Operating Segments Operating Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]



	Three Months Ended September 30, 2016									Three Months Ended September 30, 2015
	Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total		Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total
Segment site rental revenues	$	709,603	$	102,429				$	812,032	$	686,934	$	77,672				$	764,606
Segment network services and other revenues	166,979		13,005					179,984		138,566		14,935					153,501
Segment revenues	876,582		115,434					992,016		825,500		92,607					918,107
Segment site rental cost of operations	210,322		37,754					248,076		209,056		30,449					239,505
Segment network services and other cost of operations	97,395		10,194					107,589		75,302		10,213					85,515
Segment cost of operations^(a)	307,717		47,948					355,665		284,358		40,662					325,020
Segment site rental gross margin	499,281		64,675					563,956		477,878		47,223					525,101
Segment network services and other gross margin	69,584		2,811					72,395		63,264		4,722					67,986
Segment general and administrative expenses ^(a)	22,225		14,480		35,526			72,231		22,994		10,194		30,741			63,929
Segment operating profit	546,640		53,006		(35,526		)	564,120		518,148		41,751		(30,741		)	529,158
Stock-based compensation expense					22,594			22,594						16,466			16,466
Depreciation, amortization and accretion					280,824			280,824						261,662			261,662
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs					129,916			129,916						129,877			129,877
Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes					27,379			27,379						20,653			20,653
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes								$	103,407								$	100,500
Capital expenditures	$	103,679	$	111,885	$	5,617		$	221,181	$	136,327	$	95,067	$	5,963		$	237,357
Total assets (at period end)	$	18,466,528	$	3,298,927	$	406,268		$	22,171,723	$	17,999,121	$	3,458,941	$	433,406		$	21,891,468

(a)

Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $4.9 million and $3.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.4 million and $5.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $17.7 million and $12.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.



	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016									Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015
	Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total		Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total
Segment site rental revenues	$	2,118,159	$	297,767				$	2,415,926	$	2,040,147	$	192,930				$	2,233,077
Segment network services and other revenues	434,042		38,841					472,883		445,683		39,255					484,938
Segment revenues	2,552,201		336,608					2,888,809		2,485,830		232,185					2,718,015
Segment site rental cost of operations	625,331		109,402					734,733		620,726		73,818					694,544
Segment network services and other cost of operations	249,306		30,652					279,958		229,164		30,034					259,198
Segment cost of operations^(a)	874,637		140,054					1,014,691		849,890		103,852					953,742
Segment site rental gross margin	1,492,828		188,365					1,681,193		1,419,421		119,112					1,538,533
Segment network services and other gross margin	184,736		8,189					192,925		216,519		9,221					225,740
Segment general and administrative expenses ^(a)	68,329		45,720		107,161			221,210		68,245		25,664		90,981			184,890
Segment operating profit	1,609,235		150,834		(107,161		)	1,652,908		1,567,695		102,669		(90,981		)	1,579,383
Stock-based compensation expense					75,297			75,297						49,282			49,282
Depreciation, amortization and accretion					834,725			834,725						766,621			766,621
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs					385,656			385,656						398,782			398,782
Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes					112,170			112,170						(8,483		)	(8,483		)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes								$	245,060								$	373,181
Capital expenditures	$	318,900	$	279,488	$	15,790		$	614,178	$	427,398	$	213,259	$	17,583		$	658,240

(a)

Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $17.6 million and $10.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $16.0 million and $15.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $57.7 million and $39.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.