Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 572	$ 586
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $52 and $51, respectively		644	658
Roaming		6	16
Affiliated		2	2
Other, less allowances of $1 and $1, respectively		53	51
Inventory, net		141	138
Prepaid expenses		85	84
Other current assets		21	23
Total current assets		1,524	1,558
Assets held for sale		5	8
Licenses		1,895	1,886
Goodwill		370	370
Investments in unconsolidated entities		434	413
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		7,742	7,712
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		5,365	5,242
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,377	2,470
Other assets and deferred charges		419	405
Total assets	[1]	7,024	7,110
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		11	11
Accounts payable
Affiliated		9	12
Trade		208	309
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		180	190
Accrued taxes		58	39
Accrued compensation		43	73
Other current liabilities		78	84
Total current liabilities		587	718
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		827	826
Other deferred liabilities and credits		311	302
Long-term debt, net		1,616	1,618
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests with redemption features		1	1
U.S. Cellular shareholders' equity
Series A Common and Common Shares Authorized 190 shares (50 Series A Common and 140 Common Shares) Issued 88 shares (33 Series A Common and 55 Common Shares) Outstanding 85 shares (33 Series A Common and 52 Common Shares) Par Value ($1.00 per share) ($33 Series A Common and $55 Common Shares)		88	88
Additional paid-in capital		1,529	1,522
Treasury Shares, at cost, 3 Common Shares		(132)	(136)
Retained earnings		2,185	2,160
Total U.S. Cellular shareholders' equity		3,670	3,634
Noncontrolling interests		12	11
Total equity		3,682	3,645
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 7,024	$ 7,110

[1] The consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include assets held by consolidated VIEs of $783 million and $827 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of U.S. Cellular. The consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $18 million and $19 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of U.S. Cellular. See Note 8 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.