Crown Castle (CCI) 10-Q 7 Aug 17 2017 Q2 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Aug. 04, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Entity Information [Line Items]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	366,115,800		360,536,659
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Registrant Name	CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP
Entity Central Index Key	1,051,470
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Jun. 30, 2017
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q2
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		406,267,208
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes

Condensed Consolidated Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 199,663	$ 567,599
Restricted cash	117,913	124,547
Receivables, net	305,982	373,532
Prepaid expenses	175,976	128,721
Other current assets	151,801	130,362
Total current assets	951,335	1,324,761
Deferred site rental receivables	1,299,440	1,317,658
Property and equipment, net	10,507,736	9,805,315
Goodwill	6,919,358	5,757,676
Other intangible assets, net	3,953,812	3,650,072
Long-term prepaid rent and other assets, net	851,943	819,610
Total assets	24,483,624	22,675,092
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	178,927	188,516
Accrued interest	107,764	97,019
Deferred revenues	387,065	353,005
Other accrued liabilities	209,224	221,066
Current maturities of debt and other obligations	114,932	101,749
Total current liabilities	997,912	961,355
Debt and other long-term obligations	13,726,333	12,069,393
Deferred credits and other liabilities	2,169,070	2,087,229
Total liabilities	16,893,315	15,117,977
Commitments and contingencies
CCIC stockholders' equity:
Common stock	3,661	3,605
Additional paid-in capital	11,433,018	10,938,236
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,183)	(5,888)
Dividends/distributions in excess of earnings	(3,841,187)	(3,378,838)
Total equity	7,590,309	7,557,115
Total liabilities and equity	$ 24,483,624	$ 22,675,092

Condensed Consolidated Balance3

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accumulated depreciation, property and equipment	$ 7,036,587	$ 6,613,219
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	0	0
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	0	0
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	0	0
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference, Value	$ 0	$ 0
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	600,000,000	600,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	366,115,800	360,536,659

Condensed Consolidated Statemen

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Net revenues:
Site rental		$ 868,806	$ 804,600	$ 1,725,742	$ 1,603,893
Network services and other		169,529	157,809	328,535	292,899
Net revenues		1,038,335	962,409	2,054,277	1,896,792
Operating expenses:
Site rental	[1]	269,285	252,852	534,302	505,472
Network services and other	[1]	104,622	95,867	203,430	176,838
General and administrative		97,736	91,386	198,460	188,967
Asset write-down charges		4,327	11,952	4,972	19,912
Acquisition and integration costs		8,250	3,141	13,900	8,779
Depreciation, amortization and accretion		295,615	276,026	584,164	553,901
Total operating expenses		779,835	731,224	1,539,228	1,453,869
Operating income (loss)		258,500	231,185	515,049	442,923
Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Abstract]
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		(141,769)	(129,362)	(276,256)	(255,740)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations		0	(11,468)	(3,525)	(42,017)
Interest income		1,027	105	1,397	279
Other income (expense)		(1,106)	(518)	3,494	(3,791)
Income (loss) before income taxes		116,652	89,942	240,159	141,654
Benefit (provision) for income taxes		(4,538)	(3,884)	(8,907)	(7,756)
Net income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent				231,252	133,898
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders		112,114	86,058	231,252	133,898
Dividends on preferred stock		0	(10,997)	0	(21,994)
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders		112,114	75,061	231,252	111,904
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Foreign currency translation adjustments		530	971	705	392
Total other comprehensive income (loss)		530	971	705	392
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders		$ 112,644	$ 87,029	$ 231,957	$ 134,290
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders, per common share:
Basic		$ 0.31	$ 0.22	$ 0.64	$ 0.33
Diluted		$ 0.31	$ 0.22	$ 0.64	$ 0.33
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in thousands):
Basic		364,493	337,560	362,662	335,857
Diluted		365,832	338,609	363,892	336,658
[1]	Exclusive of depreciation, amortization and accretion shown separately.

Condensed Consolidated Stateme5

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 231,252	$ 133,898
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	584,164	553,901
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	3,525	42,017
Amortization of deferred financing costs and other non-cash interest	5,256	7,993
Stock-based compensation expense	45,232	40,135
Asset write-down charges	4,972	19,912
Deferred income tax benefit (provision)	261	3,947
Other non-cash adjustments	(3,486)	1,672
Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions:
Increase (decrease) in accrued interest	10,745	29,964
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	(16,928)	(6,715)
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues, deferred ground lease payables, other accrued liabilities and other liabilities	23,146	60,896
Decrease (increase) in receivables	91,252	84,776
Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses, deferred site rental receivables, long-term prepaid rent, restricted cash and other assets	(45,282)	(54,215)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	934,109	918,181
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payment for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired	(2,103,503)	(493,932)
Capital expenditures	(563,361)	(392,997)
Net receipts from settled swaps	(328)	8,141
Other investing activities, net	(7,032)	1,854
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(2,674,224)	(876,934)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	1,345,115	4,501,206
Principal payments on long-term debt and other long-term obligations	(59,947)	(43,838)
Purchases and redemptions of long-term debt	0	(3,536,362)
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	1,755,000	3,030,000
Payments under revolving credit facility	(1,405,000)	(3,720,000)
Payments for financing costs	(11,446)	(35,604)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	464,023	323,798
Purchases of capital stock	(22,594)	(24,460)
Dividends/distributions paid on common stock	(696,025)	(597,846)
Dividends/distributions paid on preferred stock	0	(21,994)
Net (increase) decrease in restricted cash	2,351	(6,089)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	1,371,477	(131,189)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents - continuing operations	(368,638)	(89,942)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations [Abstract]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Discontinued Operations	0	113,150
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect [Abstract]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations	0	113,150
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	702	320
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value, Including Discontinued Operations, Period Start	567,599	178,810
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value, Including Discontinued Operations, Period End	199,663	$ 202,338
At the Market Program [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 22,009

Condensed Consolidated Stateme6

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($)	Total	At the Market Program [Member]	Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]		Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]At the Market Program [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]At the Market Program [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]At the Market Program [Member]	Accumulated Foreign Currency Adjustment Attributable to Parent [Member]		Dividends/Distributions in Excess of Earnings [Member]
Balance, shares Period Start at Dec. 31, 2015						333,771,660
Balance, value Period Start at Dec. 31, 2015			$ 7,089,221,000			$ 3,338,000		$ 98,000	$ 9,548,580,000		$ (4,398,000)		$ (2,458,397,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period Start at Dec. 31, 2015								9,775,000
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, value			47,040,000			$ 2,000			47,038,000		0		0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, shares						246,936
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, value			(24,460,000)			$ (3,000)			(24,457,000)		0		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues							3,828,064
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 323,798,000				$ 323,798,000		$ 38,000			$ 323,760,000
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, shares						(284,282)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	392,000		392,000	[1]		$ 0			0		392,000	[1]	0
Common stock dividends/distributions			(599,588,000)										(599,588,000)
Preferred stock dividends	(21,994,000)		(21,994,000)										(21,994,000)
Net income (loss)	133,898,000		133,898,000			$ 0			0		0		133,898,000
Balance, shares Period End at Jun. 30, 2016						337,562,378
Balance, value Period End at Jun. 30, 2016			6,948,307,000			$ 3,375,000		$ 98,000	9,894,921,000		(4,006,000)		(2,946,081,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period End at Jun. 30, 2016								9,775,000
Balance, shares Period Start at Mar. 31, 2016						337,559,718
Balance, value Period Start at Mar. 31, 2016			7,152,994,000			$ 3,375,000		$ 98,000	9,874,862,000		(4,977,000)		(2,720,364,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period Start at Mar. 31, 2016								9,775,000
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, value			20,165,000			$ 0			20,165,000		0		0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, shares						3,826
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, value			(106,000)			$ 0			(106,000)		0		0
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, shares						(1,166)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	971,000		971,000	[1]		$ 0			0		971,000	[1]	0
Common stock dividends/distributions			(300,778,000)										(300,778,000)
Preferred stock dividends	(10,997,000)		(10,997,000)										(10,997,000)
Net income (loss)	$ 86,058,000		86,058,000			$ 0			0		0		86,058,000
Balance, shares Period End at Jun. 30, 2016						337,562,378
Balance, value Period End at Jun. 30, 2016			6,948,307,000			$ 3,375,000		$ 98,000	9,894,921,000		(4,006,000)		(2,946,081,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period End at Jun. 30, 2016								9,775,000
Balance, shares Period Start at Dec. 31, 2016	360,536,659					360,536,659
Balance, value Period Start at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 7,557,115,000		7,557,115,000			$ 3,605,000		$ 0	10,938,236,000		(5,888,000)		(3,378,838,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period Start at Dec. 31, 2016	0							0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, value			53,409,000			$ 8,000			53,401,000		0		0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, shares						839,402
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, value			(22,594,000)			$ (3,000)			(22,591,000)		0		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues						4,992,300	242,300
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 464,023,000	$ 22,009,000	464,023,000			$ 51,000			463,972,000
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, shares						(252,561)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	705,000		705,000	[1]		$ 0			0		705,000	[1]	0
Common stock dividends/distributions			(693,601,000)										(693,601,000)
Preferred stock dividends	0		0										0
Net income (loss)	$ 231,252,000		231,252,000			$ 0			0		0		231,252,000
Balance, shares Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	366,115,800					366,115,800
Balance, value Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	$ 7,590,309,000		7,590,309,000			$ 3,661,000		$ 0	11,433,018,000		(5,183,000)		(3,841,187,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	0							0
Balance, shares Period Start at Mar. 31, 2017						361,355,043
Balance, value Period Start at Mar. 31, 2017			7,363,480,000			$ 3,614,000		$ 0	10,968,564,000		(5,713,000)		(3,602,985,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period Start at Mar. 31, 2017								0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, value			23,005,000			$ 0			23,005,000		0		0
Stock-based compensation related activity, net of forfeitures, shares						16,710
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, value			(589,000)			$ 0			(589,000)		0		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues						4,750,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			442,085,000			$ 47,000			442,038,000
Purchases and retirement of capital stock, shares						(5,953)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 530,000		530,000	[1]		$ 0			0		530,000	[1]	0
Common stock dividends/distributions			(350,316,000)										(350,316,000)
Preferred stock dividends	0
Net income (loss)	$ 112,114,000		112,114,000			$ 0			0		0		112,114,000
Balance, shares Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	366,115,800					366,115,800
Balance, value Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	$ 7,590,309,000		$ 7,590,309,000			$ 3,661,000		$ 0	$ 11,433,018,000		$ (5,183,000)		$ (3,841,187,000)
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding Period End at Jun. 30, 2017	0							0
[1]	See the condensed statement of operations and other comprehensive income (loss) for the components of "other comprehensive income (loss)."

General

General	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
General
General	General The information contained in the following notes to the consolidated financial statements is condensed from that which would appear in the annual consolidated financial statements; accordingly, the consolidated financial statements included herein should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 , and related notes thereto, included in the 2016 Form 10-K filed by Crown Castle International Corp. ("CCIC") with the SEC. Capitalized terms used but not defined in these notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements have the same meaning given to them in our 2016 Form 10-K. References to the "Company" include CCIC and its predecessor, as applicable, and their subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated or the context indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "including," and any variation thereof means "including without limitation." The use of the word "or" herein is not exclusive. The Company owns, operates and leases shared wireless infrastructure that has been acquired or constructed over time and is geographically dispersed throughout the United States and Puerto Rico ("U.S."), including: (1) towers and other structures, such as rooftops (collectively, "towers"), and (2) fiber primarily supporting small cell networks and fiber based solutions (collectively, "small cells" and, together with towers, "wireless infrastructure"). The Company's core business is providing access, including space or capacity, to its shared wireless infrastructure via long-term contracts in various forms, including licenses, subleases and lease agreements. The Company's operating segments consist of (1) Towers and (2) Small Cells. See note 10 . As part of the Company's effort to provide comprehensive wireless infrastructure solutions, the Company offers certain network services relating to its wireless infrastructure, consisting of (1) site development services relating to existing or new tenant equipment installations on its wireless infrastructure, including: site acquisition, architectural and engineering, or zoning and permitting and (2) tenant equipment installation or subsequent augmentations. The Company operates as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, the Company has certain taxable REIT subsidiaries ("TRSs"). See note 6 . Approximately 53% of the Company's towers are leased or subleased or operated and managed under master leases, subleases, and other agreements with AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The Company has the option to purchase these towers at the end of their respective lease terms. The Company has no obligation to exercise such purchase options. Basis of Presentation The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited; however, they include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which, in the opinion of management, are necessary to state fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company at June 30, 2017 , and the consolidated results of operations and the consolidated cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 . The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Summary of Significant Accounti

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The significant accounting policies used in the preparation of the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements are disclosed in the 2016 Form 10-K, other than certain recent accounting pronouncements described below. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements No accounting pronouncements adopted during the six months ended June 30, 2017 had a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases. The new guidance requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments for all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The accounting for lessors remains largely unchanged from existing guidance. This guidance is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2019 and is required to be applied using a modified retrospective approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. Early adoption is permitted. The Company (1) has established and is progressing through the various steps of a cross functional project plan to assess the impact of the standard; (2) expects this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated balance sheet due to the addition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases with a term greater than 12 months; and (3) continues to assess additional impacts to its consolidated financial statements, including the consolidated statement of operations and the consolidated statement of cash flows. In February 2017, the FASB issued new guidance which clarifies the scope and application on accounting for the de-recognition of non-financial assets and in substance non-financial assets, including sales and partial sales of real estate assets. The new guidance also eliminates the existing industry specific guidance for partial sales of real estate, and requires full gain recognition upon partial sales of real estate. The guidance is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2018. The guidance may be early adopted, but must be adopted concurrently with the FASB's May 2014 guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance is required to be applied, at the Company's election, either (1) retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or (2) with the cumulative effect being recognized at the date of initial application. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions Disclosures [Text Block]	Acquisitions FiberNet Acquisition On November 1, 2016, the Company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire FPL FiberNet Holdings, LLC and certain other subsidiaries of NextEra Energy, Inc. (collectively, "FiberNet") for approximately $1.5 billion in cash, subject to certain limited adjustments ("FiberNet Acquisition"). FiberNet is a fiber services provider in Florida and Texas that, as of the agreement date, owned or had rights to approximately 11,500 route miles of fiber installed or under construction, inclusive of approximately 6,000 route miles in top metro markets. On January 17, 2017 , the Company closed the FiberNet Acquisition which was financed using proceeds from its November 2016 Equity Financing and borrowings under the 2016 Revolver (see note 4). The preliminary purchase price allocation for the FiberNet Acquisition is shown below and is based upon a preliminary valuation which is subject to change as the Company obtains additional information with respect to fixed assets, intangible assets and certain liabilities. Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation Current Assets $ 56,569 Property and equipment 439,961 Goodwill (a) 772,177 Other intangible assets, net 328,138 Other non-current assets 72 Current liabilities (34,552 ) Other non-current liabilities (41,535 ) Net assets acquired (b) $ 1,520,830 (a) The preliminary purchase price allocation for the FiberNet Acquisition resulted in the recognition of goodwill based on: • the Company's expectation to leverage the FiberNet fiber footprint to support new small cell networks and fiber based solutions, • the complementary nature of the FiberNet fiber to the Company's existing fiber assets and its location in top metro markets where the Company expects to see wireless carrier network investments, • the Company's belief that the acquired fiber assets are well-positioned to benefit from the continued growth trends in the wireless industry, and • other intangibles not qualified for separate recognition, including the assembled workforce. (b) The vast majority of assets acquired in the FiberNet Acquisition are expected to be included in the Company's REIT and as such, no deferred taxes were recorded in connection with the FiberNet Acquisition. Net revenues attributable to the FiberNet Acquisition are included in the Company's consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) since the date the acquisition was completed. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 , the FiberNet Acquisition contributed $71.0 million to consolidated net revenues. Wilcon Acquisition On April 17, 2017 , the Company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Wilcon Holdings LLC ("Wilcon") from Pamlico Holdings and other unit holders of Wilcon for approximately $600 million in cash, subject to certain limited adjustments ("Wilcon Acquisition"). Wilcon is a fiber services provider that owns approximately 1,900 route miles of fiber, primarily in Los Angeles and San Diego. On June 26, 2017, the Company closed the Wilcon Acquisition, which was financed using proceeds from the May 2017 Equity Financing (as defined in note 9) and the 4.75% Senior Notes (as defined in note 4). The preliminary purchase price of approximately $600 million was primarily comprised of other intangible assets of approximately $130 million , property and equipment of approximately $130 million , and goodwill of approximately $380 million . The preliminary purchase price allocation for the Wilcon Acquisition resulted in the recognition of goodwill based on (1) the Company's expectation to leverage the Wilcon fiber footprint to support new small cell networks and fiber based solutions, (2) the complementary nature of the Wilcon fiber to the Company's existing fiber assets and its location primarily in Los Angeles and San Diego, where the Company expects to see wireless carrier network investments, (3) the Company's belief that the acquired fiber assets are well positioned to benefit from the continued growth trends in the wireless industry, and (4) other intangibles not qualified for separate recognition, including the assembled workforce. The preliminary purchase price allocation for the Wilcon Acquisition is based upon a preliminary valuation which is subject to change as the Company obtains additional information with respect to fixed assets, intangible assets and certain liabilities. See note 12 for a discussion of the Proposed Lightower Acquisition (as therein defined).

Debt and Other Obligations

Debt and Other Obligations	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Debt and Other Obligations [Abstract]
Debt and Other Obligations	Debt and Other Obligations Original Issue Date Contractual Maturity Date (a) Balance as of June 30, 2017 Balance as of December 31, 2016 Stated Interest Rate as of June 30, 2017 (a) Bank debt - variable rate: 2016 Revolver Jan. 2016 Jan. 2022 (e) $ 350,000 (b)(d)(f) $ — 2.6 % 2016 Term Loan A Jan. 2016 Jan. 2022 (e) 2,426,473 (e) 1,954,173 2.6 % Total bank debt 2,776,473 1,954,173 Securitized debt - fixed rate: Secured Notes, Series 2009-1, Class A-1 July 2009 Aug. 2019 41,333 51,416 6.3 % Secured Notes, Series 2009-1, Class A-2 July 2009 Aug. 2029 69,438 68,737 9.0 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2010-3 Jan. 2010 Jan. 2040 (c) 1,245,171 1,244,237 6.1 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2010-6 Aug. 2010 Aug. 2040 (c) 994,456 993,557 4.9 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-1 May 2015 May 2042 (c) 296,892 296,573 3.2 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-2 May 2015 May 2045 (c) 691,805 691,285 3.7 % Total securitized debt 3,339,095 3,345,805 Bonds - fixed rate: 5.250% Senior Notes Oct. 2012 Jan. 2023 1,638,153 1,637,099 5.3 % 3.849% Secured Notes Dec. 2012 Apr. 2023 991,971 991,279 3.8 % 4.875% Senior Notes Apr. 2014 Apr. 2022 841,202 840,322 4.9 % 3.400% Senior Notes Feb./May 2016 Feb. 2021 849,811 849,698 3.4 % 4.450% Senior Notes Feb. 2016 Feb. 2026 890,630 890,118 4.5 % 3.700% Senior Notes May 2016 June 2026 742,316 741,908 3.7 % 2.250% Senior Notes Sept. 2016 Sept. 2021 694,755 693,893 2.3 % 4.000% Senior Notes Feb. 2017 March 2027 493,656 (d) — 4.0 % 4.750% Senior Notes May 2017 May 2047 342,474 (f) — 4.8 % Total bonds 7,484,968 6,644,317 Other: Capital leases and other obligations Various Various 240,729 226,847 Various Total debt and other obligations 13,841,265 12,171,142 Less: current maturities and short-term debt and other current obligations 114,932 101,749 Non-current portion of long-term debt and other long-term obligations $ 13,726,333 $ 12,069,393 (a) See the 2016 Form 10-K, including note 8, for additional information regarding the maturity and principal amortization provisions and interest rates relating to the Company's indebtedness. (b) As of June 30, 2017 , the undrawn availability under the 2016 Revolver was $ 2.1 billion . (c) If the respective series of such debt is not paid in full on or prior to an applicable date then Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the indenture) of the issuers of such notes will be used to repay principal of the applicable series, and additional interest (of an additional approximately 5% per annum) will accrue on the respective series. See the 2016 Form 10-K for additional information regarding these provisions. (d) In February 2017 , the Company issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% senior unsecured notes with a maturity date of March 2027 ("4.0% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.0% Senior Notes offering to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver. (e) In February 2017 , the Company entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility to (1) incur additional term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million , and (2) extend the maturity of both the 2016 Term Loan A and the 2016 Revolver to January 2022 . (f) In May 2017 , the Company issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 4.750% senior unsecured notes due May 2047 ("4.75% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.75% Senior Notes offering to partially fund the Wilcon Acquisition and to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver. See note 12 for information regarding our August 2017 Senior Notes Offering (as defined therein). Contractual Maturities The following are the scheduled contractual maturities of the total debt and other long-term obligations of the Company outstanding as of June 30, 2017 . These maturities reflect contractual maturity dates and do not consider the principal payments that will commence following the anticipated repayment dates on the Tower Revenue Notes. Six Months Ending December 31, Years Ending December 31, Unamortized Adjustments, Net Total Debt and Other Obligations Outstanding 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Thereafter Total Cash Obligations Scheduled contractual maturities $ 58,607 $ 113,125 $ 166,127 $ 154,255 $ 1,824,027 $ 11,619,021 $ 13,935,162 $ (93,897 ) $ 13,841,265 Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs The components of interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs are as follows: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Interest expense on debt obligations $ 139,349 $ 125,580 $ 271,000 $ 247,747 Amortization of deferred financing costs and adjustments on long-term debt 4,540 4,815 9,091 9,921 Other, net of capitalized interest (2,120 ) (1,033 ) (3,835 ) (1,928 ) Total $ 141,769 $ 129,362 $ 276,256 $ 255,740

Fair Value Disclosures

Fair Value Disclosures	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Fair Value Disclosures
Fair Value Disclosures	Fair Value Disclosures Level in Fair Value Hierarchy June 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Carrying Amount Fair Value Carrying Amount Fair Value Assets: Cash and cash equivalents 1 $ 199,663 $ 199,663 $ 567,599 $ 567,599 Restricted cash, current and non-current 1 122,913 122,913 129,547 129,547 Liabilities: Total debt and other obligations 2 13,841,265 14,399,704 12,171,142 12,660,013 The fair value of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash approximate the carrying value. The Company determines the fair value of its debt securities based on indicative, non-binding quotes from brokers. Quotes from brokers require judgment and are based on the brokers' interpretation of market information, including implied credit spreads for similar borrowings on recent trades or bid/ask prices or quotes from active markets if available. There were no changes since December 31, 2016 in the Company's valuation techniques used to measure fair values.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Income Taxes
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The Company operates as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, the Company is generally entitled to a deduction for dividends that it pays and therefore is not subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on its net taxable income that is currently distributed to its stockholders. The Company also may be subject to certain federal, state, local, and foreign taxes on its income and assets, including (1) alternative minimum taxes, (2) taxes on any undistributed income, (3) taxes related to the TRSs, (4) certain state, local, or foreign income taxes, (5) franchise taxes, (6) property taxes, and (7) transfer taxes. In addition, the Company could in certain circumstances be required to pay an excise or penalty tax, which could be significant in amount, in order to utilize one or more relief provisions under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code") to maintain qualification for taxation as a REIT. The Company's TRS assets and operations will continue to be subject, as applicable, to federal and state corporate income taxes or to foreign taxes in the jurisdictions in which such assets and operations are located. The Company's foreign assets and operations (including its tower operations in Puerto Rico) most likely will be subject to foreign income taxes in the jurisdictions in which such assets and operations are located, regardless of whether they are included in a TRS or not. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , the Company's effective tax rate differed from the federal statutory rate predominately due to the Company's REIT status, including the dividends paid deduction.

Per Share Information

Per Share Information	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Per Share Information
Per Share Information	Per Share Information Basic net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders, per common share, excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders, per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period plus any potential dilutive common share equivalents, including shares issuable (1) upon the vesting of restricted stock awards and restricted stock units as determined under the treasury stock method and (2) upon conversion of the Company's previously outstanding 4.50% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, which converted to common stock during the fourth quarter of 2016, as determined under the if-converted method, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 . Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders $ 112,114 $ 86,058 $ 231,252 $ 133,898 Dividends on preferred stock — (10,997 ) — (21,994 ) Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders for basic and diluted computations $ 112,114 $ 75,061 $ 231,252 $ 111,904 Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (in thousands): Basic weighted-average number of common stock outstanding 364,493 337,560 362,662 335,857 Effect of assumed dilution from potential common shares relating to restricted stock units and restricted stock awards 1,339 1,049 1,230 801 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 365,832 338,609 363,892 336,658 Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders, per common share: Basic $ 0.31 $ 0.22 $ 0.64 $ 0.33 Diluted $ 0.31 $ 0.22 $ 0.64 $ 0.33 During the six months ended June 30, 2017 , the Company granted 1.3 million restricted stock units. For the six months ended June 30, 2016 , 11.5 million common share equivalents related to the previously outstanding 4.50% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock were excluded from the dilutive common shares because the impact of such conversion would be anti-dilutive, based on the Company's common stock price as of the end of the respective periods.

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies The Company is involved in various claims, lawsuits or proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While there are uncertainties inherent in the ultimate outcome of such matters and it is impossible to presently determine the ultimate costs or losses that may be incurred, if any, management believes the resolution of such uncertainties and the incurrence of such costs should not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations. Additionally, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries are contingently liable for commitments or performance guarantees arising in the ordinary course of business, including certain letters of credit or surety bonds. In addition, the Company has the option to purchase approximately 53% of the Company's towers at the end of their respective lease terms. The Company has no obligation to exercise such purchase options.

Equity

Equity	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]	Equity Declaration and Payment of Dividends During the six months ended June 30, 2017 , the following dividends were declared and paid: Equity Type Declaration Date Record Date Payment Date Dividends Per Share Aggregate Payment Amount (In millions) Common Stock February 17, 2017 March 17, 2017 March 31, 2017 $ 0.95 $ 343.3 (a) Common Stock May 18, 2017 June 16, 2017 June 30, 2017 $ 0.95 $ 350.3 (a) (a) Inclusive of dividends accrued for holders of unvested restricted stock units, which will be paid at the time the restricted stock units vest. Purchases of the Company's Common Stock For the six months ended June 30, 2017 , the Company purchased 0.3 million shares of its common stock utilizing $22.6 million in cash. The common stock shares purchased relate to shares withheld in connection with the payment of withholding taxes upon vesting of restricted stock. "At the Market" Stock Offering Program The Company maintains an "at the market" stock offering program ("ATM Program") through which it may, from time to time, issue and sell shares of its common stock having an aggregate cumulative gross sales price of up to $ 500.0 million to or through sales agents. Sales, if any, under the ATM Program may be made by means of ordinary brokers' transactions on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or, subject to specific instructions of the Company, at negotiated prices. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from any sales under the ATM Program for general corporate purposes, which may include the funding of future acquisitions or investments and the repayment or repurchase of any outstanding indebtedness. During the six months ended June 30, 2017 , 0.2 million shares of common stock were sold under the ATM Program generating net proceeds of $22.0 million after giving effect to sales agent commissions of $0.2 million . As of June 30, 2017 , the Company had approximately $150 million of gross sales of common stock availability remaining on the ATM Program. May 2017 Equity Financing On May 1, 2017 , the Company completed an offering of 4.75 million shares of its common stock, which generated net proceeds of approximately $442 million ("May 2017 Equity Financing"). The Company used the net proceeds of the May 2017 Equity Financing to partially fund the Wilcon Acquisition. See note 12 for information regarding our July 2017 Equity Financings (as defined therein).

Operating Segments

Operating Segments	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]	Operating Segments The Company's operating segments are (1) Towers and (2) Small Cells. The Towers segment provides access, including space or capacity, to the Company's approximately 40,000 towers geographically dispersed throughout the U.S. The Towers segment also reflects certain network services relating to the Company's towers, consisting of site development services and installation services. The Small Cells segment provides access, including space or capacity, to the Company's approximately 29,000 route miles of fiber primarily supporting small cell networks and fiber based solutions. The measurement of profit or loss used by the Company's chief operating decision maker to evaluate the results of operations of its operating segments are (1) segment site rental gross margin, (2) segment network services and other gross margin, and (3) segment operating profit. The Company defines segment site rental gross margin as segment site rental revenues less segment site rental cost of operations, which excludes stock-based compensation expense and prepaid lease purchase price adjustments recorded in consolidated cost of operations. The Company defines segment network services and other gross margin as segment network services and other revenues less segment network services and other cost of operations, which excludes stock-based compensation expense recorded in consolidated cost of operations. The Company defines segment operating profit as segment site rental gross margin plus segment network services and other gross margin, less general and administrative expenses attributable to the respective segment. Costs that are directly attributable to Towers and Small Cells are assigned to those respective segments. The "Other" column (1) represents amounts excluded from specific segments, such as restructuring charges (credits), asset write-down charges, acquisition and integration costs, depreciation, amortization and accretion, amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments, interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations, net gain (loss) on interest rate swaps, gains (losses) on foreign currency swaps, impairment of available-for-sale securities, interest income, other income (expense), cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle, income (loss) from discontinued operations, and stock-based compensation expense, and (2) reconciles segment operating profit to income (loss) before income taxes, as the amounts are not utilized in assessing each segment’s performance. The "Other" total assets balance includes corporate assets such as cash and cash equivalents which have not been allocated to specific segments. There are no significant revenues resulting from transactions between the Company's operating segments. Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 Three Months Ended June 30, 2016 Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Segment site rental revenues $ 717,645 $ 151,161 $ 868,806 $ 705,716 $ 98,884 $ 804,600 Segment network services and other revenues 157,977 11,552 169,529 142,053 15,756 157,809 Segment revenues 875,622 162,713 1,038,335 847,769 114,640 962,409 Segment site rental cost of operations 211,204 51,861 263,065 210,444 34,165 244,609 Segment network services and other cost of operations 95,837 8,604 104,441 81,922 12,423 94,345 Segment cost of operations (a) 307,041 60,465 367,506 292,366 46,588 338,954 Segment site rental gross margin 506,441 99,300 605,741 495,272 64,719 559,991 Segment network services and other gross margin 62,140 2,948 65,088 60,131 3,333 63,464 Segment general and administrative expenses (a) 22,875 18,666 40,754 82,295 22,505 15,718 35,563 73,786 Segment operating profit 545,706 83,582 (40,754 ) 588,534 532,898 52,334 (35,563 ) 549,669 Stock-based compensation expense 16,835 16,835 21,998 21,998 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 295,615 295,615 276,026 276,026 Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs 141,769 141,769 129,362 129,362 Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) before income taxes (b) 17,663 17,663 32,341 32,341 Income (loss) before income taxes $ 116,652 $ 89,942 Capital expenditures $ 106,950 $ 188,090 $ 5,906 $ 300,946 $ 104,180 $ 87,450 $ 7,878 $ 199,508 Total assets (at period end) $ 18,207,697 $ 5,810,961 $ 464,966 $ 24,483,624 $ 18,479,117 $ 3,199,577 $ 474,380 $ 22,153,074 (a) Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $1.4 million and $4.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.0 million and $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $15.4 million and $17.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. (b) See condensed consolidated statement of operations for further information. Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Six Months Ended June 30, 2016 Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Segment site rental revenues $ 1,434,181 $ 291,561 $ 1,725,742 $ 1,408,555 $ 195,338 $ 1,603,893 Segment network services and other revenues 307,592 20,943 328,535 267,063 25,836 292,899 Segment revenues 1,741,773 312,504 2,054,277 1,675,618 221,174 1,896,792 Segment site rental cost of operations 420,668 99,107 519,775 415,009 71,648 486,657 Segment network services and other cost of operations 184,773 16,833 201,606 151,911 20,458 172,369 Segment cost of operations (a) 605,441 115,940 721,381 566,920 92,106 659,026 Segment site rental gross margin 1,013,513 192,454 1,205,967 993,546 123,690 1,117,236 Segment network services and other gross margin 122,819 4,110 126,929 115,152 5,378 120,530 Segment general and administrative expenses (a) 46,635 36,355 79,960 162,950 46,104 31,240 71,635 148,979 Segment operating profit 1,089,697 160,209 (79,960 ) 1,169,946 1,062,594 97,828 (71,635 ) 1,088,787 Stock-based compensation expense 41,777 41,777 52,703 52,703 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 584,164 584,164 553,901 553,901 Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs 276,256 276,256 255,740 255,740 Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes (b) 27,590 27,590 84,789 84,789 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes $ 240,159 $ 141,654 Capital expenditures $ 208,425 $ 342,356 $ 12,580 $ 563,361 $ 215,221 $ 167,603 $ 10,173 $ 392,997 (a) Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $6.3 million and $12.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $10.1 million and $10.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $35.5 million and $40.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. (b) See condensed consolidated statement of operations for further information.

Supplemental Cash Flow Informat

Supplemental Cash Flow Information	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Supplemental Cash Flow Information	Supplemental Cash Flow Information Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Interest paid $ 260,255 $ 217,783 Income taxes paid 10,372 10,186 Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Increase (decrease) in accounts payable for purchases of property and equipment (7,825 ) (10,197 ) Purchase of property and equipment under capital leases and installment purchases 17,933 25,444

Subsequent Events Subsequent Ev

Subsequent Events Subsequent Events	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	Subsequent Events Proposed Lightower Acquisition On July 18, 2017, the Company announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement ("Merger Agreement") to acquire LTS Group Holdings LLC ("Lightower") from Berkshire Partners, Pamlico Capital and other investors for approximately $7.1 billion in cash (subject to certain limited adjustments) ("Proposed Lightower Acquisition"). Lightower owns or has rights to approximately 32,000 route miles of fiber located primarily in top metro markets in the Northeast, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia. The Company expects to finance the Proposed Lightower Acquisition, including related fees and expenses, utilizing proceeds from (1) the July 2017 Common Stock Offering (as defined below), (2) the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock Offering (as defined below), and (3) the August 2017 Senior Notes Offering (as defined below). The Company expects the Proposed Lightower Acquisition to close by the end of 2017. Completion of the Proposed Lightower Acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and does not require the approval of the Company's stockholders. July 2017 Equity Financings On July 26, 2017 , the Company completed an offering of 40.15 million shares of common stock, including certain additional shares sold pursuant to the underwriters' option, which generated net proceeds of approximately $3.8 billion ("July 2017 Common Stock Offering"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the July 2017 Common Stock Offering to partially fund the Proposed Lightower Acquisition and pay related fees and expenses. On July 26, 2017 , the Company completed an offering of 1.65 million shares of the Company's 6.875% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share, at $1,000 per share ("Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock"), including certain additional shares sold pursuant to the underwriters' option, which generated net proceeds of approximately $1.6 billion ("Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock Offering"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock Offering to partially fund the Proposed Lightower Acquisition and pay related fees and expenses. The holders of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock are entitled to receive cumulative dividends, when and if declared by the Company's board of directors, at the rate of 6.875% on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. The dividends may be paid in cash or, subject to certain limitations, in shares of the Company's common stock or any combination of cash and shares of common stock on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing on November 1, 2017 and to, and including, August 1, 2020. The terms of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock provide that, unless accumulated dividends have been paid or set aside for payment on all outstanding shares of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods, no dividends may be declared or paid on common stock. Unless converted earlier, each outstanding share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will automatically convert on August 1, 2020 into between 8.6806 and 10.4167 shares of the Company's common stock, depending on the applicable market value of the common stock and subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments. At any time prior to August 1, 2020, holders of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock may elect to convert all or a portion of their shares into common stock at the minimum conversion rate of 8.6806 , subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments. The July 2017 Common Stock Offering and Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock Offering are collectively referred to herein as "July 2017 Equity Financings." August 2017 Senior Notes Offering On August 1, 2017 , the Company issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of 3.200% senior unsecured notes due 2024 ("3.2% Senior Notes") and $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 3.650% senior unsecured notes due 2027 ("3.65% Senior Notes") (collectively, "August 2017 Senior Notes Offering"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the August 2017 Senior Notes Offering to partially fund the Proposed Lightower Acquisition and pay related fees and expenses. Common Stock Dividend On August 3, 2017 , the Company's board of directors declared a quarterly common stock cash dividend of $0.95 per share. The common stock dividend will be paid on September 29, 2017 to common stockholders of record as of September 15, 2017 .

Summary of Significant Accoun19

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Recent accounting prounouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements No accounting pronouncements adopted during the six months ended June 30, 2017 had a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases. The new guidance requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments for all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The accounting for lessors remains largely unchanged from existing guidance. This guidance is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2019 and is required to be applied using a modified retrospective approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. Early adoption is permitted. The Company (1) has established and is progressing through the various steps of a cross functional project plan to assess the impact of the standard; (2) expects this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated balance sheet due to the addition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases with a term greater than 12 months; and (3) continues to assess additional impacts to its consolidated financial statements, including the consolidated statement of operations and the consolidated statement of cash flows. In February 2017, the FASB issued new guidance which clarifies the scope and application on accounting for the de-recognition of non-financial assets and in substance non-financial assets, including sales and partial sales of real estate assets. The new guidance also eliminates the existing industry specific guidance for partial sales of real estate, and requires full gain recognition upon partial sales of real estate. The guidance is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2018. The guidance may be early adopted, but must be adopted concurrently with the FASB's May 2014 guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance is required to be applied, at the Company's election, either (1) retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or (2) with the cumulative effect being recognized at the date of initial application. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Acquisitions Purchase Price All

Acquisitions Purchase Price Allocation (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Schedule of Business Acquisitions, by Acquisition [Table Text Block]	The preliminary purchase price allocation for the FiberNet Acquisition is shown below and is based upon a preliminary valuation which is subject to change as the Company obtains additional information with respect to fixed assets, intangible assets and certain liabilities. Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation Current Assets $ 56,569 Property and equipment 439,961 Goodwill (a) 772,177 Other intangible assets, net 328,138 Other non-current assets 72 Current liabilities (34,552 ) Other non-current liabilities (41,535 ) Net assets acquired (b) $ 1,520,830 (a) The preliminary purchase price allocation for the FiberNet Acquisition resulted in the recognition of goodwill based on: • the Company's expectation to leverage the FiberNet fiber footprint to support new small cell networks and fiber based solutions, • the complementary nature of the FiberNet fiber to the Company's existing fiber assets and its location in top metro markets where the Company expects to see wireless carrier network investments, • the Company's belief that the acquired fiber assets are well-positioned to benefit from the continued growth trends in the wireless industry, and • other intangibles not qualified for separate recognition, including the assembled workforce. (b) The vast majority of assets acquired in the FiberNet Acquisition are expected to be included in the Company's REIT and as such, no deferred taxes were recorded in connection with the FiberNet Acquisition.

Debt and Other Obligations (Tab

Debt and Other Obligations (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Debt and Other Obligations [Abstract]
Schedule of Long-Term Debt Instruments	Original Issue Date Contractual Maturity Date (a) Balance as of June 30, 2017 Balance as of December 31, 2016 Stated Interest Rate as of June 30, 2017 (a) Bank debt - variable rate: 2016 Revolver Jan. 2016 Jan. 2022 (e) $ 350,000 (b)(d)(f) $ — 2.6 % 2016 Term Loan A Jan. 2016 Jan. 2022 (e) 2,426,473 (e) 1,954,173 2.6 % Total bank debt 2,776,473 1,954,173 Securitized debt - fixed rate: Secured Notes, Series 2009-1, Class A-1 July 2009 Aug. 2019 41,333 51,416 6.3 % Secured Notes, Series 2009-1, Class A-2 July 2009 Aug. 2029 69,438 68,737 9.0 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2010-3 Jan. 2010 Jan. 2040 (c) 1,245,171 1,244,237 6.1 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2010-6 Aug. 2010 Aug. 2040 (c) 994,456 993,557 4.9 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-1 May 2015 May 2042 (c) 296,892 296,573 3.2 % Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-2 May 2015 May 2045 (c) 691,805 691,285 3.7 % Total securitized debt 3,339,095 3,345,805 Bonds - fixed rate: 5.250% Senior Notes Oct. 2012 Jan. 2023 1,638,153 1,637,099 5.3 % 3.849% Secured Notes Dec. 2012 Apr. 2023 991,971 991,279 3.8 % 4.875% Senior Notes Apr. 2014 Apr. 2022 841,202 840,322 4.9 % 3.400% Senior Notes Feb./May 2016 Feb. 2021 849,811 849,698 3.4 % 4.450% Senior Notes Feb. 2016 Feb. 2026 890,630 890,118 4.5 % 3.700% Senior Notes May 2016 June 2026 742,316 741,908 3.7 % 2.250% Senior Notes Sept. 2016 Sept. 2021 694,755 693,893 2.3 % 4.000% Senior Notes Feb. 2017 March 2027 493,656 (d) — 4.0 % 4.750% Senior Notes May 2017 May 2047 342,474 (f) — 4.8 % Total bonds 7,484,968 6,644,317 Other: Capital leases and other obligations Various Various 240,729 226,847 Various Total debt and other obligations 13,841,265 12,171,142 Less: current maturities and short-term debt and other current obligations 114,932 101,749 Non-current portion of long-term debt and other long-term obligations $ 13,726,333 $ 12,069,393 (a) See the 2016 Form 10-K, including note 8, for additional information regarding the maturity and principal amortization provisions and interest rates relating to the Company's indebtedness. (b) As of June 30, 2017 , the undrawn availability under the 2016 Revolver was $ 2.1 billion . (c) If the respective series of such debt is not paid in full on or prior to an applicable date then Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the indenture) of the issuers of such notes will be used to repay principal of the applicable series, and additional interest (of an additional approximately 5% per annum) will accrue on the respective series. See the 2016 Form 10-K for additional information regarding these provisions. (d) In February 2017 , the Company issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% senior unsecured notes with a maturity date of March 2027 ("4.0% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.0% Senior Notes offering to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver. (e) In February 2017 , the Company entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility to (1) incur additional term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million , and (2) extend the maturity of both the 2016 Term Loan A and the 2016 Revolver to January 2022 . (f) In May 2017 , the Company issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 4.750% senior unsecured notes due May 2047 ("4.75% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.75% Senior Notes offering to partially fund the Wilcon Acquisition and to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver. See note 12 for information regarding our August 2017 Senior Notes Offering (as defined therein).
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt	Contractual Maturities The following are the scheduled contractual maturities of the total debt and other long-term obligations of the Company outstanding as of June 30, 2017 . These maturities reflect contractual maturity dates and do not consider the principal payments that will commence following the anticipated repayment dates on the Tower Revenue Notes. Six Months Ending December 31, Years Ending December 31, Unamortized Adjustments, Net Total Debt and Other Obligations Outstanding 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Thereafter Total Cash Obligations Scheduled contractual maturities $ 58,607 $ 113,125 $ 166,127 $ 154,255 $ 1,824,027 $ 11,619,021 $ 13,935,162 $ (93,897 ) $ 13,841,265
Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs	Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs The components of interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs are as follows: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Interest expense on debt obligations $ 139,349 $ 125,580 $ 271,000 $ 247,747 Amortization of deferred financing costs and adjustments on long-term debt 4,540 4,815 9,091 9,921 Other, net of capitalized interest (2,120 ) (1,033 ) (3,835 ) (1,928 ) Total $ 141,769 $ 129,362 $ 276,256 $ 255,740

Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)

Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Fair Value Disclosures
Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities	Level in Fair Value Hierarchy June 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Carrying Amount Fair Value Carrying Amount Fair Value Assets: Cash and cash equivalents 1 $ 199,663 $ 199,663 $ 567,599 $ 567,599 Restricted cash, current and non-current 1 122,913 122,913 129,547 129,547 Liabilities: Total debt and other obligations 2 13,841,265 14,399,704 12,171,142 12,660,013

Per Share Information (Tables)

Per Share Information (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Per Share Information
Reconciliation of the Numerators and Denominators of the Basic and Diluted Per Share Computations	Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC stockholders $ 112,114 $ 86,058 $ 231,252 $ 133,898 Dividends on preferred stock — (10,997 ) — (21,994 ) Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders for basic and diluted computations $ 112,114 $ 75,061 $ 231,252 $ 111,904 Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (in thousands): Basic weighted-average number of common stock outstanding 364,493 337,560 362,662 335,857 Effect of assumed dilution from potential common shares relating to restricted stock units and restricted stock awards 1,339 1,049 1,230 801 Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 365,832 338,609 363,892 336,658 Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders, per common share: Basic $ 0.31 $ 0.22 $ 0.64 $ 0.33 Diluted $ 0.31 $ 0.22 $ 0.64 $ 0.33

Equity (Tables)

Equity (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends Declared [Table Text Block]	Declaration and Payment of Dividends During the six months ended June 30, 2017 , the following dividends were declared and paid: Equity Type Declaration Date Record Date Payment Date Dividends Per Share Aggregate Payment Amount (In millions) Common Stock February 17, 2017 March 17, 2017 March 31, 2017 $ 0.95 $ 343.3 (a) Common Stock May 18, 2017 June 16, 2017 June 30, 2017 $ 0.95 $ 350.3 (a) (a) Inclusive of dividends accrued for holders of unvested restricted stock units, which will be paid at the time the restricted stock units vest.

Operating Segments Operating Se

Operating Segments Operating Segments (Tables)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]	Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 Three Months Ended June 30, 2016 Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Segment site rental revenues $ 717,645 $ 151,161 $ 868,806 $ 705,716 $ 98,884 $ 804,600 Segment network services and other revenues 157,977 11,552 169,529 142,053 15,756 157,809 Segment revenues 875,622 162,713 1,038,335 847,769 114,640 962,409 Segment site rental cost of operations 211,204 51,861 263,065 210,444 34,165 244,609 Segment network services and other cost of operations 95,837 8,604 104,441 81,922 12,423 94,345 Segment cost of operations (a) 307,041 60,465 367,506 292,366 46,588 338,954 Segment site rental gross margin 506,441 99,300 605,741 495,272 64,719 559,991 Segment network services and other gross margin 62,140 2,948 65,088 60,131 3,333 63,464 Segment general and administrative expenses (a) 22,875 18,666 40,754 82,295 22,505 15,718 35,563 73,786 Segment operating profit 545,706 83,582 (40,754 ) 588,534 532,898 52,334 (35,563 ) 549,669 Stock-based compensation expense 16,835 16,835 21,998 21,998 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 295,615 295,615 276,026 276,026 Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs 141,769 141,769 129,362 129,362 Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) before income taxes (b) 17,663 17,663 32,341 32,341 Income (loss) before income taxes $ 116,652 $ 89,942 Capital expenditures $ 106,950 $ 188,090 $ 5,906 $ 300,946 $ 104,180 $ 87,450 $ 7,878 $ 199,508 Total assets (at period end) $ 18,207,697 $ 5,810,961 $ 464,966 $ 24,483,624 $ 18,479,117 $ 3,199,577 $ 474,380 $ 22,153,074 (a) Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $1.4 million and $4.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.0 million and $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $15.4 million and $17.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. (b) See condensed consolidated statement of operations for further information.	Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Six Months Ended June 30, 2016 Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Towers Small Cells Other Consolidated Total Segment site rental revenues $ 1,434,181 $ 291,561 $ 1,725,742 $ 1,408,555 $ 195,338 $ 1,603,893 Segment network services and other revenues 307,592 20,943 328,535 267,063 25,836 292,899 Segment revenues 1,741,773 312,504 2,054,277 1,675,618 221,174 1,896,792 Segment site rental cost of operations 420,668 99,107 519,775 415,009 71,648 486,657 Segment network services and other cost of operations 184,773 16,833 201,606 151,911 20,458 172,369 Segment cost of operations (a) 605,441 115,940 721,381 566,920 92,106 659,026 Segment site rental gross margin 1,013,513 192,454 1,205,967 993,546 123,690 1,117,236 Segment network services and other gross margin 122,819 4,110 126,929 115,152 5,378 120,530 Segment general and administrative expenses (a) 46,635 36,355 79,960 162,950 46,104 31,240 71,635 148,979 Segment operating profit 1,089,697 160,209 (79,960 ) 1,169,946 1,062,594 97,828 (71,635 ) 1,088,787 Stock-based compensation expense 41,777 41,777 52,703 52,703 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 584,164 584,164 553,901 553,901 Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs 276,256 276,256 255,740 255,740 Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes (b) 27,590 27,590 84,789 84,789 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes $ 240,159 $ 141,654 Capital expenditures $ 208,425 $ 342,356 $ 12,580 $ 563,361 $ 215,221 $ 167,603 $ 10,173 $ 392,997 (a) Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $6.3 million and $12.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $10.1 million and $10.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $35.5 million and $40.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 , respectively. (b) See condensed consolidated statement of operations for further information.

Supplemental Cash Flow Inform26

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information and Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities	Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 2016 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Interest paid $ 260,255 $ 217,783 Income taxes paid 10,372 10,186 Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Increase (decrease) in accounts payable for purchases of property and equipment (7,825 ) (10,197 ) Purchase of property and equipment under capital leases and installment purchases 17,933 25,444

General Business (Details)

General Business (Details)	Jun. 30, 2017
Subject to Capital Lease with Sprint, TMO, or AT&T [Member]
Purchase Option, Percentage of Towers	53.00%

Acquisitions (Details)

Acquisitions (Details) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)
Wilcon Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred	$ 600,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets	130,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment	130,000
Business Acquisition, Goodwill	$ 380,000
Fiber Miles Acquired	1,900
FiberNet Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets	$ 56,569
Business Combination, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual	71,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets	328,138
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets	72
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment	439,961
Business Acquisition, Goodwill	$ 772,177	[1]
Fiber Miles Acquired	11,500
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities	$ (34,552)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities	(41,535)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	$ 1,520,830	[2]
Top Metro Markets [Domain] | FiberNet Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fiber Miles Acquired	6,000
FiberNet Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred	$ 1,520,830
Business Acquisition, Date of Acquisition Agreement	Jan. 17, 2017
[1]	The preliminary purchase price allocation for the FiberNet Acquisition resulted in the recognition of goodwill based on:•the Company's expectation to leverage the FiberNet fiber footprint to support new small cell networks and fiber based solutions,•the complementary nature of the FiberNet fiber to the Company's existing fiber assets and its location in top metro markets where the Company expects to see wireless carrier network investments,•the Company's belief that the acquired fiber assets are well-positioned to benefit from the continued growth trends in the wireless industry, and•other intangibles not qualified for separate recognition, including the assembled workforce.
[2]	The vast majority of assets acquired in the FiberNet Acquisition are expected to be included in the Company's REIT and as such, no deferred taxes were recorded in connection with the FiberNet Acquisition.

Debt and Other Obligations (Ind

Debt and Other Obligations (Indebtedness) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit Facility Amendment, Additional Principal		$ 500,000
Credit Facility Amendment, Date		Feb. 13, 2017
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 13,841,265		$ 13,841,265		$ 12,171,142
Less: current maturities and short-term debt and other current obligations		114,932		114,932		101,749
Non-current portion of long-term debt and other long-term obligations		13,726,333		$ 13,726,333		12,069,393
Capital Lease Obligations and Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Contractual maturity date	[1]			Various
Original Debt Issuance Date				Various
Percentage of debt instrument interest rate stated	[1]			Various
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		240,729		$ 240,729		226,847
Fixed Rate Securitized Debt 2010 Tower Revenue Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Additional Interest Rate Margin				5.00%
2012 Credit Facility [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2016 [Member] | CCOC [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount		2,100,000		$ 2,100,000
Bank Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 2,776,473		$ 2,776,473		1,954,173
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate Revolver 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Jan. 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[2]			Jan. 21, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	2.60%		2.60%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 350,000	[3],[4],[5]	$ 350,000	[3],[4],[5]	0
Bank Debt [Member] | Variable Rate 2016 Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Jan. 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[2]			Jan. 21, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	2.60%		2.60%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 2,426,473	[2]	$ 2,426,473	[2]	1,954,173
Securitized Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 3,339,095		$ 3,339,095		3,345,805
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes First Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Jul. 1, 2009
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Aug. 1, 2019
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	6.30%		6.30%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 41,333		$ 41,333		51,416
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt January 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Jan. 1, 2010
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[6]			Jan. 1, 2040
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	6.10%		6.10%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 1,245,171		$ 1,245,171		1,244,237
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Securitized Debt August 2010 Tower Revenue Notes Third Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Aug. 1, 2010
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[6]			Aug. 1, 2040
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	4.90%		4.90%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 994,456		$ 994,456		993,557
Securitized Debt [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt 2009 Securitized Notes Second Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Jul. 1, 2009
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Aug. 1, 2029
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	9.00%		9.00%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 69,438		$ 69,438		68,737
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.222% due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				May 1, 2015
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[6]			May 1, 2042
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	3.20%		3.20%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 296,892		$ 296,892		296,573
Securitized Debt [Member] | 2015 Tower Revenue Notes 3.663% due 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				May 1, 2015
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1],[6]			May 1, 2045
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	3.70%		3.70%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 691,805		$ 691,805		691,285
High Yield Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 7,484,968		$ 7,484,968		6,644,317
High Yield Bonds [Member] | September 2016 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Sep. 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Sep. 1, 2021
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	2.25%		2.25%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 694,755		$ 694,755		693,893
High Yield Bonds [Member] | February 2017 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Feb. 1, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Mar. 1, 2027
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	4.00%		4.00%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 493,656	[4]	$ 493,656	[4]	0
High Yield Bonds [Member] | May 2017 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				May 1, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			May 1, 2047
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	4.75%		4.75%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 342,474	[5]	$ 342,474	[5]	0
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Five and One Fourth Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Oct. 1, 2012
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Jan. 15, 2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	5.25%		5.25%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 1,638,153		$ 1,638,153		1,637,099
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 2012 secured notes tranche B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Dec. 1, 2012
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Apr. 15, 2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	3.80%		3.80%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 991,971		$ 991,971		991,279
High Yield Bonds [Member] | 4.875% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Apr. 1, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Apr. 1, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	4.875%		4.875%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 841,202		$ 841,202		840,322
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 3.40% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Feb. 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Feb. 15, 2021
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	3.40%		3.40%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 849,811		$ 849,811		849,698
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 3.7% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				May 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Jun. 15, 2026
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	3.70%		3.70%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 742,316		$ 742,316		741,908
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Senior Unsecured 2016 Notes 4.450% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Original issue date				Feb. 1, 2016
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	[1]			Feb. 15, 2026
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	[1]	4.50%		4.50%
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 890,630		$ 890,630		$ 890,118
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 4.000% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 500,000		$ 500,000
Original issue date		Feb. 2, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Mar. 1, 2027
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.00%		4.00%
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 2016 Term Loan A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Jan. 1, 2022
Issuance of debt obligation [Member] | 4.750% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 350,000		$ 350,000
Original issue date		May 1, 2017
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		May 1, 2047
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.80%		4.80%
[1]	See the 2016 Form 10-K, including note 8, for additional information regarding the maturity and principal amortization provisions and interest rates relating to the Company's indebtedness.
[2]	In February 2017, the Company entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility to (1) incur additional term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million, and (2) extend the maturity of both the 2016 Term Loan A and the 2016 Revolver to January 2022.
[3]	As of June 30, 2017, the undrawn availability under the 2016 Revolver was $2.1 billion.
[4]	In February 2017, the Company issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% senior unsecured notes with a maturity date of March 2027 ("4.0% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.0% Senior Notes offering to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver.
[5]	In May 2017, the Company issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 4.750% senior unsecured notes due May 2047 ("4.75% Senior Notes"). The Company used the net proceeds from the 4.75% Senior Notes offering to partially fund the Wilcon Acquisition and to repay a portion of the borrowings under the 2016 Revolver.
[6]	If the respective series of such debt is not paid in full on or prior to an applicable date then Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the indenture) of the issuers of such notes will be used to repay principal of the applicable series, and additional interest (of an additional approximately 5% per annum) will accrue on the respective series. See the 2016 Form 10-K for additional information regarding these provisions.

Debt and Other Obligations (Com

Debt and Other Obligations (Components of Interest Expense and Amortization of Deferred Financing Costs) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Debt and Other Obligations [Abstract]
Interest expense on debt obligations	$ 139,349	$ 125,580	$ 271,000	$ 247,747
Amortization of deferred financing costs and adjustments on long-term debt	4,540	4,815	9,091	9,921
Other	(2,120)	(1,033)	(3,835)	(1,928)
Total	$ 141,769	$ 129,362	$ 276,256	$ 255,740

Debt and Other Obligations Cont

Debt and Other Obligations Contractual Maturities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Contractual Maturities [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal, Remainder of Fiscal Year	$ 58,607
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	113,125
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	166,127
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	154,255
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	1,824,027
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	11,619,021
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Adjustments	93,897
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	13,841,265	$ 12,171,142
Total Cash Obligations	$ 13,935,162

Fair Value Disclosures (Estimat

Fair Value Disclosures (Estimated Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Assets and Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, carrying value	$ 199,663,000	$ 567,599,000
Cash and cash equivalents, fair value	199,663,000	567,599,000
Restricted cash, current and non-current, carrying value	122,913,000	129,547,000
Restricted cash, current and non-current, fair value	122,913,000	129,547,000
Long-term debt and other obligations, carrying amount	13,841,265,000	12,171,142,000
Long-term debt and other obligations, fair value	14,399,704,000	$ 12,660,013,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, carrying value	1
Restricted cash, current and non-current, carrying value	1
Long-term Debt [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt and other obligations, carrying amount	$ 2

Per Share Information (Reconcil

Per Share Information (Reconciliation of the Numerators and Denominators of the Basic and Diluted Per Share Computations) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Per Share Information
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 112,114	$ 86,058	$ 231,252	$ 133,898
Net income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent			231,252	133,898
Dividends on preferred stock	0	10,997	0	21,994
Net income (loss) attributable to CCIC common stockholders for basic and diluted computations	$ 112,114	$ 75,061	$ 231,252	$ 111,904
Basic weighted-average number of common stock outstanding	364,493,000	337,560,000	362,662,000	335,857,000
Effect of assumed dilution from potential common shares relating to restricted stock units and restricted stock awards	1,339,000	1,049,000	1,230,000	801,000
Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding	365,832,000	338,609,000	363,892,000	336,658,000
Basic	$ 0.31	$ 0.22	$ 0.64	$ 0.33
Diluted	$ 0.31	$ 0.22	$ 0.64	$ 0.33

Per Share Information (Narrativ

Per Share Information (Narrative) (Details) - shares shares in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	1.3
Preferred Stock [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive securities excluded from dilutive common shares calculation		11.5

Commitments and Contingencies C

Commitments and Contingencies Commitment and Contingencies (Details)	Jun. 30, 2017
Subject to Capital Lease with Sprint, TMO, or AT&T [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Purchase Option, Percentage of Towers	53.00%

Equity (Details)

Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	[1]	$ 0.950	$ 0.950
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	[1]	$ 350,300,000	$ 343,300,000
Common stock repurchased during period, shares				0.3
Purchases of capital stock				$ 22,594,000	$ 24,460,000
Common Stock [Member]
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Date Declared	[1]	May 18, 2017	Feb. 17, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date to be Paid	[1]	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date of Record	[1]	Jun. 16, 2017	Mar. 17, 2017
At the Market Program [Member]
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs				$ 200,000
[1]	Inclusive of dividends accrued for holders of unvested restricted stock units, which will be paid at the time the restricted stock units vest.

Equity Other Equity Activity (D

Equity Other Equity Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 464,023	$ 323,798
At the Market Stock Offering Program, capacity remaining	$ 150,000	150,000
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	500,000	500,000
At the Market Program [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		22,009
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs		200
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 47	$ 51
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	4,750,000	4,992,300
Common Stock [Member] | At the Market Program [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			$ 38
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		242,300	3,828,064

Equity Schedule of Equity by Ty

Equity Schedule of Equity by Type (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 464,023	$ 323,798
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	4,750,000	4,992,300
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 47	$ 51
May 2017 Equity Offering [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Transaction Date	May 1, 2017
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	4,750,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 442,000

Operating Segments Operating 39

Operating Segments Operating Segments Table (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)		Jun. 30, 2016USD ($)		Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)		Jun. 30, 2016USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Tower Count		40,000				40,000
Segment site rental revenues		$ 868,806		$ 804,600		$ 1,725,742		$ 1,603,893
Segment network services and other revenues		$ 169,529		157,809		$ 328,535		292,899
Fiber Miles		29,000				29,000
Segment revenues		$ 1,038,335		962,409		$ 2,054,277		1,896,792
Segment site rental cost of operations	[1]	269,285		252,852		534,302		505,472
Segment network services and other cost of operations	[1]	104,622		95,867		203,430		176,838
Segment general and administrative expenses		97,736		91,386		198,460		188,967
Stock-based compensation expense						45,232		40,135
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net		295,615		276,026		584,164		553,901
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		141,769		129,362		276,256		255,740
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest		116,652		89,942		240,159		141,654
Capital expenditures						563,361		392,997
Total Assets		24,483,624				24,483,624				$ 22,675,092
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments		5,000		5,400		10,100		10,600
Segment cost of operations share-based compensation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense		1,400		4,400		6,300		12,700
Towers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment site rental revenues		717,645		705,716		1,434,181		1,408,555
Segment network services and other revenues		157,977		142,053		307,592		267,063
Segment revenues		875,622		847,769		1,741,773		1,675,618
Segment site rental cost of operations		211,204		210,444		420,668		415,009
Segment network services and other cost of operations		95,837		81,922		184,773		151,911
Segment cost of operations		307,041	[2]	292,366	[2]	605,441	[3]	566,920	[3]
Segment site rental gross margin		506,441		495,272		1,013,513		993,546
Segment network services gross margin		62,140		60,131		122,819		115,152
Segment general and administrative expenses		22,875	[2]	22,505	[2]	46,635	[3]	46,104	[3]
Segment Operating Profit		545,706		532,898		1,089,697		1,062,594
Capital expenditures		106,950		104,180		208,425		215,221
Total Assets		18,207,697		18,479,117		18,207,697		18,479,117
Small Cells [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment site rental revenues		151,161		98,884		291,561		195,338
Segment network services and other revenues		11,552		15,756		20,943		25,836
Segment revenues		162,713		114,640		312,504		221,174
Segment site rental cost of operations		51,861		34,165		99,107		71,648
Segment network services and other cost of operations		8,604		12,423		16,833		20,458
Segment cost of operations		60,465	[2]	46,588	[2]	115,940	[3]	92,106	[3]
Segment site rental gross margin		99,300		64,719		192,454		123,690
Segment network services gross margin		2,948		3,333		4,110		5,378
Segment general and administrative expenses		18,666	[2]	15,718	[2]	36,355	[3]	31,240	[3]
Segment Operating Profit		83,582		52,334		160,209		97,828
Capital expenditures		188,090		87,450		342,356		167,603
Total Assets		5,810,961		3,199,577		5,810,961		3,199,577
Consolidated Total [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment site rental revenues		868,806		804,600		1,725,742		1,603,893
Segment network services and other revenues		169,529		157,809		328,535		292,899
Segment revenues		1,038,335		962,409		2,054,277		1,896,792
Segment site rental cost of operations		263,065		244,609		519,775		486,657
Segment network services and other cost of operations		104,441		94,345		201,606		172,369
Segment cost of operations		367,506	[2]	338,954	[2]	721,381	[3]	659,026	[3]
Segment site rental gross margin		605,741		559,991		1,205,967		1,117,236
Segment network services gross margin		65,088		63,464		126,929		120,530
Segment general and administrative expenses		82,295	[2]	73,786	[2]	162,950	[3]	148,979	[3]
Segment Operating Profit		588,534		549,669		1,169,946		1,088,787
Stock-based compensation expense		16,835		21,998		41,777		52,703
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net		295,615		276,026		584,164		553,901
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		141,769		129,362		276,256		255,740
Other expenses to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	[4]	17,663		32,341		27,590		84,789
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest		116,652		89,942		240,159		141,654
Capital expenditures		300,946		199,508		563,361		392,997
Total Assets		24,483,624		22,153,074		24,483,624		22,153,074
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment general and administrative expenses		40,754	[2]	35,563	[2]	79,960	[3]	71,635	[3]
Segment Operating Profit		(40,754)		(35,563)		(79,960)		(71,635)
Stock-based compensation expense		16,835		21,998		41,777		52,703
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net		295,615		276,026		584,164		553,901
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs		141,769		129,362		276,256		255,740
Other expenses to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	[4]	17,663		32,341		27,590		84,789
Capital expenditures		5,906		7,878		12,580		10,173
Total Assets		464,966		474,380		464,966		474,380
Segment G&A share-based compensation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense		$ 15,400		$ 17,600		$ 35,500		$ 40,000
[1]	Exclusive of depreciation, amortization and accretion shown separately.
[2]	Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $1.4 million and $4.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.0 million and $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $15.4 million and $17.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
[3]	Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $6.3 million and $12.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $10.1 million and $10.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $35.5 million and $40.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
[4]	See condensed consolidated statement of operations for further information.

Supplemental Cash Flow Inform40

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items]
Interest paid	$ 260,255	$ 217,783
Income taxes paid	10,372	10,186
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable for purchases of property and equipment	(7,825)	(10,197)
Purchase of property and equipment under capital leases and installment purchases	$ 17,933	$ 25,444

Subsequent Events (Details)

Subsequent Events (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Mar. 31, 2017$ / shares	Jun. 30, 2017USD ($)shares$ / shares	Jun. 30, 2016USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016USD ($)$ / shares
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid | $ / shares	[1]	$ 0.950	$ 0.950
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ / shares		$ 0.01		$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity				$ 464,023	$ 323,798
Common Stock [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Date to be Paid	[1]	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date of Record	[1]	Jun. 16, 2017	Mar. 17, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date Declared	[1]	May 18, 2017	Feb. 17, 2017
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares		4,750,000		4,992,300
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity		$ 47		$ 51
Lightower Acquisition [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Fiber Miles Acquired				32,000
3.200% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] | Issuance of debt obligation [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date				Aug. 1, 2017
3.200% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] | Issuance of debt obligation [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 750,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage						0.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date						Jan. 1, 2024
3.650% Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] | Issuance of debt obligation [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 1,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage						0.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date						Jan. 1, 2027
July 2017 Equity Offering [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Transaction Date				Jul. 26, 2017
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares				40,150,000
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity				$ 3,800,000
July 2017 Equity Offering [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Transaction Date				Jul. 26, 2017
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares				1,650,000
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage				6.875%
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ / shares		$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Preferred Stock, Per Share Sales Price | $ / shares				$ 1,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock				$ 1,600,000
May 2017 Equity Offering [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Transaction Date		May 1, 2017
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares		4,750,000
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity		$ 442,000
Lightower Acquisition [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred				$ 7,100,000
Dividend Declared [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividends Payable, Date to be Paid		Sep. 29, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date of Record		Sep. 15, 2017
Dividends Payable, Date Declared		Aug. 3, 2017
Paid subsequent to year end [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid | $ / shares		$ 0.950
Minimum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Conversion factor, Preferred Stock | shares				8.6806
Maximum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Conversion factor, Preferred Stock | shares				10.4167
[1]	Inclusive of dividends accrued for holders of unvested restricted stock units, which will be paid at the time the restricted stock units vest.