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Asset Retirement Obligation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Disclosure Text Block |
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 in its operating markets. 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. In 2012 and 2011, 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 2012 and 2011, including the Divestiture Transaction, were as follows:
(Dollars in thousands) | 2012 |  | 2011
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 143,402 |  | $ | 128,709
| Additional liabilities accrued |  | 5,578 |  |  | 2,105
| Revisions in estimated cash outflows (1) |  | 22,588 |  |  | 5,888
| Disposition of assets |  | (2,674) |  |  | (1,323)
| Accretion expense (2) |  | 10,713 |  |  | 8,023
Balance, end of period | $ | 179,607 |  | $ | 143,402
(1) | In 2012, included $14.9 million as a result of changes in expected settlement dates related to the Divestiture Transaction.
(2) | In 2012, included $0.2 million of incremental accretion related to the Divestiture Transaction.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for an 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7569-110849 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 143 -Paragraph 22 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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