Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 71	$ 83
Add (deduct) adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	224	235
Bad debts expense	8	34
Stock-based compensation expense	10	11
Deferred income taxes, net	27	75
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(42)	(45)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	23	25
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	5	4
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(1)	0
Other operating activities	(1)	0
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations
Accounts receivable	17	43
Equipment installment plans receivable	(18)	23
Inventory	8	(52)
Accounts payable	(115)	87
Customer deposits and deferred revenues	9	(9)
Accrued taxes	0	(74)
Accrued interest	9	9
Other assets and liabilities	(69)	(82)
Net cash provided by operating activities	165	367
Cash flows from investing activities
Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment	(220)	(377)
Cash paid for intangible assets	(1,261)	(26)
Cash paid for investments	0	(1)
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	1	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,480)	(404)
Cash flows from financing activities
Issuance of long-term debt	567	50
Repayment of long-term debt	0	(2)
Issuance of TDS Preferred Shares	420	0
TDS Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(1)	(1)
UScellular Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(1)	0
Repurchase of TDS Common Shares	(3)	(6)
Repurchase of UScellular Common Shares	(2)	(21)
Dividends paid to TDS shareholders	(20)	(19)
Payment of debt and equity issuance costs	(14)	(3)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(1)	(1)
Other financing activities	(3)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	942	(3)
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(373)	(40)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Beginning of period	1,452	474
End of period	$ 1,079	$ 434