Description of Business and Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Accounting Policies	1. Description of Business and Accounting Policies Description of Business — Cincinnati Bell Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries ("Cincinnati Bell," "we," "our," "us" or the "Company") provide diversified telecommunications and technology services. The Company generates a large portion of its revenue by serving customers in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dayton, Ohio and the islands of Hawaii. An economic downturn or natural disaster occurring in these, or a portion of these, limited operating territories could have a disproportionate effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows compared to similar companies of a national scope and similar companies operating in different geographic areas. The Company has receivables with one customer, Verizon Communications Inc., which make up 13% and 25% of the outstanding accounts receivable balance at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Revenue derived from foreign operations was approximately 5% of consolidated revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Basis of Presentation — The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, other comprehensive income, financial position and cash flows for each period presented. The adjustments referred to above are of a normal and recurring nature. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to SEC rules and regulations for interim reporting. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2019 was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year or any other interim period. Use of Estimates — Preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to various regulatory and tax proceedings, lawsuits, claims and other matters. The Company believes adequate provision has been made for all such asserted and unasserted claims in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties and outcomes that are not predictable with assurance. On March 13, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) called on broadband and telephone service providers to keep Americans connected as the country reacts to the serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Cincinnati Bell, on behalf of all of its affiliates, including Hawaiian Telecom, signed on to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge and committed to waive late fees for, and not terminate service to, any of our consumer or small business customers who did not pay their bills timely due to an inability to pay caused by the COVID-19 crisis. As of March 31, 2020, our allowance for credit losses considered the current and potential future impacts caused by COVID-19 on each of the segments based on available information to date. It is reasonably possible that, as the economic factors and impacts of COVID-19 continue to evolve, the estimate could change and the effect could be material depending on the duration of the stay at home orders and social distancing mandates communicated by the local, state and federal governments. In the three months ended March 31, 2020, the incremental increase to the allowance for doubtful accounts resulted in bad debt expense of $1.6 million. With the exception of the incremental increase to the allowance for doubtful accounts, the Company is not aware of any other specific events or circumstances that would require updates to the Company’s estimates and judgements, or revisions to the carrying value of its assets or liabilities as of the date of issuance of these financial statements. These estimates may change, as new events occur and additional information is obtained, and such change requires an update in the consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates and any such differences may be material to the financial statements. Accounting Policies — The complete summary of significant accounting policies is included in the notes to the consolidated financial statements as presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Income and Operating Taxes Income taxes — In accordance with ASC 740-270, the Company’s income tax provision for interim periods is determined through the use of an estimated annual effective tax rate applied to year-to-date ordinary income/loss plus or minus the tax effects of discrete items. The Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate benefit is lower than statutory rates as a result of permanent items such as meals and entertainment expenses that are not fully deductible for tax. The net effect of several discrete items recorded in the quarter increased the tax benefit. Most significantly, the Company released a $14.4 million valuation allowance that was previously recorded on deferred tax assets related to interest expense for which the tax deduction was limited. The release of this valuation allowance was driven by the enactment of the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) on March 27, 2020, which contains provisions that increase the Company’s ability to deduct interest expense. Discrete tax benefits were offset, in part, by the $6.5 million tax effect of nondeductible transaction costs. Operating taxes — The Company elected to record certain operating taxes such as property, sales, use, and gross receipts taxes including telecommunications surcharges as expenses, primarily within cost of services and products. These taxes are not included in income tax expense because the amounts to be paid are not dependent on our level of income. Liabilities for audit exposures are established based on management's assessment of the probability of payment. The provision for such liabilities is recognized as either property, plant and equipment, operating tax expense, or depreciation expense depending on the nature of the audit exposure. Upon resolution of an audit, any remaining liability not paid is released against the account in which it was originally recorded. Certain telecommunication taxes and surcharges that are collected from customers are also recorded as revenue; however, in accordance with ASC 606, revenue associated with these charges is excluded from the transaction price. In the first quarter of 2020, the Company released $2.3 million of sales and use tax reserve due to favorable audit results in the quarter. Derivative Financial Instruments — The Company accounts for derivative financial instruments by recognizing derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value and recognizing the resulting gains or losses as adjustments to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations or "Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss." The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. For derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of "Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss" in stockholder's equity and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. To receive hedge accounting treatment, cash flow hedges must be highly effective in offsetting changes to expected future cash flows on hedged transactions. Derivatives that do not qualify as hedges are adjusted to fair value through earnings in the current period. Recently Issued Accounting Standards In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the U.S. GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. These amendments are effective as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020 and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating our contracts and the optional expedients provided by the new standard. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which replaces the incurred loss model with the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model to estimate credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. The CECL model requires a company to estimate credit losses expected over the life of the financial assets based on all relevant information including historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the amounts. This standard is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The standard requires a modified retrospective approach by recording a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. ASU 2016-13 was amended in November 2018 by the provisions of ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, in April 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, in May 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Loses (Topic 326), and in November 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-11, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. The Company adopted this ASU and all subsequent amendments effective January 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard, as amended, did not have a material effect on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standard-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

Description of Business and Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Description of Business and Accounting Policies

1. Description of Business and Accounting Policies

Description of Business — Cincinnati Bell Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries ("Cincinnati Bell," "we," "our," "us" or the "Company") provide diversified telecommunications and technology services. The Company generates a large portion of its revenue by serving customers in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dayton, Ohio and the islands of Hawaii. An economic downturn or natural disaster occurring in these, or a portion of these, limited operating territories could have a disproportionate effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows compared to similar companies of a national scope and similar companies operating in different geographic areas.

The Company has receivables with one customer, Verizon Communications Inc., which make up 13% and 25% of the outstanding accounts receivable balance at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Revenue derived from foreign operations was approximately 5% of consolidated revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Basis of Presentation — The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, other comprehensive income, financial position and cash flows for each period presented.

The adjustments referred to above are of a normal and recurring nature. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to SEC rules and regulations for interim reporting.

The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2019 was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year or any other interim period.

Use of Estimates — Preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to various regulatory and tax proceedings, lawsuits, claims and other matters. The Company believes adequate provision has been made for all such asserted and unasserted claims in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties and outcomes that are not predictable with assurance.

On March 13, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) called on broadband and telephone service providers to keep Americans connected as the country reacts to the serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Cincinnati Bell, on behalf of all of its affiliates, including Hawaiian Telecom, signed on to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge and committed to waive late fees for, and not terminate service to, any of our consumer or small business customers who did not pay their bills timely due to an inability to pay caused by the COVID-19 crisis. As of March 31, 2020, our allowance for credit losses considered the current and potential future impacts caused by COVID-19 on each of the segments based on available information to date. It is reasonably possible that, as the economic factors and impacts of COVID-19 continue to evolve, the estimate could change and the effect could be material depending on the duration of the stay at home orders and social distancing mandates communicated by the local, state and federal governments. In the three months ended March 31, 2020, the incremental increase to the allowance for doubtful accounts resulted in bad debt expense of $1.6 million. With the exception of the incremental increase to the allowance for doubtful accounts, the Company is not aware of any other specific events or circumstances that would require updates to the Company’s estimates and judgements, or revisions to the carrying value of its assets or liabilities as of the date of issuance of these financial statements. These estimates may change, as new events occur and additional information is obtained, and such change requires an update in the consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates and any such differences may be material to the financial statements.

Accounting Policies — The complete summary of significant accounting policies is included in the notes to the consolidated financial statements as presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

Income and Operating Taxes

Income taxes — In accordance with ASC 740-270, the Company’s income tax provision for interim periods is determined through the use of an estimated annual effective tax rate applied to year-to-date ordinary income/loss plus or minus the tax effects of discrete items. The Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate benefit is lower than statutory rates as a result of permanent items such as meals and entertainment expenses that are not fully deductible for tax. The net effect of several discrete items recorded in the quarter increased the tax benefit. Most significantly, the Company released a $14.4 million valuation allowance that was previously recorded on deferred tax assets related to interest expense for which the tax deduction was limited. The release of this valuation allowance was driven by the enactment of the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) on March 27, 2020, which contains provisions that increase the Company’s ability to deduct interest expense. Discrete tax benefits were offset, in part, by the $6.5 million tax effect of nondeductible transaction costs.

Operating taxes — The Company elected to record certain operating taxes such as property, sales, use, and gross receipts taxes including telecommunications surcharges as expenses, primarily within cost of services and products. These taxes are not included in income tax expense because the amounts to be paid are not dependent on our level of income. Liabilities for audit exposures are established based on management's assessment of the probability of payment. The provision for such liabilities is recognized as either property, plant and equipment, operating tax expense, or depreciation expense depending on the nature of the audit exposure. Upon resolution of an audit, any remaining liability not paid is released against the account in which it was originally recorded. Certain telecommunication taxes and surcharges that are collected from customers are also recorded as revenue; however, in accordance with ASC 606, revenue associated with these charges is excluded from the transaction price. In the first quarter of 2020, the Company released $2.3 million of sales and use tax reserve due to favorable audit results in the quarter.

Derivative Financial Instruments — The Company accounts for derivative financial instruments by recognizing derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value and recognizing the resulting gains or losses as adjustments to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations or "Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss." The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes.

For derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of "Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss" in stockholder's equity and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. To receive hedge accounting treatment, cash flow hedges must be highly effective in offsetting changes to expected future cash flows on hedged transactions. Derivatives that do not qualify as hedges are adjusted to fair value through earnings in the current period.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the U.S. GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. These amendments are effective as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020 and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating our contracts and the optional expedients provided by the new standard.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which replaces the incurred loss model with the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model to estimate credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. The CECL model requires a company to estimate credit losses expected over the life of the financial assets based on all relevant information including historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the amounts. This standard is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The standard requires a modified retrospective approach by recording a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. ASU 2016-13 was amended in November 2018 by the provisions of ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, in April 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, in May 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Loses (Topic 326), and in November 2019 by the provisions of ASU 2019-11, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. The Company adopted this ASU and all subsequent amendments effective January 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard, as amended, did not have a material effect on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standard-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements upon adoption.