Retirement Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Retirement Plans [Abstract]

Projected Benefit Obligations, Fair Values of Plan Assets and Amounts Recognized in the Balance Sheet

($ in millions)	2017		2016
Change in projected benefit obligation (PBO)
PBO at beginning of year	$	3,465	$	2,142
Service cost		97		88
Interest cost		127		122
Actuarial (gain)/loss		214		137
Benefits paid		(59)		(155)
CTF Acquisition PBO		-		1,108
Settlements		(486)		-
Special termination benefits		5		23
PBO at end of year	$	3,363	$	3,465
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	2,766	$	1,572
Fair value of plan assets for the CTF operations as of acquisition date		-		1,120
Actual return on plan assets		378		201
Employer contributions		206		28
Settlements		(486)		-
Differential payment received from Verizon		(131)		-
Benefits paid		(59)		(155)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	2,674	$	2,766
Funded status	$	(689)	$	(699)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet
Pension and other postretirement benefits - current	$	-	$	-
Pension and other postretirement benefits - noncurrent	$	(689)	$	(699)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$	556	$	647

Net Periodic Benefit Cost

($ in millions)	2017		2016		2015
Components of total pension benefit cost
Service cost	$	97	$	88	$	55
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation		127		122		88
Expected return on plan assets		(186)		(168)		(129)
Amortization of unrecognized loss		30		40		29
Net periodic pension benefit cost		68		82		43
Pension settlement costs		83		-		-
Special termination benefits		5		23		-
Total pension benefit cost	$	156	$	105	$	43

Weighted Average Asset Allocations, By Asset Category

	2017		2016
Asset category:
Equity securities	50	%	50	%
Debt securities	40	%	38	%
Alternative investments	10	%	11	%
Cash and other	-	%	1	%
Total	100	%	100	%

Expected Benefit Payments Over The Next Ten Years

($ in millions)	Amount
2018	$	265
2019		256
2020		251
2021		245
2022		237
2023-2027		1,122
Total	$	2,376

Schedule of Assumptions Used

	2017		2016		2015
Discount rate - used at year end to value obligation	3.70	%	4.10	%	4.50	%
Discount rate - used to compute annual cost	4.10	%	4.50	%	4.10	%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets	7.50	%	7.50	%	7.75	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	2.50	%	2.50	%	2.50	%

Schedule of Changes in Projected benefit Obligations for OPEB

($ in millions)	2017		2016
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	925	$	626
CTF Acquisition PBO		-		276
Service cost		21		19
Interest cost		40		37
Plan participants' contributions		7		5
Actuarial (gain)/loss		54		(18)
Benefits paid		(31)		(23)
Special termination benefits		-		3
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	1,016	$	925
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	-	$	-
Plan participants' contributions		7		5
Employer contribution		24		18
Benefits paid		(31)		(23)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	-	$	-
Funded status	$	(1,016)	$	(925)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet
Pension and other postretirement benefits - current	$	(29)	$	(23)
Pension and other postretirement benefits - noncurrent	$	(987)	$	(902)
Accumulated other comprehensive (gain)/loss	$	33	$	(29)

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs For OPEB

($ in millions)	2017		2016		2015
Components of total postretirement benefit cost
Service cost	$	21	$	19	$	19
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation		40		37		30
Amortization of prior service (credit)/costs		(9)		(9)		(5)
Amortization of unrecognized loss		-		1		8
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost		52		48		52
Special termination benefits		-		3		-
Total postretirement benefit cost	$	52	$	51	$	52

Schedule of Assumptions Used for OPEB

	2017	2016	2015
Discount rate - used at year end to value obligation	3.70% - 3.80%	4.10% - 4.30%	4.50% - 4.70%
Discount rate - used to compute annual cost	4.10% - 4.30%	4.50% - 4.70%	4.10% - 4.20%

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments for OPEB

($ in millions)	Gross Benefit		Medicare Part D Subsidy		Total
2018	$	30	$	-	$	30
2019		37		-		37
2020		44		-		44
2021		49		-		49
2022		52		-		52
2023-2027		306		2		308
Total	$	518	$	2	$	520

Net Periodic Benefit Cost Not Yet Recognized

	Pension Plan				OPEB
($ in millions)	2017		2016		2017		2016
Net actuarial loss	$	556	$	647	$	54	$	1
Prior service cost/(credit)		-		-		(21)		(30)
Total	$	556	$	647	$	33	$	(29)

Amounts Recognized As A Componenet Of AOCI

	Pension Plan				OPEB
($ in millions)	2017		2016		2017		2016
Accumulated other comprehensive (gain)/loss at
beginning of year	$	647	$	584	$	(29)	$	(20)
Net actuarial gain/(loss) recognized during year		(30)		(40)		-		(1)
Prior service (cost)/credit recognized during year		-		-		9		9
Net actuarial loss/(gain) occurring during year		22		103		53		(17)
Settlement loss recognized		(83)		-		-		-
Net amount recognized in comprehensive income
(loss) for the year		(91)		63		62		(9)
Accumulated other comprehensive (gain)/loss at
end of year	$	556	$	647	$	33	$	(29)