Entity Central Index Key Business combination recognized identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed current liabilities accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities. Business combination recognized identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed intangible liabilities. Amortization of discount on convertible preferred stock. Participating securities excluding contingent liability portion distributed and undistributed earnings loss basic. Income allocated to participating securities on share settled contingent consideration classified as equity. Adjusted earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization. Transaction related costs. Document and entity information. Document And Entity Information [Abstract] Document Type Document Type Amendment Flag Amendment Flag Document Period End Date Document Period End Date Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Trading Symbol Trading Symbol Entity Registrant Name Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Current Fiscal Year End Date Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Filer Category Entity Filer Category Entity Small Business Entity Small Business Entity Emerging Growth Company Entity Emerging Growth Company Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity Common Stock Shares Outstanding Statement Of Financial Position [Abstract] Statement [Table] Statement [Table] Class of Stock Statement Class Of Stock [Axis] Class of Stock Class Of Stock [Domain] Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Convertible Preferred Stock [Member] Statement [Line Items] Statement [Line Items] Assets: Assets [Abstract] Property, plant and equipment, net Property Plant And Equipment Net Cash and cash equivalents Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value Accounts receivable, net Accounts Receivable Net Goodwill Goodwill Intangible assets, net Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill Straight-line revenue receivable Deferred Rent Receivables Net Derivative asset Derivative Assets Other assets Other Assets Total Assets Assets Liabilities, Convertible Preferred Stock and Shareholders' Deficit: Liabilities And Stockholders Equity [Abstract] Liabilities: Liabilities [Abstract] Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities Accounts Payable And Other Accrued Liabilities Accrued interest payable Interest Payable Current And Noncurrent Deferred revenue Deferred Revenue Dividends payable Dividends Payable Current And Noncurrent Deferred income taxes Deferred Income Tax Liabilities Net Capital lease obligations Capital Lease Obligations Contingent consideration Business Combination Contingent Consideration Liability Notes and other debt, net Long Term Debt Total liabilities Liabilities Commitments and contingencies (Note 12) Commitments And Contingencies Convertible preferred stock, Series A, $0.0001 par value, 88 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, $87,500 liquidation value Temporary Equity Carrying Amount Attributable To Parent Shareholders' Deficit: Stockholders Equity [Abstract] Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 50,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding Preferred Stock Value Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding: 178,210 shares at September 30, 2018 and 174,852 at December 31, 2017 Common Stock Value Additional paid-in capital Additional Paid In Capital Common Stock Accumulated other comprehensive income Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings Accumulated Distributions In Excess Of Net Income Total Uniti shareholders' deficit Stockholders Equity Noncontrolling interests - operating partnership units Minority Interest In Operating Partnerships Total shareholders' deficit Stockholders Equity Including Portion Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Total Liabilities, Convertible Preferred Stock, and Shareholders' Deficit Liabilities And Stockholders Equity Convertible preferred stock, par value Temporary Equity Par Or Stated Value Per Share Convertible preferred stock, shares authorized Temporary Equity Shares Authorized Convertible preferred stock, shares issued Temporary Equity Shares Issued Convertible preferred stock, shares outstanding Temporary Equity Shares Outstanding Convertible preferred stock, liquidation value Temporary Equity Liquidation Preference Preferred stock, par value Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred Stock Shares Authorized Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred Stock Shares Issued Preferred stock, shares outstanding Preferred Stock Shares Outstanding Common stock, par value Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share Common stock, shares authorized Common Stock Shares Authorized Common stock, shares issued Common Stock Shares Issued Common stock, shares outstanding Common Stock Shares Outstanding Income Statement [Abstract] Segments Statement Business Segments [Axis] Segments Segment [Domain] Leasing. Leasing Leasing [Member] Fiber infrastructure. Fiber Infrastructure Fiber Infrastructure [Member] Tower segment. Tower Tower Segment [Member] Consumer CLEC segment. Consumer CLEC Consumer C L E C Segment [Member] Revenues: Revenues [Abstract] Total revenues Revenues Costs and Expenses: Costs And Expenses [Abstract] Interest expense Interest Expense Depreciation and amortization Depreciation And Amortization General and administrative expense General And Administrative Expense Operating expense (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) Operating Expenses Transaction related costs Transaction Related Cost Other (income) expense Other Operating Income Expense Net Total costs and expenses Costs And Expenses Income (loss) before income taxes Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest Income tax benefit Income Tax Expense Benefit Net income (loss) Profit Loss Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests Net Income Loss Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders Net Income Loss Participating securities' share in earnings Participating Securities Distributed And Undistributed Earnings Loss Basic Dividends declared on convertible preferred stock Temporary Equity Dividends Adjustment Amortization of discount on convertible preferred stock Amortization Of Discount On Convertible Preferred Stock Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic Earnings (loss) per common share: Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Basic Earnings Per Share Basic Diluted Earnings Per Share Diluted Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding: Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding [Abstract] Basic Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic Diluted Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding Dividends declared per common share Common Stock Dividends Per Share Declared Statement Of Income And Comprehensive Income [Abstract] Net income (loss) Other comprehensive income (loss): Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract] Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative contracts Other Comprehensive Income Unrealized Gain Loss On Derivatives Arising During Period Net Of Tax Changes in foreign currency translation Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Other comprehensive income: Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Comprehensive income (loss) Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax Including Portion Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to common shareholders Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax Adjustment to additional paid in capital due to amortization of discount on convertible preferred stock. Stock issued during period value at-the-market, net of offering costs. Stock issued during period shares at-the-market, net of offering costs. Statement Of Stockholders Equity [Abstract] Equity Components Statement Equity Components [Axis] Equity Component Equity Component [Domain] Preferred Stock Preferred Stock [Member] Common Stock Common Stock [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital Additional Paid In Capital [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Accumulated Distributions In Excess Of Net Income [Member] Noncontrolling Interest Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Beginning balance, value Beginning balance, shares Shares Outstanding At-the-market issuance of common stock, net of offering costs Stock Issued During Period Value At Market Net Of Offering Costs At-the-market issuance of common stock, net of offering, shares Stock Issued During Period Shares At Market Net Of Offering Costs Issuance of common stock Stock Issued During Period Value New Issues Issuance of common stock, shares Stock Issued During Period Shares New Issues Amortization of discount on convertible preferred stock Adjustment To Additional Paid In Capital Due To Amortization Of Discount On Convertible Preferred Stock Other comprehensive income Common stock dividends Dividends Common Stock Convertible preferred stock dividends Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Dividends In Excess Of Retained Earnings Equity issuance cost Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Stock Issued Issuance Costs Contributions from noncontrolling interest holders Noncontrolling Interest Increase From Subsidiary Equity Issuance Distributions to noncontrolling interest Minority Interest Decrease From Distributions To Noncontrolling Interest Holders Net share settlement Adjustments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation Stock-based compensation Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value Stock-based compensation, shares Stock Issued During Period Shares Share Based Compensation Impact of change in accounting standard Cumulative Effect On Retained Earnings Net Of Tax1 Ending balance, value Ending balance, shares Payment for acquisition of ground lease investments. Payments of contingent consideration. Proceeds from issuance of stock net of issuance costs. Tenant capital improvements. Cash flow from operating activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities [Abstract] Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Adjustments To Reconcile Net Income Loss To Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities [Abstract] Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount Amortization Of Financing Costs And Discounts Deferred income taxes Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit Straight-line revenues Straight Line Rent Stock-based compensation Share Based Compensation Change in fair value of contingent consideration Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements Change In Amount Of Contingent Consideration Liability1 Other Other Noncash Income Expense Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions: Increase Decrease In Operating Capital [Abstract] Accounts receivable Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable Other assets Increase Decrease In Other Operating Assets Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable And Accrued Liabilities Net cash provided by operating activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities Cash flow from investing activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities [Abstract] Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired Payments To Acquire Businesses Net Of Cash Acquired Acquisition of ground lease investments Payment For Acquisition Of Ground Lease Investments NMS asset acquisitions (Note 4) Payments To Acquire Businesses Gross Other capital expenditures Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment Net cash used in investing activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities Cash flow from financing activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities [Abstract] Principal payments on debt Repayments Of Debt Dividends paid Payments Of Dividends Payments of contingent consideration Payments Of Contingent Consideration Proceeds from issuance of Notes Proceeds From Notes Payable Distributions paid to noncontrolling interest Payments Of Dividends Minority Interest Borrowings under revolving credit facility Proceeds From Lines Of Credit Payments under revolving credit facility Repayments Of Lines Of Credit Capital lease payments Repayments Of Long Term Capital Lease Obligations Deferred financing costs Payments Of Financing Costs Common stock issuance, net of costs Proceeds From Issuance Of Stock Net Of Issuance Costs Net share settlement Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Cash And Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value Including Discontinued Operations Cash and cash equivalents at end of period Non-cash investing and financing activities: Cash Flow Noncash Investing And Financing Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Property and equipment acquired but not yet paid Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid Tenant capital improvements Tenant Capital Improvements Acquisition of businesses through non-cash consideration Business Combination Consideration Transferred Equity Interests Issued And Issuable Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract] Organization and Description of Business Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block] Accounting Policies [Abstract] Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] Revenue From Contract With Customer [Abstract] Revenues Revenue From Contract With Customer [Text Block] Business Combinations [Abstract] Business Combinations and Asset Acquisitions Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block] Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] Property Plant And Equipment [Abstract] Property, Plant and Equipment Property Plant And Equipment Disclosure [Text Block] Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block] Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] Goodwill and Intangible Assets and Liabilities Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block] Long Term Debt [Abstract] Notes and Other Debt Long Term Debt [Text Block] Earnings Per Share Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Segment Reporting [Abstract]