<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<FilingSummary>
  <Version>3.10.0.1</Version>
  <ProcessingTime/>
  <ReportFormat>html</ReportFormat>
  <ContextCount>41</ContextCount>
  <ElementCount>85</ElementCount>
  <EntityCount>1</EntityCount>
  <FootnotesReported>true</FootnotesReported>
  <SegmentCount>8</SegmentCount>
  <ScenarioCount>0</ScenarioCount>
  <TuplesReported>false</TuplesReported>
  <UnitCount>3</UnitCount>
  <MyReports>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R1.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0001000 - Document - Document and Entity Information</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation</Role>
      <ShortName>Document and Entity Information</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Cover</MenuCategory>
      <Position>1</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R2.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1001000 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheet</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Statements</MenuCategory>
      <Position>2</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R3.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1003500 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Parenthetical (Parentheticals)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedBalanceSheetParentheticalParentheticals</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Parenthetical (Parentheticals)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Statements</MenuCategory>
      <Position>3</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R4.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1004000 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementOfOperations</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Statements</MenuCategory>
      <Position>4</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R5.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1005000 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementOfCashFlows</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Statements</MenuCategory>
      <Position>5</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R6.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>1006000 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementOfEquity</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Statements</MenuCategory>
      <Position>6</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R7.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2101100 - Disclosure - General</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/General</Role>
      <ShortName>General</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>7</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R8.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2102100 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies</Role>
      <ShortName>Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>8</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R9.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2105100 - Disclosure - Debt and Other Obligations</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligations</Role>
      <ShortName>Debt and Other Obligations</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>9</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R10.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2106100 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions</Role>
      <ShortName>Related Party Transactions</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>10</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R11.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2108100 - Disclosure - Income Taxes</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/IncomeTaxes</Role>
      <ShortName>Income Taxes</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>11</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R12.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2111100 - Disclosure - Fair Values</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/FairValues</Role>
      <ShortName>Fair Values</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>12</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R13.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2112100 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies</Role>
      <ShortName>Commitments and Contingencies</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>13</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R14.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2117100 - Disclosure - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Notes)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Notes</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationNotes</Role>
      <ShortName>Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Notes)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>14</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R15.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2118100 - Disclosure - Guarantor Subsidiaries (Notes)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Notes</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/GuarantorSubsidiariesNotes</Role>
      <ShortName>Guarantor Subsidiaries (Notes)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Notes</MenuCategory>
      <Position>15</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R16.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2202201 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies</Role>
      <ShortName>Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Policies</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies</ParentRole>
      <Position>16</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R17.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2305301 - Disclosure - Debt and Other Obligations (Tables)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligationsTables</Role>
      <ShortName>Debt and Other Obligations (Tables)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Tables</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligations</ParentRole>
      <Position>17</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R18.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2311301 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresTables</Role>
      <ShortName>Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Tables</MenuCategory>
      <Position>18</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R19.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2317301 - Disclosure - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationTables</Role>
      <ShortName>Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Tables</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationNotes</ParentRole>
      <Position>19</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R20.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2401401 - Disclosure - General Business (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/GeneralBusinessDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>General Business (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <Position>20</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R21.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2405402 - Disclosure - Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligationsIndebtednessDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligationsTables</ParentRole>
      <Position>21</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R22.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2405403 - Disclosure - Debt and Other Obligations (Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs) (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligationsComponentsOfInterestExpenseAndAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCostsDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Debt and Other Obligations (Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs) (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/DebtAndOtherObligationsTables</ParentRole>
      <Position>22</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R23.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2406401 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Related Party Transactions (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions</ParentRole>
      <Position>23</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R24.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2411402 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures (Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities) (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresEstimatedFairValuesAndCarryingAmountsOfAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Fair Value Disclosures (Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities) (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresTables</ParentRole>
      <Position>24</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R25.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2412401 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies Tower count as a percentage of total towers (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesTowerCountAsPercentageOfTotalTowersDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Commitments and Contingencies Tower count as a percentage of total towers (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <Position>25</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report instance="cci-20180630.xml">
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R26.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>2417402 - Disclosure - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationDetails</Role>
      <ShortName>Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details)</ShortName>
      <MenuCategory>Details</MenuCategory>
      <ParentRole>http://www.crowncastle.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationTables</ParentRole>
      <Position>26</Position>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports>
      <LongName>All Reports</LongName>
      <ReportType>Book</ReportType>
      <ShortName>All Reports</ShortName>
    </Report>
  </MyReports>
  <InputFiles>
    <File>cci-20180630.xml</File>
    <File>cci-20180630.xsd</File>
    <File>cci-20180630_cal.xml</File>
    <File>cci-20180630_def.xml</File>
    <File>cci-20180630_lab.xml</File>
    <File>cci-20180630_pre.xml</File>
  </InputFiles>
  <SupplementalFiles/>
  <BaseTaxonomies>
    <BaseTaxonomy>http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2014-01-31</BaseTaxonomy>
    <BaseTaxonomy>http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2017-01-31</BaseTaxonomy>
  </BaseTaxonomies>
  <HasPresentationLinkbase>true</HasPresentationLinkbase>
  <HasCalculationLinkbase>true</HasCalculationLinkbase>
</FilingSummary>
