Property, Plant and Equipment - Schedule of Carrying Value of Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 6,751,076	$ 6,095,860
Less accumulated depreciation	(4,081,039)	(3,721,100)
Net property, plant and equipment	$ 2,670,037	2,374,760
Land
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	Indefinite
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 26,833	26,841
Building and Improvements
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 318,967	314,750
Building and Improvements | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	3 years
Building and Improvements | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	40 years
Real Property Interests
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 12,265
Real Property Interests | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	50 years
Real Property Interests | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	99 years
Poles
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 234,393	228,031
Poles | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	13 years
Poles | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	40 years
Fiber
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 2,243,822	1,948,192
Fiber | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	7 years
Fiber | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	40 years
Equipment
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 130,945
Equipment | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	5 years
Equipment | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	7 years
Copper
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 3,538,566	3,475,987
Copper | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	7 years
Copper | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	40 years
Conduit
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 90,540	89,460
Conduit | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	13 years
Conduit | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	47 years
Tower assets
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 4,307	1,209
Tower assets | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	20 years
Tower assets | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	49 years
Other assets
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 5,299	4,322
Other assets | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	15 years
Other assets | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	20 years
Corporate assets
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 2,731	2,319
Corporate assets | Minimum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	3 years
Corporate assets | Maximum
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciable Lives	7 years
Capital Lease Assets
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 89,723
Construction in progress
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 52,685	$ 4,749