Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Property Plant And Equipment [Abstract]

Schedule of Carrying Value of Property, Plant and Equipment

The carrying value of property, plant and equipment is as follows:

(Thousands)	Depreciable Lives	March 31, 2017			December 31, 2016
Land	Indefinite	$	28,385		$	26,833
Building and improvements	3 - 40 years		320,061			318,967
Real property interests	50 - 99 years		20,313			12,265
Poles	13 - 40 years		234,785			234,393
Fiber	7 - 40 years		2,264,718			2,243,822
Equipment	5 - 7 years		134,461			130,945
Copper	7 - 40 years		3,553,467			3,538,566
Conduit	13 - 47 years		90,531			90,540
Tower assets	20 - 49 years		45,523			4,307
Capital lease assets	See Note 3		90,279			89,723
Other assets	15 - 20 years		5,299			5,299
Corporate assets	3 - 7 years		2,612			2,731
Construction in progress	See Note 3		61,293			52,685
			6,851,727			6,751,076
Less accumulated depreciation			(4,179,378	)		(4,081,039	)
Net property, plant and equipment		$	2,672,349		$	2,670,037