Variable Interest Entities - Consolidated Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,076		$ 465
Accounts receivable	949		1,005
Inventory, net	164		169
Other current assets	39		29
Assets held for sale	19		0
Licenses	2,637		2,480
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,727		3,527
Operating lease right-of-use assets	988		972
Other assets and deferred charges	580		607
Total assets	11,895	[1]	10,781	[1]	$ 10,881
Liabilities
Current liabilities	965		962
Long-term operating lease liabilities	938		931
Other deferred liabilities and credits	530		481
Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	19		19
Accounts receivable	618		637
Inventory, net	3		5
Other current assets	18		7
Assets held for sale	18		0
Licenses	637		647
Property, plant and equipment, net	108		95
Operating lease right-of-use assets	42		42
Other assets and deferred charges	317		347
Total assets	1,780		1,799
Liabilities
Current liabilities	26		30
Long-term operating lease liabilities	38		39
Other deferred liabilities and credits	20		13
Total liabilities	$ 84		$ 82

[1] The consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $1,070 million and $915 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of TDS. The consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $19 million and $20 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of TDS. See Note 10 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.