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Revenue Recognition
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
Revenue Recognition
Note 2 Revenue Recognition
Disaggregation of Revenue
In the following table, UScellular's revenues are disaggregated by type of service, which represents the relevant categorization of revenues for UScellular, and timing of recognition. Service revenues are recognized over time and Equipment sales are point in time.  
Three Months Ended
March 31,
20212020
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues from contracts with customers:
Retail service$685 $671 
Inbound roaming28 37 
Other service38 35 
Service revenues from contracts with customers751 743 
Equipment sales252 201 
Total revenues from contracts with customers1,003 944 
Operating lease income20 19 
Total operating revenues$1,023 $963 

Contract Balances
The following table provides balances for contract assets from contracts with customers, which are recorded in Other current assets and Other assets and deferred charges in the Consolidated Balance Sheet, and contract liabilities from contracts with customers, which are recorded in Customer deposits and deferred revenues and Other deferred liabilities and credits in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
 March 31, 2021December 31, 2020
(Dollars in millions) 
Contract assets$11 $10 
Contract liabilities$185 $171 

Revenue recognized related to contract liabilities existing at January 1, 2021 was $97 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations
The following table includes estimated service revenues expected to be recognized related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at the end of the reporting period. These estimates represent service revenues to be recognized when wireless services are delivered to customers pursuant to service plan contracts and under certain roaming agreements with other carriers. These estimates are based on contracts in place as of March 31, 2021 and may vary from actual results. As practical expedients, revenue related to contracts of less than one year, generally month-to-month contracts, and contracts with a fixed per-unit price and variable quantity, are excluded from these estimates. 
Service Revenues
(Dollars in millions)
Remainder of 2021$209 
2022112 
Thereafter128 
Total
$449 
Contract Cost Assets
UScellular expects that commission fees paid as a result of obtaining contracts are recoverable and therefore UScellular defers and amortizes these costs. As a practical expedient, costs with an amortization period of one year or less are expensed as incurred. The contract cost asset balance related to commission fees and other costs was $123 million at March 31, 2021, and $124 million at December 31, 2020, and was recorded in Other assets and deferred charges in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Deferred commission fees are amortized based on the timing of transfer of the goods or services to which the assets relate, typically the contract term. Amortization of contract cost assets was $25 million and $27 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and was included in Selling, general and administrative expenses.