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Restructuring and Severance Charges
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Restructuring Charges [Abstract]  
Restructuring Charges [Text Block]
Restructuring and Severance
Liabilities have been established for employee separations, lease abandonment and contract terminations. A summary of activity in the restructuring and severance liability is shown below:
(dollars in millions)
Employee
Separation
 
Lease
Abandonment
 
Other
 
Total
Balance as of December 31, 2013
$
8.4

 
$
5.8

 
$
0.1

 
$
14.3

Charges/(Reversals)
1.0

 
(1.4
)
 
—

 
(0.4
)
Utilizations
(6.4
)
 
(2.6
)
 
—

 
(9.0
)
Balance as of December 31, 2014
3.0

 
1.8

 
0.1

 
4.9

Charges
3.3

 
0.3

 
2.4

 
6.0

Utilizations
(6.1
)
 
(1.3
)
 
(2.4
)
 
(9.8
)
Balance as of December 31, 2015
0.2

 
0.8

 
0.1

 
1.1

Charges/(Reversals)
12.5

 
(0.5
)
 
(0.1
)
 
11.9

Utilizations
(1.7
)
 
(0.1
)
 
—

 
(1.8
)
Balance as of December 31, 2016
$
11.0

 
$
0.2

 
$
—

 
$
11.2


In 2016, employee severance costs were associated with initiatives to reduce costs associated with our legacy copper network, including a voluntary severance program for certain management employees. Employee severance costs were also due to increased in-sourcing of IT professionals by our customers which resulted in headcount reductions in our IT Services and Hardware segment. In 2015, employee severance charges were associated with discontinuing our cyber-security product offering and integrating each of our segments' business markets. In 2014, employee separation charges included charges attributable to outsourcing a portion of our IT function and incurring consulting fees related to a workforce optimization initiative.
Lease abandonment costs represent future minimum lease obligations, net of expected sublease income, for abandoned facilities. Reversals in 2014 were related to previously abandoned leased space that was reoccupied. Lease payments on abandoned facilities will continue through 2019.
Other charges in 2015 represent project related expenses as we identified opportunities to integrate the business markets within our Entertainment and Communications and IT Services & Hardware segments.
A summary of restructuring activity by business segment is presented below:
(dollars in millions)
Entertainment and Communications
 
IT Services and Hardware
 
Corporate
 
Total
Balance as of December 31, 2013
$
10.5

 
$
0.8

 
$
3.0

 
$
14.3

Charges/(Reversals)
(0.5
)
 
—

 
0.1

 
(0.4
)
Utilizations
(6.1
)
 
(0.5
)
 
(2.4
)
 
(9.0
)
Balance as of December 31, 2014
3.9

 
0.3

 
0.7

 
4.9

Charges
1.6

 
2.8

 
1.6

 
6.0

Utilizations
(4.7
)
 
(2.8
)
 
(2.3
)
 
(9.8
)
Balance as of December 31, 2015
0.8

 
0.3

 
—

 
1.1

Charges
7.7

 
3.3

 
0.9

 
11.9

Utilizations
(1.0
)
 
(0.6
)
 
(0.2
)
 
(1.8
)
Balance as of December 31, 2016
$
7.5

 
$
3.0

 
$
0.7

 
$
11.2


At December 31, 2016 and 2015, $7.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively, of the restructuring liabilities were included in “Other current liabilities.” At December 31, 2016 and 2015, $3.8 million and $0.2 million was included in "Other noncurrent liabilities," respectively.
Subsequent to December 31, 2016 the Company finalized a voluntary severance program for certain bargained employees related to an initiative to reduce costs associated with our copper field and network operations. As a result, a severance charge of approximately $25 million will be recorded in the first quarter of 2017.