ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) using the shelf registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we, or certain of our security holders, may from time to time sell the securities described in this prospectus in one
or more offerings.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we or a selling security holder may
offer. Each time we, or, under certain circumstances, our security holders, sell securities in a manner not described herein, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the offering and the
means of distribution. A prospectus supplement may include other special considerations applicable to such offering of securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency
between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing
prospectus relating to the specific issue of securities, together with the additional information described under the heading Where You Can Find More Information, before you decide to invest in any of these securities.
The prospectus supplement will describe: the terms of the securities offered, any initial public offering price, the price paid to us for the
securities, the net proceeds to us, the manner of distribution and any underwriting compensation and the other specific material terms related to the offering of the applicable securities. For more detail on the terms of the securities, you should
read the exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference in our registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
In this
prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, the terms Crown Castle, we, our, Company and us refer to Crown Castle International Corp., a Delaware corporation,
and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. Additionally, unless the context suggests otherwise, references to U.S. are to the United States of America and Puerto Rico, collectively.
References to securities include any security that we or our security holders might sell under this prospectus or any prospectus
supplement.
We prepare our financial statements, including all of the financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus,
in U.S. dollars and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Our fiscal year ends on December 31. In this prospectus, except where otherwise indicated, references to $ or dollars are to the
lawful currency of the United States.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents
described herein. Please refer to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of the documents referred to herein have been filed, or will be filed or
incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described under the heading Where You Can Find More Information.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus, together
with the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. The distribution of this prospectus and the sale of these securities in certain jurisdictions may be
restricted by law. Persons in possession of this prospectus are required to inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, the date of the
applicable prospectus supplement, the date of the applicable free writing prospectus or the date of such incorporated document, as the case may be. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since
the applicable date.
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