Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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