XML 75 R56.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.2

Variable Interest Entities - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 6 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2018
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |
Investments in unconsolidated entities, maximum exposure | $ 4 |  | $ 4
Capital contributions, loans or advances | $ 208 | $ 51 |
King Street Wireless out-of-period adjustment |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |
Immaterial error correction | During the first quarter of 2018, U.S. Cellular recorded an out-of-period adjustment attributable to 2016 and 2017 due to errors in the application of accounting guidance applicable to the calculation of Noncontrolling interests with redemption features related to King Street Wireless, Inc. This out-of-period adjustment had the impact of increasing Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax, by $8 million and decreasing Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders by $8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. U.S. Cellular determined that this adjustment was not material to any of the periods impacted. |  |
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax | King Street Wireless out-of-period adjustment |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |
Out-of-period adjustment |  | 8 |
Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders | King Street Wireless out-of-period adjustment |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |
Out-of-period adjustment |  | (8) |
USCC EIP LLC |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |
Capital contributions, loans or advances | $ 184 | $ 33 |

X
- Definition Describes nature and related effect on financial statements related to corrections of prior year errors in the current year financial statements when the effect of the prior year error was immaterial to the prior year financial statements and the current year correction is immaterial to the current year financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 1.M.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112272810&loc=d3e30365-122693 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109234566&loc=d3e22644-107794 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 1.N.Q2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112272810&loc=d3e30840-122693 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImmaterialErrorCorrection
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of each individual error being corrected in the correcting adjustment. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 1.N) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112272810&loc=d3e30840-122693 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE). + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108788376&loc=d3e5747-111685 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph b -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108788376&loc=d3e5728-111685 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The amount of financial or other support the reporting entity has provided (explicitly or implicitly) to the Variable Interest Entity (VIE) that it was not previously contractually required to provide or that the reporting entity intends to provide, including, for example, situations in which the reporting entity assisted the VIE in obtaining another type of support. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5A -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108788376&loc=SL6759159-111685 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityFinancialOrOtherSupportAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsByNatureOfErrorAxis=usm_KingStreetWirelessOutOfPeriodAdjustmentMemberMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=usm_NetIncomeAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestsNetTaxMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=usm_NetIncomeLossAttributableToParentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=usm_VariableInterestEntityUsccEipLlcMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |