Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 570	$ 580
Short-term investments		0	17
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $69 and $66, respectively		899	908
Roaming		34	20
Affiliated		0	2
Other, less allowances of $1 and $2, respectively		60	46
Inventory, net		139	142
Prepaid expenses		49	63
Other current assets		19	34
Total current assets		1,770	1,812
Assets held for sale		9	54
Licenses		2,461	2,186
Investments in unconsolidated entities		471	441
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		8,088	7,778
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		5,944	5,576
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,144	2,202
Operating lease right-of-use assets		897	0
Other assets and deferred charges		539	579
Total assets	[1]	8,291	7,274
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		19	19
Accounts payable
Affiliated		8	9
Trade		329	304
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		155	157
Accrued taxes		88	30
Accrued compensation		68	78
Short-term operating lease liabilities		104	0
Other current liabilities		78	94
Total current liabilities		849	691
Liabilities held for sale		1	1
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		477	510
Long-term operating lease liabilities		864	0
Other deferred liabilities and credits		312	389
Long-term debt, net		1,592	1,605
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests with redemption features		11	11
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) Par Value ($1.00 per share) ($33 Series A Common and $55 Common Shares)		88	88
Additional paid-in capital		1,622	1,590
Treasury shares, at cost, 2 Common Shares		(70)	(65)
Retained earnings		2,532	2,444
Total U.S. Cellular shareholders' equity		4,172	4,057
Noncontrolling interests		13	10
Total equity		4,185	4,067
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 8,291	$ 7,274

[1] The consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $927 million and $868 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, 2019 and December 31, 2018, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $20 million and $23 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.