Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Income Taxes

Schedule of components of provision for income tax

	2014			2013			2012
	(Dollars in Millions)
Current tax expense:
U.S. federal	$	1,296		$	911		$	980
Foreign		240			293			309
State and local		102			176			113
Total		1,638			1,380			1,402
Deferred tax expense (benefit):
U.S. federal		(56	)		224			(25	)
Foreign		38			34			63
State and local		53			(35	)		25
Total		35			223			63
Total income tax expense	$	1,673		$	1,603		$	1,465

Schedule of income before income taxes, by jurisdictions

	2014		2013		2012
	(Dollars in Millions)
U.S. income	$	3,853	$	3,509	$	3,442
Foreign income		595		979		1,000
Total	$	4,448	$	4,488	$	4,442

Schedule of reconciliation of income tax expense

	2014			2013			2012
	(Dollars in Millions)
Expected expense at U.S. federal statutory income tax rate	$	1,557		$	1,571		$	1,555
U.S. state and local income tax expense, net of federal benefit		71			91			87
Change in unrecognized tax benefits and settlements		28			(28	)		(154	)
Foreign taxes, net of federal tax benefits		(49	)		(21	)		(3	)
Change in valuation allowance		—			(16	)		3
Currency devaluation		121			29			—
Tax credits		(79	)		(44	)		(30	)
Other		24			21			7
Total income tax expense	$	1,673		$	1,603		$	1,465

Schedule of temporary differences and carryforwards that gave rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities

	2014					2013
	Deferred Tax Assets			Deferred Tax Liabilities		Deferred Tax Assets			Deferred Tax Liabilities
	(Dollars in Millions)
Accruals and advances	$	433		$	313	$	471		$	275
Prepaid expenses		—			40		—			32
State taxes		52			—		33			—
Depreciation, amortization and asset impairment charges		—			1,785		—			1,745
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards		842			—		847			—
Programming contract liabilities		33			—		18			—
Unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses		—			11		—			23
Tax basis differences in investments and affiliates		219			837		203			853
Other		—			1		—			10
Subtotal		1,579			2,987		1,572			2,938
Valuation allowance		(346	)		—		(367	)		—
Total deferred taxes	$	1,233		$	2,987	$	1,205		$	2,938

Schedule of reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the total amounts of gross unrecognized tax benefits

	Gross Unrecognized Tax Benefits
	(Dollars in Millions)
Balance as of January 1, 2012	$	390
Increases in tax positions for the current year		35
Decreases in tax positions for prior years		(6	)
Expirations of the statute of limitations		(141	)
Balance as of December 31, 2012		278
Increases in tax positions for prior years		126
Decreases in tax positions for prior years		(3	)
Increases in tax positions for the current year		214
Settlements with taxing authorities		(25	)
Expirations of the statute of limitations		(1	)
Balance as of December 31, 2013		589
Increases in tax positions for prior years		47
Decreases in tax positions for prior years		(53	)
Increases in tax positions for the current year		209
Settlements with taxing authorities		(6	)
Expirations of the statute of limitations		(2	)
Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	784