<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-02-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001010286</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FiberTower CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FTWR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001085349</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KELLY JOHN P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1220 AUGUSTA, SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77057</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-02-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>19451</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19451</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2635295</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Crown Castle Investment Corp.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of restricted stock, which vested on February 4, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">26,352,956 shares were received in exchange for 86,671,908 shares of FiberTower Network Services Corp. (&quot;FNS&quot;) common stock in connection with the merger of FNS into the FiberTower Corporation (formerly First Avenue Networks, Inc.) (the &quot;Merger&quot;) in 2006. Upon the effectiveness of the Merger, each share of FNS common stock converted into 0.3040542 share of FiberTower Corporation common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reflects the 1:10 reverse stock split on December 18, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Crown Castle Investment Corp. directly beneficially owns the reported securities. John Patrick Kelly is a director of Crown Castle International Corp. (&quot;CCIC&quot;), which is the sole stockholder of Crown Castle Investment Corp., and as such may be deemed to be an indirect beneficial owner of the reported securities. Except to the extent of any indirect pecuniary interest therein, John Patrick Kelly and CCIC disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities beneficially owned by Crown Castle Investment Corp.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Thomas A. Scott, as attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-02-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
