Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Details)						3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 24, 2016 USD ($) shares	Jun. 15, 2016 shares	May 31, 2016 USD ($) Tower	Dec. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 25, 2015 $ / shares shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares								149,862,000	155,138,637
Common stock, par value | $ / shares								$ 0.0001	$ 0.0001
Proceeds from disposition of common stock								$ (543,000)	$ 54,213,000
General and administrative expense								11,208,000	35,402,000
Operating expense								13,743,000	49,668,000
Dividends payable								90,507,000	94,607,000
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation								113,000	2,359,000
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
Capital expenditures				$ 43,100,000
Windstream | Master Lease
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Leasing revenue							337,600,000	$ 458,600,000
Incremental rent per year				$ 3,500,000
Windstream | Transitional Service Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
General and administrative expense						$ 19,000		100,000
Windstream | Tenant Capital Improvements | Master Lease
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Leasing revenue								800,000	$ 6,100,000
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							6,600,000	10,100,000
Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business | Master Services Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating expense							$ 900,000	$ 1,100,000
Spinoff | Windstream | Consumer CLEC Business
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued | shares					149,800,000
Common stock, par value | $ / shares					$ 0.0001
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%