Intangible Assets

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Intangible Assets

Note 6. Intangible Assets

Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

	December 31, 2011		Net Additions		June 30, 2012
			(in millions)
FCC licenses	$	20,044	$	135	$	20,179
Trademarks	409		—		409
Goodwill	359		—		359
	$	20,812	$	135	$	20,947

We hold 1.9 gigahertz (GHz), 800 megahertz (MHz), and 900 MHz Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses authorizing the use of radio frequency spectrum to deploy our wireless services. We also hold FCC licenses that are not yet placed in service but that we intend to use in accordance with FCC requirements. As long as the Company acts within the requirements and constraints of the regulatory authorities, the renewal and extension of these licenses is reasonably certain at minimal cost. We are not aware of any technology being developed that would render this spectrum obsolete and have concluded that these licenses are indefinite-lived intangible assets. Our Sprint and Boost Mobile trademarks have also been identified as indefinite-lived intangible assets. Goodwill represents the excess of consideration paid over the estimated fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in business combinations.

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization

Sprint's customer relationships are amortized using the sum of the years' digits method. We reduce the gross carrying value and associated accumulated amortization when specified intangible assets become fully amortized.

		June 30, 2012							December 31, 2011
	Useful Lives	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value		Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value
							(in millions)
Customer relationships	4 to 5 years	$	341	$	(323	)	$	18	$	341	$	(297	)	$	44
Other intangible assets
Trademarks	10 to 37 years	1,168		(633		)	535		1,169		(585		)	584
Reacquired rights	9 to 14 years	1,571		(718		)	853		1,571		(652		)	919
Other	9 to 10 years	131		(67		)	64		126		(57		)	69
Total other intangible assets		2,870		(1,418		)	1,452		2,866		(1,294		)	1,572
Total definite-lived intangible assets		$	3,211	$	(1,741	)	$	1,470	$	3,207	$	(1,591	)	$	1,616