Consolidated Statement Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Operating revenues
Service	$ 746	$ 771
Equipment sales	190	198
Total operating revenues	936	969
Operating expenses
System operations (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	175	184
Cost of equipment sold	228	256
Selling, general and administrative (including charges from affiliates of $21 million and $25 million, respectively)	339	361
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	153	153
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	4	5
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(17)
Total operating expenses	882	959
Operating income	54	10
Investment and other income (expense)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	33	35
Interest and dividend income	3	2
Interest expense	(28)	(28)
Other, net	(1)	1
Total investment and other income	7	10
Income before income taxes	61	20
Income tax expense	33	11
Net income	28	9
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax	2
Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 26	$ 9
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	85	84
Basic earnings per share attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 0.31	$ 0.10
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	86	85
Diluted earnings per share attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 0.31	$ 0.10