Note 8 - Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Notes Tables

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

	2017			2016			Useful Lives
Land, buildings and support assets*	$	195,063		$	197,999		5	-	42
Central office switching and transmission		380,954			383,809		5	-	12
Outside plant, cable and wire facilities		739,547			734,786		20	-	50
Other		12,016			7,101		3	-	5
Construction work in progress		30,349			26,204
		1,357,929			1,349,899
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization		(991,816	)		(983,050	)
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	366,113		$	366,849

Capital Leases Balance Sheet Assets by Major Class Net, Lessee Balance Sheet [Table Text Block]

	2017			2016
Land, buildings and support assets	$	13,722		$	14,983
Outside plant, cable and wire facilities		1,078			-
Total		14,800			14,983
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization		(7,052	)		(7,422	)
Property held under capital leases, net	$	7,748		$	7,561

Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments for Capital Leases [Table Text Block]

2018	$	675
2019		310
2020		318
2021		327
2022		336
Thereafter		4,173
Gross payments		6,139
Interest		(2,985	)
Net payments	$	3,154

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]

2018	$	7,371
2019		6,066
2020		4,792
2021		4,460
2022		3,909
Thereafter		18,290
Total payments	$	44,888