Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 784	$ 900
Short-term investments		100	0
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $57 and $55, respectively		775	753
Other, less allowances of $1 and $2, respectively		96	98
Inventory, net		107	151
Prepaid expenses		109	115
Income taxes receivable		2	10
Other current assets		31	32
Total current assets		2,004	2,059
Assets held for sale		5	8
Licenses		2,234	1,895
Goodwill		508	766
Franchise rights		244	244
Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $139 and $153, respectively		26	33
Investments in unconsolidated entities		467	451
Other investments			1
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		11,634	11,679
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		8,297	8,124
Property, plant and equipment, net		3,337	3,555
Other assets and deferred charges		385	434
Total assets	[1]	9,210	9,446
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		20	12
Accounts payable		308	365
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		211	229
Accrued interest		22	11
Accrued taxes		72	44
Accrued compensation		112	127
Other current liabilities		84	99
Total current liabilities		829	887
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		898	922
Other deferred liabilities and credits		480	453
Long-term debt, net		2,443	2,433
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests with redemption features		1	1
TDS shareholders' equity
Series A Common and Common Shares Authorized 290 shares (25 Series A Common and 265 Common Shares) Issued 133 shares (7 Series A Common and 126 Common Shares) Outstanding 111 shares (7 Series A Common and 104 Common Shares) and 110 shares (7 Series A Common and 103 Common Shares), respectively, Par Value ($.01 per share)		1	1
Capital in excess of par value		2,404	2,386
Treasury shares, at cost, 22 and 23 Common Shares, respectively		(679)	(698)
Accumulated other comprehensive income			1
Retained earnings		2,257	2,454
Total TDS shareholders' equity		3,983	4,144
Preferred shares		0	1
Noncontrolling interests		576	605
Total equity		4,559	4,750
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 9,210	$ 9,446

[1] The consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $757 million and $804 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of TDS. The consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $17 million for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of TDS. See Note 8 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.