Segment Data (Segment Reporting Information Disclosure) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 427,294	$ 405,532	$ 850,657	$ 805,301
Cost of revenues		109,344	106,567	220,314	209,162
Operating profit		317,950	298,965	630,343	596,139
Selling, general, and administrative	[1],[2]	33,394	47,664	67,618	78,071
Acquisition related adjustments and expenses		2,306	2,821	5,274	6,003
Asset impairment and decommission costs		8,140	14,691	16,491	20,874
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		159,520	159,723	318,551	319,524
Operating income		114,590	74,066	222,409	171,667
Other expense (principally interest expense and other income (expense))		(101,967)	(39,354)	(168,788)	(81,113)
Income before provision for income taxes		12,623	34,712	53,621	90,554
Cash capital expenditures		73,218	92,273	151,616	220,438
Assets		7,308,853		7,308,853		$ 7,360,945
Provision for doubtful accounts	[3]			1,012	17,504
Domestic Site Leasing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		325,324	316,842	646,454	632,072
Cost of revenues		65,251	66,199	130,678	130,674
Operating profit		260,073	250,643	515,776	501,398
Selling, general, and administrative		16,845	17,936	36,202	35,935
Acquisition related adjustments and expenses		1,438	1,355	3,338	3,197
Asset impairment and decommission costs		7,418	11,363	14,848	17,384
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		124,225	126,756	248,121	258,149
Operating income		110,147	93,233	213,267	186,733
Cash capital expenditures		53,029	74,616	103,462	179,969
Assets		5,312,780		5,312,780		5,396,394
International Site Leasing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		77,677	65,001	154,097	124,221
Cost of revenues		24,086	20,294	48,041	38,581
Operating profit		53,591	44,707	106,056	85,640
Selling, general, and administrative		6,390	21,065	12,349	25,450
Acquisition related adjustments and expenses		868	1,466	1,936	2,806
Asset impairment and decommission costs		586	983	1,402	1,145
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		33,015	29,781	65,840	56,658
Operating income		12,732	(8,588)	24,529	(419)
Cash capital expenditures		19,212	15,688	46,102	37,068
Assets		1,860,273		1,860,273		1,839,703
Site Development [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		24,293	23,689	50,106	49,008
Cost of revenues		20,007	20,074	41,595	39,907
Operating profit		4,286	3,615	8,511	9,101
Selling, general, and administrative		4,052	3,295	7,669	6,832
Asset impairment and decommission costs		136		241
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		652	639	1,363	1,664
Operating income		(554)	(319)	(762)	605
Cash capital expenditures		187	916	320	1,472
Assets		44,177		44,177		43,769
Not Identified by Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Selling, general, and administrative		6,107	5,368	11,398	9,854
Asset impairment and decommission costs			2,345		2,345
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		1,628	2,547	3,227	3,053
Operating income		(7,735)	(10,260)	(14,625)	(15,252)
Other expense (principally interest expense and other income (expense))		(101,967)	(39,354)	(168,788)	(81,113)
Cash capital expenditures		790	1,053	1,732	1,929
Assets		$ 91,623		$ 91,623		$ 81,079
Oi S.A. [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Provision for doubtful accounts					16,498
Selling, General And Administrative [Member] | Oi S.A. [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Provision for doubtful accounts			$ 16,498		$ 16,498

[1] Includes non-cash compensation of $10,030 and $8,785 for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $18,856 and $16,471 for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[2] Includes the impact of the $16,498 Oi reserve for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016.

[3] Includes the impact of the $16,498 Oi reserve for the six months ended June 30, 2016.