Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 730	$ 352
Short-term investments		0	50
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $63 and $55, respectively		845	775
Roaming		42	26
Affiliated		0	1
Other, less allowances of $1 and $1, respectively		42	41
Inventory, net		123	138
Prepaid expenses		62	79
Other current assets		20	21
Total current assets		1,864	1,483
Assets held for sale		42	10
Licenses		2,189	2,223
Investments in unconsolidated entities		461	415
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		7,647	7,628
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		5,521	5,308
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,126	2,320
Other assets and deferred charges		546	390
Total assets	[1]	7,228	6,841
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		19	18
Accounts payable
Affiliated		10	8
Trade		314	302
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		145	185
Accrued taxes		52	56
Accrued compensation		66	74
Other current liabilities		83	90
Total current liabilities		689	733
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		510	461
Other deferred liabilities and credits		386	337
Long-term debt, net		1,609	1,622
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests with redemption features		11	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 86 shares (33 Series A Common and 53 Common Shares) and 85 shares (33 Series A Common and 52 Common shares), respectively Par Value ($1.00 per share) ($33 Series A Common and $55 Common Shares)		88	88
Additional paid-in capital		1,578	1,552
Treasury shares, at cost, 2 and 3 Common Shares, respectively		(84)	(120)
Retained earnings		2,430	2,157
Total U.S. Cellular shareholders' equity		4,012	3,677
Noncontrolling interests		11	10
Total equity		4,023	3,687
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 7,228	$ 6,841

[1] The consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $851 million and $785 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of U.S. Cellular. The consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $20 million and $24 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of U.S. Cellular. See Note 10 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.