Variable Interest Entities - Consolidated Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2021		Dec. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2020
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,042		$ 1,429
Short-term investments	3		3
Accounts receivable	978		1,004
Inventory, net	145		154
Other current assets	53		36
Licenses	3,924		2,638
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,951		3,972
Operating lease right-of-use assets	1,005		998
Other assets and deferred charges	627		652
Total assets	13,407	[1]	12,525	[1]	$ 10,895
Liabilities
Current liabilities	963		1,153
Long-term operating lease liabilities	941		940
Other deferred liabilities and credits	558		541
Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	22		18
Short-term investments	3		3
Accounts receivable	643		638
Inventory, net	3		3
Other current assets	34		21
Licenses	637		637
Property, plant and equipment, net	98		99
Operating lease right-of-use assets	39		37
Other assets and deferred charges	353		347
Total assets	1,832		1,803
Liabilities
Current liabilities	25		26
Long-term operating lease liabilities	35		34
Other deferred liabilities and credits	20		19
Total liabilities	$ 80		$ 79

[1] The consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $1,244 million and $1,042 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of TDS. The consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $17 million and $18 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.