Property, Plant And Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Property, Plant And Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant And Equipment, Net

($ in thousands)	Estimated Useful Lives	2013		2012
Land	N/A	$	126,483	$	126,483
Buildings and leasehold improvements	41 years		1,061,097		1,052,650
General support	5 to 17 years		977,941		988,707
Central office/electronic circuit equipment	5 to 11 years		5,222,928		4,965,099
Poles	49 years		549,322		507,922
Cable and wire	15 to 30 years		6,259,292		6,038,835
Conduit	60 years		359,974		354,777
Other	12 to 30 years		43,144		44,802
Construction work in progress			250,516		274,488
Property, plant and equipment			14,850,697		14,353,763
Less: Accumulated depreciation			(7,594,935)		(6,848,867)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	7,255,762	$	7,504,896