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Asset Retirement Obligation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2010
Notes To The Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Asset Retirement Obligation | NOTE 11 ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS U.S. Cellular is subject to asset retirement obligations associated with its leased cell sites, switching office sites, retail store sites and office locations. Asset retirement obligations generally include obligations to restore leased land and retail store and office premises to their pre-lease conditions. These obligations are included in Other deferred liabilities and credits in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. D uring 2010 and 2009, U.S. Cellular performed a review of the assumptions and estimated costs related to its asset retirement obligations. The results of the reviews (identified as “Revisions in estimated cash outflows”) and other changes in asset retirem ent obligations during 2010 and 2009 were as follows:
|  |  | 2010 |  |  | 2009 |
| (Dollars in thousands) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Balance, beginning of period | $ | 118,742 |  |  | $ | 116,996 |
|  | Additional liabilities accrued |  | 4,757 |  |  |  | 3,935 |
|  | Revisions in estimated cash outflows |  | (1,382 | ) |  |  | (9,437 | )
|  | Disposition of assets |  | (2,086 | ) |  |  | (1,128 | )
|  | Accretion expense |  | 8,678 |  |  |  | 8,376 |
| Balance, end of period | $ | 128,709 |  |  | $ | 118,742 |

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- Definition Description of the asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. This element may be used for all the disclosures related to asset retirement obligations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 143 -Paragraph 22 + Details
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