Segment Data (Schedule of Segment Reporting Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 595,262	$ 589,305	$ 575,528	$ 548,739	$ 535,905	$ 522,940	$ 507,226	$ 517,067	$ 2,308,834	$ 2,083,138	$ 2,014,645
Cost of revenues									545,484	476,528	493,031
Operating profit									1,763,350	1,606,610	1,521,614
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									220,029	194,267	192,717
Acquisition and new business initiatives related adjustments and expenses									27,621	16,582	15,228
Asset impairment and decommission costs									33,044	40,097	33,103
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	169,895	170,916	175,469	183,881	180,383	180,302	178,706	182,579	700,161	721,970	697,078
Operating income	197,376	$ 211,776	$ 199,764	$ 173,579	165,100	$ 160,337	$ 157,054	$ 151,203	782,495	633,694	583,488
Other income (expense) (principally interest expense and other expense)									(529,931)	(651,443)	(396,599)
Income (loss) before income taxes									252,564	(17,749)	186,889
Cash capital expenditures									1,393,498	401,071	931,692
Assets	9,801,699				9,158,018				9,801,699	9,158,018
Domestic Site Leasing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									1,681,372	1,558,311	1,487,108
Cost of revenues									258,612	256,673	258,413
Operating profit									1,422,760	1,301,638	1,228,695
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									115,458	102,889	99,707
Acquisition and new business initiatives related adjustments and expenses									14,452	10,331	7,933
Asset impairment and decommission costs									20,135	28,887	24,202
Depreciation, amortization and accretion									514,234	539,399	527,718
Operating income									758,481	620,132	569,135
Cash capital expenditures									1,249,075	303,366	287,793
Assets	6,628,156				5,893,636				6,628,156	5,893,636
International Site Leasing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									422,715	396,161	373,750
Cost of revenues									127,779	117,105	115,538
Operating profit									294,936	279,056	258,212
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									37,768	34,905	32,411
Acquisition and new business initiatives related adjustments and expenses									13,169	6,251	7,295
Asset impairment and decommission costs									12,763	11,210	8,899
Depreciation, amortization and accretion									177,059	174,073	161,183
Operating income									54,177	52,617	48,424
Cash capital expenditures									135,591	89,762	635,728
Assets	2,870,503				2,955,563				2,870,503	2,955,563
Site Development [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									204,747	128,666	153,787
Cost of revenues									159,093	102,750	119,080
Operating profit									45,654	25,916	34,707
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									20,636	17,663	21,525
Asset impairment and decommission costs											2
Depreciation, amortization and accretion									2,295	2,356	2,341
Operating income									22,723	5,897	10,839
Cash capital expenditures									2,563	1,752	3,900
Assets	87,410				61,729				87,410	61,729
Not Identified by Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Selling, general, and administrative expenses									46,167	38,810	39,074
Asset impairment and decommission costs									146
Depreciation, amortization and accretion									6,573	6,142	5,836
Operating income									(52,886)	(44,952)	(44,910)
Other income (expense) (principally interest expense and other expense)									(529,931)	(651,443)	(396,599)
Cash capital expenditures									6,269	6,191	$ 4,271
Assets	$ 215,630				$ 247,090				$ 215,630	$ 247,090