Consolidated Statement Of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 188	$ 269	$ 147
Add (deduct) adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	895	909	932
Bad debts expense	60	77	112
Stock-based compensation expense	49	53	59
Deferred income taxes, net	52	190	34
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(182)	(181)	(168)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	180	189	162
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	26	27	12
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(2)	0	(1)
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	0	(5)	0
(Gain) loss on investments	0	(2)	0
Other operating activities	61	3	4
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations
Accounts receivable	(22)	(16)	(49)
Equipment installment plans receivable	(116)	(54)	(97)
Inventory	(25)	12	(19)
Accounts payable	(69)	173	(60)
Customer deposits and deferred revenues	43	4	(9)
Accrued taxes	(49)	(120)	(17)
Other assets and liabilities	14	4	(26)
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,103	1,532	1,016
Cash flows from investing activities
Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment	(1,131)	(1,338)	(957)
Cash paid for acquisitions, licenses and other intangible assets	(1,308)	(172)	(346)
Cash received from investments	3	1	29
Cash paid for investments	0	(3)	(11)
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	3	26	41
Advance payments for license acquisitions	(20)	(30)	(5)
Other investing activities	(9)	5	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,462)	(1,511)	(1,249)
Cash flows from financing activities
Issuance of long-term debt	1,543	1,250	0
Repayment of long-term debt	(2,081)	(110)	(118)
Issuance of TDS Preferred Shares	1,110	0	0
TDS Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(5)	(3)	(6)
UScellular Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(16)	(11)	(9)
Repurchase of TDS Common Shares	(8)	(14)	0
Repurchase of UScellular Common Shares	(31)	(23)	(21)
Dividends paid to TDS shareholders	(119)	(78)	(75)
Payment of debt and equity issuance costs	(62)	(41)	(1)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3)	(2)	(4)
Payments to acquire additional interest in subsidiaries	0	(11)	0
Other financing activities	(7)	0	14
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	321	957	(220)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,038)	978	(453)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Beginning of period	1,452	474	927
End of period	$ 414	$ 1,452	$ 474