Consolidated Statement Of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 72	$ 188	$ 269
Add (deduct) adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	929	895	909
Bad debts expense	138	60	77
Stock-based compensation expense	42	49	53
Deferred income taxes, net	47	52	190
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(159)	(182)	(181)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	145	180	189
Loss on impairment of licenses	3	0	0
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net	27	26	27
(Gain) loss on sale of business and other exit costs, net	(1)	(2)	0
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net	0	0	(5)
(Gain) loss on investments	0	0	(2)
Other operating activities	10	61	3
Changes in assets and liabilities from operations
Accounts receivable	(69)	(22)	(16)
Equipment installment plans receivable	(199)	(116)	(54)
Inventory	(90)	(25)	12
Accounts payable	32	(69)	173
Customer deposits and deferred revenues	48	43	4
Accrued taxes	127	(49)	(120)
Other assets and liabilities	53	14	4
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,155	1,103	1,532
Cash flows from investing activities
Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment	(1,161)	(1,131)	(1,338)
Cash paid for acquisitions, licenses and other intangible assets	(614)	(1,308)	(172)
Cash received from divestitures and exchanges	8	3	26
Advance payments for license acquisitions	0	(20)	(30)
Other investing activities	(16)	(6)	3
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,783)	(2,462)	(1,511)
Cash flows from financing activities
Issuance of long-term debt	1,154	1,543	1,250
Repayment of long-term debt	(332)	(2,081)	(110)
Issuance of short-term debt	110	0	0
Repayment of short-term debt	(50)	0	0
Issuance of TDS Preferred Shares	0	1,110	0
TDS Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(4)	(5)	(3)
UScellular Common Shares reissued for benefit plans, net of tax payments	(5)	(16)	(11)
Repurchase of TDS Common Shares	(40)	(8)	(14)
Repurchase of UScellular Common Shares	(43)	(31)	(23)
Dividends paid to TDS shareholders	(151)	(119)	(78)
Payment of debt and equity issuance costs	(2)	(62)	(41)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3)	(3)	(2)
Payments to acquire additional interest in subsidiaries	0	0	(11)
Cash paid for software license agreements	(23)	(9)	(2)
Other financing activities	2	2	2
Net cash provided by financing activities	613	321	957
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(15)	(1,038)	978
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Beginning of period	414	1,452	474
End of period	$ 399	$ 414	$ 1,452