Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Details)					3 Months Ended			5 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jun. 24, 2016 USD ($) shares	Jun. 15, 2016 shares	May 31, 2016 USD ($) Tower	Apr. 25, 2015 shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares					155,123,000					149,862,000	155,123,000
Proceeds from disposition of common stock								$ (516,000)			$ 54,211,000
General and administrative expense					$ 10,191,000		$ 4,229,000	7,390,000			23,619,000
Operating expense					15,704,000		$ 5,148,000	8,889,000			30,322,000
Dividends payable					$ 94,470,000					$ 90,507,000	94,470,000
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation								113,000			$ 2,123,000
Windstream
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts receivable from related party to the collection of revenues of consumer CLEC business revenues										1,700,000
Dividends payable										$ 17,600,000
Dividend declared date										Nov. 06, 2015
Dividend record date										Dec. 31, 2015
Dividends payable date										Jan. 15, 2016
Common shares withheld to satisfy minimum statutory tax-withholding obligations | shares									91,412
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation									$ 1,900,000
Number of wireless towers owned | Tower			32
Number of wireless towers owned by operating rights | Tower			49
Purchase price of wireless towers to be acquired			$ 3,000,000
Windstream | Master Lease
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Leasing revenue								291,100,000	337,600,000
Windstream | Transitional Service Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
General and administrative expense						$ 19,000		88,000
Windstream | Common Stock
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Disposition of common stock in exchange for debt | shares		14,700,000
Windstream | Public Offering
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares	14,700,000
Proceeds from disposition of common stock	$ 0
Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business | Wholesale Master Services Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating expense								6,500,000	6,600,000
Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business | Master Services Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating expense								$ 700,000	$ 900,000
Spinoff | Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares				149,800,000
Common stock, ownership interest percentage				19.60%
Spinoff | Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business | Share Distribution
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of stock distributed				80.40%