Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 1,067,041,000	$ 1,057,611,000	$ 1,017,634,000
Costs and Expenses:
Interest expense, net	497,128,000	390,112,000	319,591,000
Depreciation and amortization	329,403,000	405,754,000	451,750,000
General and administrative expense	104,975,000	102,900,000	85,198,000
Operating expense (exclusive of depreciation, accretion and amortization)	159,337,000	160,024,000	137,065,000
Settlement expense (Note 17)	650,000,000
Goodwill impairment (Note 3)	71,000,000
Transaction related and other costs	63,875,000	43,708,000	17,410,000
Gain on sale of real estate (Note 6)	(86,267,000)	(28,995,000)
Other (income) expense	11,703,000	(31,463,000)	(4,504,000)
Total costs and expenses	1,801,154,000	1,042,040,000	1,006,510,000
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities	(734,113,000)	15,571,000	11,124,000
Income tax (benefit) expense	(15,203,000)	4,663,000	(5,421,000)
Equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities	98,000
Net (loss) income	(718,812,000)	10,908,000	16,545,000
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12,511,000)	326,000	358,000
Net (loss) income attributable to shareholders	(706,301,000)	10,582,000	16,187,000
Participating securities' share in earnings	(1,078,000)	(549,000)	(2,594,000)
Dividends declared on convertible preferred stock	(9,000)	(656,000)	(2,624,000)
Amortization of discount on convertible preferred stock		(993,000)	(2,980,000)
Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders	$ (707,388,000)	$ 8,384,000	$ 7,989,000
(Loss) earnings per common share (Note 15):
Basic	$ (3.47)	$ 0.04	$ 0.05
Diluted	$ (3.47)	$ 0.04	$ 0.04
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding
Basic	203,600	187,358	176,169
Diluted	203,600	187,358	177,071
Leasing
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 745,915,000	$ 716,640,000	$ 699,847,000
Costs and Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	201,321,000	282,107,000	337,126,000
Fiber Infrastructure
Revenues:
Total revenues	314,363,000	315,605,000	289,239,000
Costs and Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	126,211,000	114,566,000	105,651,000
Goodwill impairment (Note 3)	71,000,000	0	0
Tower
Revenues:
Total revenues	6,112,000	14,693,000	14,617,000
Costs and Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	783,000	6,474,000	6,704,000
Consumer CLEC
Revenues:
Total revenues	651,000	10,673,000	13,931,000
Costs and Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	$ 791,000	$ 1,879,000	$ 1,994,000