Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,062	$ 619
Short-term investments		0	100
Accounts receivable
Customers and agents, less allowances of $68 and $61, respectively		930	861
Other, less allowances of $2 and $2, respectively		128	100
Inventory, net		132	145
Prepaid expenses		102	112
Income taxes receivable		3	2
Other current assets		30	27
Total current assets		2,387	1,966
Assets held for sale		42	10
Licenses		2,198	2,232
Goodwill		509	509
Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $161 and $142, respectively		260	279
Investments in unconsolidated entities		500	453
Property, plant and equipment
In service and under construction		11,873	11,742
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		8,644	8,318
Property, plant and equipment, net		3,229	3,424
Other assets and deferred charges		594	422
Total assets	[1]	9,719	9,295
Current liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt		20	20
Accounts payable		365	368
Customer deposits and deferred revenues		182	223
Accrued interest		22	11
Accrued taxes		55	64
Accrued compensation		115	126
Other current liabilities		93	106
Total current liabilities		852	918
Deferred liabilities and credits
Deferred income tax liability, net		642	552
Other deferred liabilities and credits		542	495
Long-term debt, net		2,422	2,437
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests with redemption features		11	1
TDS shareholders’ equity
Series A Common and Common Shares Authorized 290 shares (25 Series A Common and 265 Common Shares) Issued 133 shares (7 Series A Common and 126 Common Shares) Outstanding 113 shares (7 Series A Common and 106 Common Shares) and 111 shares (7 Series A Common and 104 Common Shares), respectively, Par Value ($.01 per share)		1	1
Capital in excess of par value		2,424	2,413
Treasury shares, at cost, 20 and 22 Common Shares, respectively		(563)	(669)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(3)	(1)
Retained earnings		2,683	2,525
Total TDS shareholders' equity		4,542	4,269
Noncontrolling interests		708	623
Total equity		5,250	4,892
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	$ 9,719	$ 9,295

[1] The consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $831 million and $765 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of TDS. The consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $17 million and $21 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of TDS. See Note 10 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.