Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 258	$ 285
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $77 and $70, respectively		865	919
Roaming		24	27
Affiliated		1	1
Other, less allowances of $1 and $1, respectively		40	63
Inventory, net		212	162
Prepaid expenses		58	50
Income taxes receivable		96	46
Other current assets		22	20
Total current assets		1,576	1,573
Licenses		2,502	2,471
Investments in unconsolidated entities		469	447
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		8,485	8,293
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		6,217	6,086
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,268	2,207
Operating lease right-of-use assets		902	900
Other assets and deferred charges		534	566
Total assets	[1]	8,251	8,164
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		6	8
Accounts payable
Affiliated		7	8
Trade		321	296
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		139	148
Accrued taxes		27	30
Accrued compensation		47	76
Short-term operating lease liabilities		109	105
Other current liabilities		66	79
Total current liabilities		722	750
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		559	507
Long-term operating lease liabilities		865	865
Other deferred liabilities and credits		327	319
Long-term debt, net		1,503	1,502
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 85 shares (33 Series A Common and 52 Common Shares) and 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		1,636	1,629
Treasury shares, at cost, 3 and 2 Common Shares, respectively		(92)	(70)
Retained earnings		2,620	2,550
Total U.S. Cellular shareholders' equity		4,252	4,197
Noncontrolling interests		12	13
Total equity		4,264	4,210
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 8,251	$ 8,164

[1] The consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $933 million and $930 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, 2020 and December 31, 2019, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $20 million and $22 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of U.S. Cellular. See Note 9 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.