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Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2012 number
Auction 901 Mobility Funds |
Subsequent events |
Subsequent event, date | Oct. 03, 2012
Subsequent event, description | On September 27, 2012, the FCC conducted a single round, sealed bid, reverse auction to award up to $300 million in one-time Mobility Fund Phase I support to successful bidders that commit to provide 3G, or better, wireless service in areas designated as unserved by the FCC. This auction was designated by the FCC as Auction 901. U.S. Cellular and several of its wholly-owned subsidiaries participated in Auction 901. As announced on October 3, 2012, U.S. Cellular and its subsidiaries were winning bidders in eligible areas within 10 states and will receive up to $40.1 million in support from the Mobility Fund. As part of the auction rules, winning bidders must complete network build out projects to provide 3G or 4G service to these areas within two or three years, respectively, and must also make their networks available to other providers for roaming. Winning bidders will receive support funding primarily upon achievement of coverage milestones defined in the auction rules.
Subsequent event amount - maximum | $ 40,100,000
FCC auction date | 2012-09-27
Total FCC auction amount - maximum | 300,000,000
FCC auction number of states won | 10
Sprint transaction |
Subsequent events |
Subsequent event, date | Nov. 06, 2012
Subsequent event, description | On November 6, 2012, U.S. Cellular entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with subsidiaries of Sprint Nextel Corporation (“Sprint”). The Purchase and Sale Agreement provides that U.S. Cellular will transfer customers and certain PCS license spectrum to Sprint in U.S. Cellular’s Chicago, central Illinois, St. Louis and certain Indiana/Michigan/Ohio markets in consideration for $480 million in cash at closing, subject to pro-rations of certain assets and liabilities. U.S. Cellular will retain other assets and liabilities related to the transferred markets, including network assets, retail stores and related equipment, other buildings and facilities. The transaction does not affect spectrum licenses held by VIEs that are not currently used in the operations of the transferred markets. The Purchase and Sale Agreement also contemplates certain other agreements, including customer and network transition services agreements. The customer and network transition services agreements will require that U.S. Cellular provide customer, billing and network services to Sprint for a period of up to 24 months after the closing date, and Sprint will reimburse U.S. Cellular for providing such services at an amount equal to U.S. Cellular’s cost, including applicable overhead allocations. In addition, these agreements will require Sprint to reimburse U.S. Cellular for certain network decommissioning costs, network site lease rent and termination costs, network access termination costs, and employee severance expenses, in an amount not to exceed $200 million in the aggregate. The transaction is subject to FCC approval, compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and other conditions. Subject to the satisfaction or (if permitted) waiver of all conditions, the transaction is expected to close by mid-2013.
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses | 480,000,000
Transition services agreement duration - maximum | 24M
Net transition cost reimbursement - maximum | $ 200,000,000

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