Acquisitions and Other Transactions (Schedule of Aggregate Purchase Consideration Paid and the Amount of Assets Acquired) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 14, 2011 South Africa Acquisition [Member]	Nov. 04, 2010 South Africa Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 South Africa Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa 2012 Acquisition [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 South Africa 2012 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa 2012 Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 South Africa 2012 Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Brazil Acquisition [Member]	Mar. 01, 2011 Brazil Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Brazil Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil Vivo Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Ghana Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 23, 2011 Ghana Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ghana Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ghana Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Ghana Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico Acquisition [Member]	Jul. 10, 2012 Mexico Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 15, 2011 Mexico Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Mexico Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 14, 2012 Mexico 2012 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Dec Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 14, 2012 Mexico 2012 Dec Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Dec Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexico 2012 Dec Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2011 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Colombia Moviles 2011 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2011 Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2011 Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Colombia Moviles 2011 Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2012 Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2012 Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Moviles 2012 Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member]		Feb. 01, 2013 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member]	Jul. 17, 2011 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Colombia Movil Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Chile Moviles Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 30, 2011 Chile Moviles Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Chile Moviles Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Chile Moviles Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Chile Moviles Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Uganda Acquisition [Member]	Jun. 29, 2012 Uganda Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Uganda Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Uganda Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Germany Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 04, 2012 Germany Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Germany Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Germany Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Skyway Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 20, 2012 Skyway Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Skyway Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Diamond Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 28, 2012 Diamond Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Diamond Acquisition [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Diamond Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2012 [Member] Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2012 [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2011 Member	Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2011 Member Acquired Network Location [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other U.S. Acquisition 2011 Member Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Other U.S. Acquisition 2011 Member Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. Property Interest - Unison Acquisition [Member]	Oct. 14, 2011 U.S. Property Interest - Unison Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. Property Interest - Unison Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 U.S. Property Interest - Unison Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Oct. 21, 2011 U.S. Property Interest - Other Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. Property Interest - Other Acquisition [Member] Purchase Price Allocation [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 U.S. Property Interest - Other Acquisition [Member] Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation [Member]
Current assets					$ 12,262,000	[1]	$ 12,262,000	[2]				$ 4,295,000						$ 9,922,000	[1],[3]	$ 9,922,000	[2],[3]											$ 6,969,000	[1]	$ 69,147,000	[2]					$ 61,402,000	[1]	$ 57,414,000	[2]				$ 8,763,000					$ 8,852,000																																					$ 14,483,000				$ 740,000					$ 842,000														$ 10,770,000	[1],[4],[5]	$ 16,203,000	[2],[4],[5]		$ 359,000	[1],[4]	$ 363,000	[2],[4]
Non-current assets												340,000						71,529,000	[1]	98,047,000	[2]						24,460,000					69,145,000	[1]	5,405,000	[2]					16,350,000	[1]	26,845,000	[2]				2,332,000					1,524,000					110,000	[1]	217,000	[2]			2,000		0	[1]						1,126,000	[2]				1,892,000	[1]	2,772,000	[2]				2,258,000																		153,000				289,000	[1]	0	[2]			96,130,000	[1],[4]	154,817,000	[2],[4]		13,357,000	[1],[4]	13,394,000	[2],[4]
Property and equipment					81,052,000	[1]	82,225,000	[2]				16,375,000						83,539,000	[1]	86,062,000	[2]						138,959,000					319,641,000	[1]	304,478,000	[2]					187,275,000	[1]	174,767,000	[2]				26,711,000					17,994,000					13,526,000	[1]	12,456,000	[2]			3,590,000							128,989,000	[1]	95,052,000	[2]				55,100,000	[1]	43,140,000	[2]				102,366,000					233,073,000				60,671,000					69,045,000				61,995,000				21,088,000	[1]	23,270,000	[2]			398,542,000	[1],[6]	340,602,000	[2],[6]		47,898,000	[1],[6]	47,898,000	[2],[6]
Intangible assets					118,502,000	[1],[7]	118,781,000	[2],[7]				10,709,000	[8]					368,000,000	[1],[9]	288,000,000	[2],[9]						117,990,000	[10]				112,025,000	[1],[11]	82,217,000	[11],[2]					147,692,000	[1],[12]	97,182,000	[12],[2]				21,079,000	[13]				33,882,000	[14]				4,008,000	[1],[15]	4,675,000	[15],[2]			1,062,000	[16]						26,791,000	[1],[17]	26,132,000	[17],[2]				35,300,000	[1],[18]	39,916,000	[18],[2]				63,500,000	[19]				238,965,000	[20]			83,700,000	[21]				199,700,000	[22]			78,199,000	[23]			61,107,000	[1],[24]	61,626,000	[2],[24]			4,200,000	[1]	3,297,000	[2]		490,000	[1]	383,000	[2]
Current liabilities					(74,000)	[1]	(74,000)	[2]										(5,536,000)	[1]	(5,536,000)	[2]																			(148,000)	[1]	(148,000)	[2]																											(2,632,000)	[1]	(639,000)	[2]																(2,990,000)				(454,000)					(3,216,000)														(6,351,000)	[1]	(7,703,000)	[2]
Long-term obligations																																																																																																																(209,321,000)	[1]	(209,321,000)	[2]
Other non-current liabilities					(31,418,000)	[1]	(32,908,000)	[2]				(2,552,000)						(38,519,000)	[1],[25]	(38,519,000)	[2],[25]						(18,195,000)					(11,477,000)	[1]	(13,356,000)	[2]					(9,449,000)	[1]	(8,836,000)	[2]				(1,349,000)					(1,992,000)					(341,000)	[1]	(341,000)	[2]			(91,000)							(17,489,000)	[1]	(3,416,000)	[2]				(4,505,000)	[1]	(4,505,000)	[2]				(7,528,000)					(23,243,000)				(3,333,000)					(3,423,000)				(1,310,000)				(4,288,000)	[1]	(4,118,000)	[2]			(561,000)	[1]	(1,508,000)	[2]
Fair value of net assets acquired					180,324,000	[1]	180,286,000	[2]				29,167,000						488,935,000	[1]	437,976,000	[2]						263,214,000					496,303,000	[1]	447,891,000	[2]					403,122,000	[1]	347,224,000	[2]				57,536,000					60,260,000					17,303,000	[1]	17,007,000	[2]			4,563,000							135,659,000	[1]	118,255,000	[2]				87,787,000	[1]	81,323,000	[2]				160,596,000					460,288,000				141,324,000					262,948,000				139,037,000				78,196,000	[1]	80,778,000	[2]			293,409,000	[1]	296,387,000	[2]		62,104,000	[1]	62,038,000	[2]
Goodwill					34,159,000	[1],[26]	34,197,000	[2],[26]				5,809,000	[26]					96,395,000	[1],[27]	147,459,000	[2],[27]						47,481,000	[27]				21,375,000	[1],[27]	67,755,000	[2],[27]					42,044,000	[1],[27]	69,030,000	[2],[27]				5,998,000	[27]				3,919,000	[27]				227,000	[1],[27]	523,000	[2],[27]			89,000	[27]						576,000	[1],[27]	1,067,000	[2],[27]				7,073,000	[1],[27]	13,537,000	[2],[27]				12,564,000	[26]				65,365,000	[27]			28,224,000	[28]				57,178,000	[28]			7,124,000	[28]			4,604,000	[1],[28]	2,022,000	[2],[28]			16,009,000	[1],[29]	13,031,000	[2],[29]		6,235,000	[1],[29]	6,301,000	[2],[29]
Accounts receivables														7,700,000																																																																																																100,000
Customer-related intangible	105,000,000								8,500,000					250,000,000								80,000,000							58,000,000							75,000,000								10,700,000					30,000,000					1,500,000							400,000				7,200,000									15,500,000							36,500,000					218,200,000					63,000,000				171,300,000					62,000,000				46,400,000
Network location intangibles				13,500,000							2,200,000						118,000,000									38,000,000					54,000,000								72,700,000							10,400,000					3,800,000					2,500,000						700,000							19,600,000							19,800,000							27,000,000					20,800,000			20,700,000						28,400,000				16,200,000				14,700,000
Useful life of intangible assets	20 years								20 years					20 years								20 years							20 years							20 years								20 years					20 years					20 years							20 years				20 years									20 years							20 years					20 years					20 years				20 years					20 years				20 years
Business Combination Contingent Tax Liabilities Assumed														30,000,000
Indemnification asset														24,000,000
Aggregate purchase price		214,500,000	430,000,000							35,000,000				585,300,000	585,400,000	553,200,000							32,700,000	126,300,000	151,700,000				517,700,000	515,600,000							323,300,000	121,900,000							63,500,000					64,200,000					17,500,000						4,700,000				136,200,000		1,300,000	182,000,000							94,900,000						173,200,000	171,500,000					525,700,000					169,600,000				322,500,000				146,200,000											312,002,000					72,595,000
Business acquisition preexisting relationship settlement purchase price adjustment																																																																																																															(2,584,000)					(4,256,000)
Total consideration																																																																																																															$ 309,418,000					$ 68,339,000

[1] Reflected in the consolidated balance sheets herein.

[2] Reflected in the consolidated balance sheets in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

[3] Includes approximately $7.7 million of accounts receivable, which approximates the value due to the Company under certain contractual arrangements.

[4] Includes prepaid operating leases, term easements and managed sites.

[5] Includes approximately $0.1 million of accounts receivable which approximates the value due to the Company under certain contractual arrangements.

[6] Includes perpetual easements.

[7] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $105.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $13.5 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[8] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $8.5 million and network location intangibles of approximately $2.2 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[9] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $250.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $118.0 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[10] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $80.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $38.0 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[11] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $58.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $54.0 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[12] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $75.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $72.7 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[13] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $10.7 million and network location intangibles of approximately $10.4 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[14] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $30.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $3.8 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[15] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $1.5 million and network location intangibles of approximately $2.5 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[16] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $0.4 million and network location intangibles of approximately $0.7 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[17] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $7.2 million and network location intangibles of approximately $19.6 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[18] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $15.5 million and network location intangibles of approximately $19.8 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[19] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $36.5 million and network location intangibles of approximately $27.0 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[20] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $218.2 million and network location intangibles of approximately $20.8 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[21] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $63.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $20.7 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[22] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $171.3 million and network location intangibles of approximately $28.4 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[23] Consists of customer-related intangibles of approximately $62.0 million and network location intangibles of approximately $16.2 million. The customer-related intangibles and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[24] Consists of customer relationships of approximately $46.4 million and network location intangibles of approximately $14.7 million as of December 31, 2012. The customer relationships and network location intangibles are being amortized on a straight-line basis over periods of up to 20 years.

[25] Other long-term liabilities includes contingent amounts of approximately $30.0 million primarily related to uncertain tax positions related to the acquisition and non-current assets includes $24.0 million of the related indemnification asset.

[26] The Company expects that the goodwill recorded will not be deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill was allocated to the Company’s international rental and management segment.

[27] The Company expects that the goodwill recorded will be deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill was allocated to the Company’s international rental and management segment.

[28] The Company expects that the goodwill recorded will be deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill was allocated to the Company’s domestic rental and management segment.

[29] With the exception of goodwill that relates to interests in land and perpetual easements, the Company expects that the goodwill recorded will be deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill was allocated to the Company’s domestic rental and management segment.