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Revision of Period Period Amounts | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2010
Notes To The Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Revision of Prior Period Amounts | NOTE 19 REVISIONS OF CURRENT AND PRIOR PERIOD AMOUNTS During the third quarter of 2011, U.S. Cellular discovered certain errors related to accounting for asset retirement obligations and asset retirement costs. These errors resulted in the overstatement of Total operating expenses, Property, plant and equipment, net and Other deferred liabilities and credits in 2010, 2009 and 2008. In accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Nos. 99 and 108 (“SAB 99” and “SAB 108”), U.S. Cellular evaluated these errors and determined that they were immaterial to each of the reporting periods affected and, therefore, amendments of previously filed reports were not required. However, if the adjustments to correct the cumulative errors had been recorded in the third quarter 2011, U.S. Cellular believes the impact would have been significant to the third quarter results and would have impacted comparisons to prior periods. SAB 108 provides that correcting prior year financial statements for immaterial errors does not require previously filed reports to be amended and that such corrections may be made the next time a registrant files the prior year financial statements. Although SAB 108 would permit U.S. Cellular to correct the foregoing errors the next time it files its prior year financial statements, U.S. Cellular determined to voluntarily file this Form 8-K to reflect the corrections to such prior year financial information at this time. Accordingly, U.S. Cellular is filing this F orm 8-K to revise its Consolidated Statement of Operations, Statement of Changes in Equity, Statement of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, and the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 for these immaterial amounts. The Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity at December 31, 2007 was revised to reflect the cumulative effect of these adjustments which resulted in a de crease to Retained earnings of $3.3 million. The following tables provide information regarding the impact of these revisions on selected consolidated financial data:
| Year Ended or at December 31, 2010 |  | As previously |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | (Dollars in thousands) |  | reported (1) |  |  |  | Adjustment |  |  |  | Revised |
|  | Depreciation, amortization and accretion | $ | 577,054 |  |  | $ | (6,099 | ) |  | $ | 570,955 |
|  | Total operating expenses |  | 3,982,307 |  |  |  | (6,099 | ) |  |  | 3,976,208 |
|  | Operating income |  | 195,374 |  |  |  | 6,099 |  |  |  | 201,473 |
|  | Income tax expense |  | 79,609 |  |  |  | 2,349 |  |  |  | 81,958 |
|  | Net income |  | 155,408 |  |  |  | 3,750 |  |  |  | 159,158 |
|  | Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 132,324 |  |  |  | 3,750 |  |  |  | 136,074 |
|  | Basic earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 1.54 |  |  |  | 0.04 |  |  |  | 1.58 |
|  | Diluted earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 1.53 |  |  |  | 0.04 |  |  |  | 1.57 |
|  | Property, plant and equipment, net |  | 2,615,072 |  |  |  | (40,550 | ) |  |  | 2,574,522 |
|  | Total assets |  | 5,933,610 |  |  |  | (40,550 | ) |  |  | 5,893,060 |
|  | Net deferred income tax liability |  | 579,769 |  |  |  | 3,675 |  |  |  | 583,444 |
|  | Other deferred liabilities and credits |  | 284,949 |  |  |  | (50,094 | ) |  |  | 234,855 |
|  | Retained earnings |  | 2,129,638 |  |  |  | 5,869 |  |  |  | 2,135,507 |
| Year Ended or at December 31, 2009 |  | As previously |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | (Dollars in thousands) |  | reported (1) |  |  |  | Adjustment |  |  |  | Revised |
|  | Depreciation, amortization and accretion | $ | 569,514 |  |  | $ | (4,579 | ) |  | $ | 564,935 |
|  | Total operating expenses |  | 3,892,934 |  |  |  | (4,579 | ) |  |  | 3,888,355 |
|  | Operating income |  | 320,946 |  |  |  | 4,579 |  |  |  | 325,525 |
|  | Income tax expense |  | 116,086 |  |  |  | 1,764 |  |  |  | 117,850 |
|  | Net income |  | 228,500 |  |  |  | 2,815 |  |  |  | 231,315 |
|  | Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 206,732 |  |  |  | 2,815 |  |  |  | 209,547 |
|  | Basic earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 2.38 |  |  |  | 0.03 |  |  |  | 2.41 |
|  | Diluted earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 2.37 |  |  |  | 0.03 |  |  |  | 2.40 |
|  | Property, plant and equipment, net |  | 2,601,338 |  |  |  | (40,478 | ) |  |  | 2,560,860 |
|  | Total assets |  | 5,748,746 |  |  |  | (40,478 | ) |  |  | 5,708,268 |
|  | Net deferred income tax liability |  | 513,994 |  |  |  | 1,326 |  |  |  | 515,320 |
|  | Other deferred liabilities and credits |  | 262,412 |  |  |  | (43,923 | ) |  |  | 218,489 |
|  | Retained earnings |  | 2,013,633 |  |  |  | 2,119 |  |  |  | 2,015,752 |
| Year Ended or at December 31, 2008 |  | As previously |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | (Dollars in thousands) |  | reported (1) |  |  |  | Adjustment |  |  |  | Revised |
|  | Depreciation, amortization and accretion | $ | 576,821 |  |  | $ | (4,172 | ) |  | $ | 572,649 |
|  | Total operating expenses |  | 4,213,944 |  |  |  | (4,172 | ) |  |  | 4,209,772 |
|  | Operating income |  | 28,610 |  |  |  | 4,172 |  |  |  | 32,782 |
|  | Income tax expense |  | 7,460 |  |  |  | 1,607 |  |  |  | 9,067 |
|  | Net income |  | 58,223 |  |  |  | 2,565 |  |  |  | 60,788 |
|  | Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 33,140 |  |  |  | 2,565 |  |  |  | 35,705 |
|  | Basic earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 0.38 |  |  |  | 0.03 |  |  |  | 0.41 |
|  | Diluted earnings per share attributable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | to U.S. Cellular shareholders |  | 0.38 |  |  |  | 0.03 |  |  |  | 0.41 |
|  | Property, plant and equipment, net |  | 2,620,225 |  |  |  | (33,120 | ) |  |  | 2,587,105 |
|  | Total assets |  | 5,584,202 |  |  |  | (33,120 | ) |  |  | 5,551,082 |
|  | Net deferred income tax liability |  | 478,049 |  |  |  | (438 | ) |  |  | 477,611 |
|  | Other deferred liabilities and credits |  | 235,224 |  |  |  | (31,986 | ) |  |  | 203,238 |
|  | Retained earnings |  | 1,822,073 |  |  |  | (696 | ) |  |  | 1,821,377 |
In Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed on February 25, 2011.

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- Definition This item represents the disclosure necessary for reporting accounting changes and error corrections. It includes the conveyance of information necessary for a user of the Company's financial information to understand all aspects and required disclosure information concerning all changes and error corrections that may be reported in the Company's financial statements for the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 154 -Paragraph 17, 22, 25, 26 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 1 -Section N + Details
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