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Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges, divestitures (Details) $ in Thousands |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 35 Months Ended | 36 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
May. 16, 2013 USD ($) | Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  | $ 324,772 | $ 151,369 |  |
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net |  |  |  | $ (559) | $ (4,790) | (129,931) | (9,079) |  |
U.S. Cellular |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net |  |  |  | (643) | (10,283) | $ (113,825) | (27,694) |  |
U.S. Cellular | Divestiture Transaction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business divestiture description |  |  |  |  |  | On May 16, 2013, pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement, U.S. Cellular sold customers and certain PCS spectrum licenses to subsidiaries of Sprint Corp. fka Sprint Nextel Corporation (“Sprint”) in U.S. Cellular’s Chicago, central Illinois, St. Louis and certain Indiana/Michigan/Ohio markets (“Divestiture Markets”) in consideration for $480 million in cash. The Purchase and Sale Agreement also contemplated certain other agreements, together with the Purchase and Sale Agreement collectively referred to as the “Divestiture Transaction.” These agreements require Sprint to reimburse U.S. Cellular up to $200 million (the “Sprint Cost Reimbursement”) for certain network decommissioning costs, network site lease rent and termination costs, network access termination costs, and employee termination benefits for specified engineering employees. |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges | $ 480,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net |  |  |  | $ (300) | $ (10,400) | $ (6,200) | (28,100) |  |
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business divestiture description |  |  |  |  |  | In December 2014, U.S. Cellular entered into an agreement with a third party to sell 595 towers and certain related contracts, assets, and liabilities for $159.0 million. This agreement and related transactions are referred to as the “Tower Sale” and were accomplished in two closings. The first closing occurred in December 2014 and included the sale of 236 towers, without tenants, for $10.0 million. On this same date, U.S. Cellular received $7.5 million in earnest money. At the time of the first closing, a $4.7 million gain was recorded. The second closing for the remaining 359 towers, primarily with tenants, took place in January 2015, at which time U.S. Cellular received $141.5 million in additional cash proceeds and recorded a gain of $119.6 million in (Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net. |  |  |
Number Of Towers |  |  |  | 595 |  | 595 |  | 595 |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  | $ 159,000 |  |  |
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale - first closing |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number Of Towers |  |  | 236 |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  | $ 10,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net |  |  | (4,700) |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Cellular | Tower sale - second closing |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number Of Towers |  | 359 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  | $ 141,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net |  | $ (119,600) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Cellular | Sprint Cost Reimbursement | Divestiture Transaction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  | $ 27,600 | $ 52,000 | $ 109,300 |
U.S. Cellular | Sprint Cost Reimbursement | Maximum | Expected event | Divestiture Transaction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 200,000
U.S. Cellular | Earnest money received | Tower sale - first closing |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Divestiture Financial Impacts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges |  |  | $ 7,500 |  |  |  |  |  |

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