Property, Plant And Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Property, Plant And Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant And Equipment, Net

($ in thousands)	Estimated Useful Lives	2014		2013
Land	N/A	$	147,044	$	126,483
Buildings and leasehold improvements	41 years		1,325,865		1,061,097
General support	5 to 17 years		1,037,279		977,941
Central office/electronic circuit equipment	5 to 11 years		5,933,450		5,222,928
Poles	49 years		671,931		549,322
Cable and wire	15 to 30 years		6,973,234		6,259,292
Conduit	60 years		509,418		359,974
Other	12 to 30 years		46,485		43,144
Construction work in progress			301,189		250,516
Property, plant and equipment			16,945,895		14,850,697
Less: Accumulated depreciation			(8,379,847)		(7,594,935)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	8,566,048	$	7,255,762