We earn revenue from contracts with customers, primarily through the provision of telecommunications and other services and through the sale of wireless equipment. These services include a variety of communication and connectivity services for our Consumer and Business customers including other carriers that use our facilities to provide services to their customers, as well as professional and integrated managed services for our large enterprises and government customers. We account for these revenues under Topic 606, which we adopted on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. We also earn revenues that are not accounted for under Topic 606 from leasing arrangements (such as those for towers and equipment), captive reinsurance arrangements primarily related to wireless device insurance and the interest on equipment financed under a device payment plan agreement when sold to the customer by an authorized agent.

We applied the new revenue recognition standard to customer contracts not completed at the date of initial adoption. For incomplete contracts that were modified before the date of adoption, the Company elected to use the practical expedient available under the modified retrospective method, which allows us to aggregate the effect of all modifications when identifying satisfied and unsatisfied performance obligations, determining the transaction price and allocating transaction price to the satisfied and unsatisfied performance obligations for the modified contract at transition. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under Topic 606, while amounts reported for prior periods have not been adjusted and continue to be reported under accounting standards in effect for those periods.

Prior to the adoption of Topic 606, we were required to limit the revenue recognized when a wireless device was sold to the amount of consideration that was not contingent on the provision of future services, which was typically limited to the amount of consideration received from the customer at the time of sale. Under Topic 606, the total consideration in the contract is allocated between wireless equipment and service based on their relative standalone selling prices. This change primarily impacts our arrangements that include sales of wireless devices at subsidized prices in conjunction with a fixed-term plan, also known as the subsidy model, for service. Accordingly, under Topic 606, generally more equipment revenue is recognized upon sale of the equipment to the customer and less service revenue is recognized over the contract term than was previously recognized under the prior "Revenue Recognition" (Topic 605) standard. At the time the equipment is sold, this allocation results in the recognition

of a contract asset equal to the difference between the amount of revenue recognized and the amount of consideration received from the customer. As of January 2017, we no longer offer Consumer customers new fixed-term plans with subsidized equipment pricing; however, we continue to offer fixed-term plans to our Business customers. At December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, approximately 12% and 14% of retail postpaid connections were under fixed-term plans, respectively.

Topic 606 also requires the deferral of incremental costs incurred to obtain a customer contract, which are then amortized to expense, as a component of Selling, general and administrative expense, over the respective periods of expected benefit. As a result, a significant amount of our sales commission costs, which were historically expensed as incurred under our previous accounting, relating to our contracts to provide wireless and wireline services, are now deferred and amortized under Topic 606.

Finally, under Topic 605, at the time of the sale of a device, we imputed risk adjusted interest on the device payment plan agreement receivables. We recorded the imputed interest as a reduction to the related accounts receivable and interest income was recognized over the financed device payment term. Under Topic 606, while there continues to be a financing component in both the fixed-term plans and device payment plans, also known as the installment model, we have determined that this financing component for our customer classes in the direct channels for wireless devices are not significant and therefore we no longer impute interest for these contracts. This change results in additional revenue recognized upon the sale of wireless devices and no interest income recognized over the device payment term.



	Year Ended December 31, 2018
(dollars in millions)	As reported			Balances without adoption of Topic 606			Adjustments
Operating Revenues
Service revenues and other	$	108,605		$	109,964		$	(1,359	)
Wireless equipment revenues	22,258			20,474			1,784
Total Operating Revenues	130,863			130,438			425

Cost of services (exclusive of items shown below)	32,185			32,240			(55		)
Cost of wireless equipment	23,323			23,189			134
Selling, general and administrative expense	31,083			32,588			(1,505		)

Equity in losses of unconsolidated businesses	(186		)	(187		)	1
Income Before Provision For Income Taxes	19,623			17,771			1,852
Provision for income taxes	(3,584		)	(3,104		)	(480		)
Net Income	$	16,039		$	14,667		$	1,372

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$	511		$	481		$	30
Net income attributable to Verizon	15,528			14,186			1,342
Net Income	$	16,039		$	14,667		$	1,372

We have two reportable segments that we operate and manage as strategic business units, Consumer and Business. Revenue is disaggregated by products and services within Consumer, and customer groups (Global Enterprise, Small and Medium Business, Public Sector and Other, and Wholesale) within Business. See Note 13 for additional information on revenue by segment.

Corporate and other includes the results of our media business, Verizon Media, and other businesses. Verizon Media generated revenues from contracts with customers under Topic 606 of approximately $7.5 billion and $7.7 billion for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

We also earn revenues that are not accounted for under Topic 606 from leasing arrangements (such as those for towers and equipment), captive reinsurance arrangements primarily related to wireless device insurance and the interest on equipment financed under a device payment plan agreement when sold to the customer by an authorized agent. As allowed by the practical expedient within Topic 842, we have elected to combine the lease and non-lease components for those arrangements of customer premise equipment where we are the lessor as components accounted for under Topic 606. Revenues from arrangements that were not accounted for under Topic 606 were approximately $3.1 billion and $4.5 billion for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

When allocating the total contract transaction price to identified performance obligations, a portion of the total transaction price may relate to service performance obligations which were not satisfied or are partially satisfied as of the end of the reporting period. Below we disclose

information relating to these unsatisfied performance obligations. Upon adoption, we elected to apply the practical expedient available under Topic 606 that provides the option to exclude the expected revenues arising from unsatisfied performance obligations related to contracts that have an original expected duration of one year or less. This situation primarily arises with respect to certain month-to-month service contracts. At December 31, 2019, month-to-month service contracts represented approximately 88% of our wireless postpaid contracts and 61% of our wireline Consumer and Small and Medium Business contracts, compared to December 31, 2018, for which month-to-month service contracts represented approximately 86% of our wireless postpaid contracts and 56% of our wireline Consumer and Small and Medium Business contracts.

Contracts for wireless services are generally either month-to-month and cancellable at any time (typically under a device payment plan) or contain terms ranging from greater than one month to up to two years (typically under a fixed-term plan). Additionally, customers may incur charges based on usage or additional optional services purchased in conjunction with entering into a contract that can be cancelled at any time and therefore are not included in the transaction price. The transaction price allocated to service performance obligations, which are not satisfied or are partially satisfied as of the end of the reporting period, are generally related to our fixed-term plans.

Our Consumer group customers also include traditional wholesale resellers that purchase and resell wireless service under their own brands to their respective customers. Reseller arrangements generally include a stated contract term, which typically extends longer than two years and, in some cases, include a periodic minimum revenue commitment over the contract term for which revenues will be recognized in future periods.

Consumer customer contracts for wireline services generally have a service term of two years; however, this term may be shorter than twelve months or may be month-to-month. Certain contracts with Business customers for wireline services extend into future periods, contain fixed monthly fees and usage-based fees, and can include annual commitments in each year of the contract or commitments over the entire specified contract term; however, a significant number of contracts for wireline services with our Business customers have a contract term that is twelve months or less.

Additionally, there are certain contracts with Business customers for wireline and telematics services and certain Media contracts with customers that have a contractual minimum fee over the total contract term. We cannot predict the time period when revenue will be recognized related to those contracts; thus, they are excluded from the time bands below. These contracts have varying terms spanning over approximately five years ending in November 2024 and have aggregate contract minimum payments totaling $3.4 billion.

At December 31, 2019, the transaction price related to unsatisfied performance obligations for total Verizon that is expected to be recognized for 2020, 2021 and thereafter was $20.2 billion, $9.4 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively. Remaining performance obligation estimates are subject to change and are affected by several factors, including terminations and changes in the timing and scope of contracts, arising from contract modifications.

The timing of revenue recognition may differ from the time of billing to our customers. Receivables presented in our consolidated balance sheet represent an unconditional right to consideration. Contract balances represent amounts from an arrangement when either Verizon has performed, by transferring goods or services to the customer in advance of receiving all or partial consideration for such goods and services from the customer, or the customer has made payment to Verizon in advance of obtaining control of the goods and/or services promised to the customer in the contract.

Contract assets primarily relate to our rights to consideration for goods or services provided to customers but for which we do not have an unconditional right at the reporting date. Under a fixed-term plan, total contract revenue is allocated between wireless service and equipment revenues, as discussed above. In conjunction with these arrangements, a contract asset is created, which represents the difference between the amount of equipment revenue recognized upon sale and the amount of consideration received from the customer when the performance obligation related to the transfer of control of the equipment is satisfied. The contract asset is reclassified to accounts receivable as wireless services are provided and billed. We have the right to bill the customer as service is provided over time, which results in our right to the payment being unconditional. The contract asset balances are presented in our consolidated balance sheet as Prepaid expenses and other and Other assets. We assess our contract assets for impairment on a quarterly basis and will recognize an impairment charge to the extent their carrying amount is not recoverable.

Contract assets increased $147 million during the year ended December 31, 2019. The change in the contract asset balance was primarily due to new contracts and increases in sales promotions recognized upfront, driven by customer activity related to wireless and Fios services, partially offset by reclassifications to accounts receivable due to billings on existing contracts and impairment charges of $113 million. Contract assets decreased $167 million during the year ended December 31, 2018. The change in the contract asset balance was primarily due to reclassifications to accounts receivable due to billings on existing contracts and impairment charges of $116 million, offset by new contracts related to wireless and Fios services.

Contract liabilities arise when we bill our customers and receive consideration in advance of providing the goods or services promised in the contract. We typically bill service one month in advance, which is the primary component of the contract liability balance. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when services are provided to the customer. The contract liability balances are presented in our consolidated balance sheet as Other current liabilities and Other liabilities.

Contract liabilities increased $364 million during the year ended December 31, 2019. The change in contract liabilities was primarily due to increases in sales promotions recognized over time and upfront fees, as well as increases in deferred revenue related to advanced billings, partially offset by the satisfaction of performance obligations related to wireless and Fios services. Contract liabilities increased $491 million during the year ended December 31, 2018. The change in contract liabilities was primarily due to increases in sales promotions, as well as increases in deferred revenue related to advanced billings, partially offset by the satisfaction of performance obligations related to wireless and Fios services.

Revenue recognized during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 related to contract liabilities existing at January 1, 2019 and 2018 were $4.2 billion and $3.9 billion, respectively, as performance obligations related to services were satisfied.



	At December 31,		At December 31,
(dollars in millions)	2019		2018
Assets
Prepaid expenses and other	$	848	$	757
Other assets	302		246
Total	$	1,150	$	1,003

Liabilities
Other current liabilities	$	4,651	$	4,207
Other liabilities	656		736
Total	$	5,307	$	4,943

As discussed in Note 1, Topic 606 requires the recognition of an asset for incremental costs to obtain a customer contract, which is then amortized to expense over the respective period of expected benefit. We recognize an asset for incremental commission costs paid to internal and external sales personnel and agents in conjunction with obtaining customer contracts. We only defer these costs when we have determined the commissions are incremental costs that would not have been incurred absent the customer contract and are expected to be recoverable. Costs to obtain a contract are amortized and recorded ratably as commission expense over the period representing the transfer of goods or services to which the assets relate. Costs to obtain wireless contracts are amortized over both of our Consumer and Business customers' estimated device upgrade cycles, as such costs are typically incurred each time a customer upgrades. Costs to obtain wireline contracts are amortized as expense over the estimated customer relationship period for our Consumer customers. Incremental costs to obtain wireline contracts for our Business customers are insignificant. Costs to obtain contracts are recorded in Selling, general and administrative expense.

We also defer costs incurred to fulfill contracts that: (1) relate directly to the contract; (2) are expected to generate resources that will be used to satisfy our performance obligation under the contract; and (3) are expected to be recovered through revenue generated under the contract. Contract fulfillment costs are expensed as we satisfy our performance obligations and recorded to Cost of services. These costs principally relate to direct costs that enhance our wireline business resources, such as costs incurred to install circuits.

Collectively, costs to obtain a contract and costs to fulfill a contract are referred to as deferred contract costs, and amortized over a 2 to 5-year period. Deferred contract costs are classified as current or non-current within Prepaid expenses and other and Other assets, respectively.

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized expense of $2.7 billion and $2.0 billion, respectively, associated with the amortization of deferred contract costs, primarily within Selling, general and administrative expense in our consolidated statements of income.

We assess our deferred contract costs for impairment on a quarterly basis. We recognize an impairment charge to the extent the carrying amount of a deferred cost exceeds the remaining amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for the goods and services related to the cost, less the expected costs related directly to providing those goods and services that have not yet been recognized as expenses. There have been no impairment charges recognized for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.