CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
REVENUES:
Rental and management	$ 777,433	$ 683,990
Network development services	25,295	12,527
Total operating revenues	802,728	696,517
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Rental and management (including stock-based compensation expense of $246 and $197, respectively)	191,295	163,724
Network development services (including stock-based compensation expense of $192 and $264, respectively)	10,471	7,261
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	185,804	149,655
Selling, general, administrative and development expense (including stock-based compensation expense of $20,604 and $12,584, respectively)	101,153	79,584
Other operating expenses	14,319	21,847
Total operating expenses	503,042	422,071
OPERATING INCOME	299,686	274,446
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income, TV Azteca, net of interest expense of $371 and $371, restpectively	3,543	3,543
Interest income	1,714	2,253
Interest expense	(111,766)	(95,117)
Loss on retirement of long-term obligations	(35,298)	(398)
Other income (including unrealized foreign currency gains of $22,143 and $55,838, respectively)	22,291	52,861
Total other expense	(119,516)	(36,858)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND INCOME ON EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS	180,170	237,588
Income tax provision	(19,222)	(27,248)
Income on equity method investments	0	18
NET INCOME	160,948	210,358
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	10,459	10,948
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION	$ 171,407	$ 221,306
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE AMOUNTS:
Basic net income attributable to American Tower Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ 0.56
Diluted net income attributable to American Tower Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ 0.56
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:
Basic (in share)	395,239	393,885
Diluted (in share)	399,659	398,453
DISTRIBUTIONS DECLARED, PER SHARE	$ 0.26	$ 0.21