Consolidated Statement Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Operating revenues
Service	$ 741	$ 740	$ 1,465	$ 1,486
Equipment sales	233	223	450	413
Total operating revenues	974	963	1,915	1,899
Operating expenses
System operations (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below)	187	189	365	364
Cost of equipment sold	240	260	459	488
Selling, general and administrative (including charges from affiliates of $21 million and $21 million, respectively, for the three months, and $40 million and $43 million, respectively, for the six months)	342	351	668	691
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	159	155	317	307
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	1	5	2	9
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	(11)	(2)	(17)	(19)
Total operating expenses	918	958	1,794	1,840
Operating income	56	5	121	59
Investment and other income (expense)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	40	33	78	66
Interest and dividend income	3	2	7	5
Interest expense	(29)	(28)	(58)	(56)
Other, net			(1)	(1)
Total investment and other income	14	7	26	14
Income before income taxes	70	12	147	73
Income tax expense	18		40	33
Net income	52	12	107	40
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax	3		14	2
Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 49	$ 12	$ 93	$ 38
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	86	85	85	85
Basic earnings per share attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 0.57	$ 0.14	$ 1.09	$ 0.45
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	86	86	86	86
Diluted earnings per share attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders	$ 0.56	$ 0.14	$ 1.08	$ 0.44