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Acquisitions, Divestures and Exchanges | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2011
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract] |
Acquisitions, Divestures and Exchanges | 6. Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges U.S. Cellular assesses its existing wireless interests on an ongoing basis with a goal of improving the competitiveness of its operations and maximizing its long-term return on investment s. As part of this strategy, U.S. Cellular reviews attractive opportunities to acquire additional operating markets and wireless spectrum. In addition, U.S. Cellular may seek to divest outright or include in exchanges for other wireless interests those markets and wireless interests that are not strategic to its long-term success. On May 9, 2011, U.S. Cellular paid $24.6 million in cash to purchase the remaining ownership interest in a wireless business in which it previously held a 49% no ncontrolling interest, pursuant to certain required terms of the partnership agreement. Prior to this acquisition, the partnership had been accounted for under the equity method of accounting. In connection with the acquisition, a $13.4 million gain was recorded to adjust the carrying value of this 49% investment to its fair value of $25.7 million based on an income approach valuation method. The gain was recorded in Gain on investment i n the Consolidated Statement of Operations. U.S. Cellular is actively trying to sell this business and, as a result, $60.8 million of assets and $0.9 million of liabilities have been classified i n the Consolidated Balance Sheet as “h eld for s ale”. Included in Assets h eld for s ale are $15.9 million of Current assets, $36.5 million of Investments (primarily l icenses) and $8.4 million of Property, plant and equipment. Liabilities held for sale primarily includes Current liabilities. For the period since acquisition, this business generated revenues of $13.2 million and operating income of $9.6 million. On September 30, 2011, U.S. Cellular completed an exchange whereby U.S. Cellular received eighteen 700 MHz spectrum licenses covering portions of Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon and Washington in exchange for two PCS spectrum licenses covering portions of Illinois and Indiana. The exchange of licenses will provide U.S. Cellular with additional spectrum to meet anticipated future capacity and coverage requireme nts in several of its markets. No cash, customers, network assets or other assets or liabilities were included in the exchange. As a result of this transaction, U.S. Cellular recognized a gain of $11.8 million, representing the difference between the fair value, calculated using a market approach valuation method, and the carrying value of the licenses surrendered. Th is gain was recorded in (Gain) loss on asset disposals and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011. The Indiana PCS spectrum included in the exchange w as originally awarded to Carroll Wireless in Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) Auction 58 and was purchased by U.S. Cellular prior to the exchange. Carroll Wireless is a variable interest entity which U.S. Cellular consolidates; see Note 11 — Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) for additional information. A cquisitions and exchanges did not have a material impact i n U.S. Cellular's consolidated financial statements for the periods presented and pro forma results, assuming acquisitions and exchanges had occurred at the beginning of each period presented, would not be materially different from the results reported. U.S. Cellular's acquisitions during the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 and the allocation of the purchase price for these acquisitions were as follows:
|  |  |  |  |  |  | Allocation of Purchase Price
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Intangible |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | assets |  | Net tangible
|  |  |  | Purchase |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | subject to |  | assets/
|  |  |  | price (1) |  | Goodwill (2) |  | Licenses |  | amortization (3) |  | (liabilities)
| (Dollars in thousands) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Licenses | $ | 4,406 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 4,406 |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |
| Businesses (4) |  | 24,572 |  |  | — |  |  | 15,592 |  |  | 2,252 |  |  | 6,728 |
|  | Total | $ | 28,978 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 19,998 |  | $ | 2,252 |  | $ | 6,728 |
| 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Licenses | $ | 10,501 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 10,501 |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |
|  | Total | $ | 10,501 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 10,501 |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |
Cash amounts paid for acquisitions may differ from the purchase price due to cash acquired in the transactions and the timing of cash payments related to the respective transactions. No goodwill was amortizable for income tax purposes. Intangible assets subject to amortization are classified as Assets held for sale and as a result are not amortized. Includes only the acquired interest and does not include amounts attributable to U.S. Cellular's pre-existing noncontrolling interest described above in this Note 6.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for business combinations, including leverage buyout transactions (as applicable), and divestitures. This may include a description of a business combination or divestiture (or series of individually immaterial business combinations or divestitures) completed during the period, including background, timing, and assets and liabilities recognized and reclassified or sold. This element does not include fixed asset sales and plant closings. + Details
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