Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Components of property, plant and equipment

The components of property, plant and equipment at December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

	Estimated
($ in thousands)	Useful Lives		2011			2010
Land		N/A	$	128,855		$	133,366
Buildings and leasehold improvements	41 years			1,050,555			1,131,787
General support	5 to 17 years			914,777			604,524
Central office/electronic circuit equipment	5 to 11 years			4,582,296			4,319,795
Poles	49 years			471,561			436,126
Cable and wire	15 to 30 years			5,727,310			5,447,566
Conduit	60 years			342,868			344,159
Other	20 to 30 years			35,534			29,184
Construction work in progress				384,380			348,773
Property, plant and equipment				13,638,136			12,795,280
Less: Accumulated depreciation				(6,090,613	)		(5,204,666	)
Property, plant and equipment, net			$	7,547,523		$	7,590,614