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Long-lived Assets
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Long-lived Assets [Abstract]  
Long-lived Assets Long-lived Assets

Property and Equipment, Net
        
The details of our property and equipment and the related accumulated depreciation are set forth below:
 
Estimated useful life at
December 31, 2018
 
December 31,
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
 
 
in millions
 
 
 
 
 
 
Distribution systems
3 to 30 years
 
$
17,845.4

 
$
17,465.0

Customer premises equipment
3 to 7 years
 
4,191.2

 
4,341.0

Support equipment, buildings and land
2 to 50 years
 
4,933.7

 
4,781.4

Total property and equipment, gross
 
26,970.3

 
26,587.4

Accumulated depreciation
 
(13,091.4
)
 
(12,438.4
)
Total property and equipment, net
 
$
13,878.9

 
$
14,149.0



Depreciation expense related to our property and equipment was $3,217.1 million, $3,187.4 million and $3,190.2 million during 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the amount of property and equipment, net, recorded under capital leases was $545.5 million and $559.7 million, respectively. Most of these amounts relate to assets included in our distribution systems category. Depreciation of assets under capital leases is included in depreciation and amortization in our consolidated statements of operations.

During 2018, 2017 and 2016, we recorded non-cash increases to our property and equipment related to vendor financing arrangements of $2,175.5 million, $2,336.2 million and $1,811.2 million, respectively, which exclude related VAT of $347.3 million, $387.1 million and $247.4 million, respectively, that was also financed by our vendors under these arrangements. In addition, during 2018, 2017 and 2016, we recorded non-cash increases to our property and equipment related to assets acquired under capital leases of $102.4 million, $106.7 million and $100.4 million, respectively.

Goodwill

Changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill during 2018 are set forth below:
 
January 1,
2018
 
Acquisitions
and related
adjustments
 
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments
 
December 31,
2018
 
in millions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.K./Ireland
$
8,134.1

 
$
2.0

 
$
(465.1
)
 
$
7,671.0

Belgium
2,681.7

 
24.9

 
(130.3
)
 
2,576.3

Switzerland
2,931.3

 
(0.3
)
 
(27.1
)
 
2,903.9

Central and Eastern Europe
607.0

 
—

 
(42.4
)
 
564.6

Total
$
14,354.1

 
$
26.6

 
$
(664.9
)
 
$
13,715.8



If, among other factors, (i) our equity values were to decline or (ii) the adverse impacts of economic, competitive, regulatory or other factors were to cause our results of operations or cash flows to be worse than anticipated, we could conclude in future periods that impairment charges are required in order to reduce the carrying values of our goodwill and, to a lesser extent, other long-lived assets. Any such impairment charges could be significant.

Changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill during 2017 are set forth below:
 
January 1,
2017
 
Acquisitions
and related
adjustments
 
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments
 
December 31,
2017
 
 
 
in millions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.K./Ireland
$
7,412.3

 
$
2.3

 
$
719.5

 
$
8,134.1

Belgium
2,032.7

 
338.6

 
310.4

 
2,681.7

Switzerland
2,805.6

 
—

 
125.7

 
2,931.3

Central and Eastern Europe
507.9

 
—

 
99.1

 
607.0

Total
$
12,758.5

 
$
340.9

 
$
1,254.7

 
$
14,354.1



Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization, Net

The details of our intangible assets subject to amortization are set forth below: 
 
Estimated useful life at December 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
 
Gross carrying amount
 
Accumulated amortization
 
Net carrying amount
 
Gross carrying amount
 
Accumulated amortization
 
Net carrying amount
 
 
 
in millions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer relationships
2 to 10 years
 
$
3,673.1

 
$
(2,914.2
)
 
$
758.9

 
$
4,041.0

 
$
(2,745.8
)
 
$
1,295.2

Other
2 to 20 years
 
521.3

 
(249.0
)
 
272.3

 
531.9

 
(218.6
)
 
313.3

Total
 
$
4,194.4

 
$
(3,163.2
)
 
$
1,031.2

 
$
4,572.9

 
$
(2,964.4
)
 
$
1,608.5



Amortization expense related to intangible assets with finite useful lives was $641.1 million, $603.2 million and $927.5 million during 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Based on our amortizable intangible asset balances at December 31, 2018, we expect that amortization expense will be as follows for the next five years and thereafter. The U.S. dollar equivalents of such amortization expense amounts as of December 31, 2018 are presented below (in millions): 
2019
$
521.4

2020
167.0

2021
82.2

2022
34.0

2023
28.5

Thereafter
198.1

Total
$
1,031.2