Base rate floor.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Date After Which No Prepayment Fee Will Be Assessed

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Percentage Of Par Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage fee charged for prepayment equal to aggregate principal amount of such prepayment will apply.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Eurodollar rate floor.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbac_EurodollarRateFloor
Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments including both interest and principal payments.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for the payment of debt classified as other, maturing after one year or the operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3291-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=sbac_TermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Debt (Term Loans Under The Senior Credit Agreement) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended
	Jan. 20, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayment of term loans		$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Debt instrument, principal balance		8,760,000,000		$ 8,875,000,000
2014 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount		$ 1,500,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity date		Mar. 24, 2021
Term Loan, percentage of par value		99.75%
Coupon rate of notes		3.24%
Deferred financing fees		$ 14,100,000
Quarterly payments		3,800,000
Repayment of term loans		3,800,000
Debt instrument, principal balance		$ 1,458,750,000		1,462,500,000
Date after which no prepayment fee will be assessed		Jul. 20, 2017
Percentage fee charged for prepayment equal to aggregate principal amount		1.00%
2015 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount		$ 500,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity date		Jun. 10, 2022
Term Loan, percentage of par value		99.00%
Coupon rate of notes		3.24%
Deferred financing fees		$ 5,500,000
Quarterly payments		1,300,000
Repayment of term loans		1,300,000
Debt instrument, principal balance		$ 491,250,000		$ 492,500,000
Date after which no prepayment fee will be assessed		Jul. 20, 2017
Percentage fee charged for prepayment equal to aggregate principal amount		1.00%
Base Rate [Member] \| 2014 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate		1.50%
Base rate floor		1.75%
Base Rate [Member] \| 2015 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate		1.50%
Base rate floor		1.75%
Base Rate [Member] \| Term Loan under the Senior Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate	1.25%
Base rate floor	0.00%
Eurodollar [Member] \| 2014 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate		2.50%
Eurodollar rate floor		0.75%
Eurodollar [Member] \| 2015 Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate		2.50%
Eurodollar rate floor		0.75%
Eurodollar [Member] \| Term Loan under the Senior Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable interest rate	2.25%
Eurodollar rate floor	0.00%