Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Note 1 Basis of Presentation

The accounting policies of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) as set forth in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). Unless otherwise specified, references to accounting provisions and GAAP in these notes refer to the requirements of the FASB ASC. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of TDS and subsidiaries in which it has a controlling financial interest, including TDS’ 82%-owned subsidiary, United States Cellular Corporation (UScellular) and TDS’ wholly-owned subsidiary, TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS Telecom). In addition, the consolidated financial statements include certain entities in which TDS has a variable interest that requires consolidation into the TDS financial statements under GAAP. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

TDS’ business segments reflected in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2024, are UScellular Wireless, UScellular Towers and TDS Telecom. TDS’ non-reportable other business activities are presented as “Corporate, Eliminations and Other”, which includes the operations of TDS’ wholly-owned hosted and managed services (HMS) subsidiary, which operates under the OneNeck IT Solutions brand, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Suttle-Straus, Inc. (Suttle-Straus). HMS’ and Suttle-Straus’ financial results were not significant to TDS’ operations. All of TDS’ segments operate only in the United States. See Note 12 — Business Segment Information for summary financial information on each business segment.

Certain numbers included herein are rounded to millions for ease of presentation; however, certain calculated amounts and percentages are determined using the unrounded numbers. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in TDS’ Annual Report on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring items, unless otherwise disclosed) necessary for the fair statement of TDS’ financial position as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, its results of operations and changes in equity for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, and its cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023. The Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income was not included because comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, doesn't materially differ from net income. These results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. TDS has not changed its significant accounting and reporting policies from those disclosed in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Change in Reportable Segments

During the second quarter of 2024, TDS and UScellular modified their reporting structure due to the planned disposal of the UScellular wireless operations and, as a result, disaggregated the UScellular operations into two reportable segments - Wireless and Towers. This presentation reflects how TDS' and UScellular's chief operating decision maker allocates resources and evaluates operating performance following this strategic shift. Prior periods have been updated to conform to the new reportable segments. See Note 12 — Business Segment Information for additional information about TDS' segments.

Software License Agreements

Certain software licenses are recorded as acquisitions of property, plant and equipment and the incurrence of a liability to the extent that the license fees are not fully paid at acquisition, and are treated as non-cash activity in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Such acquisitions of software licenses that are not reflected as Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment were $8 million and $11 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Restricted Cash

TDS presents restricted cash with cash and cash equivalents in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Restricted cash primarily consists of balances required under the receivables securitization agreement. See Note 9 — Debt for additional information related to the receivables securitization agreement. The following table provides a reconciliation of Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheet to the total of the amounts in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.


	June 30, 2024		December 31, 2023
(Dollars in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	322	$	236
Restricted cash included in Other current assets	24		34
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows	$	346	$	270