Property, Plant And Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Property, Plant And Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant And Equipment, Net

	Estimated
($ in millions)	Useful Lives	2018		2017
Land	N/A	$	230	$	231
Buildings and leasehold improvements	40 years		2,302		2,282
General support	5 to 15 years		1,616		1,570
Central office/electronic circuit equipment	5 to 18 years		8,447		8,137
Poles	30 years		1,211		1,095
Cable, fiber and wire	15 to 25 years		11,743		10,997
Conduit	50 years		1,672		1,646
Construction work in progress			436		538
Property, plant and equipment			27,657		26,496
Less: Accumulated depreciation			(13,470)		(12,119)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	14,187	$	14,377

Schedule Of Depreciation Expense

	For the year ended December 31,
($ in millions)	2018		2017		2016
Depreciation expense	$	1,385	$	1,485	$	1,388