Background	6 Months Ended
Background	Jun. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Background	Background General We are an international facilities-based communications company engaged primarily in providing an integrated array of services to our residential and business customers. Basis of Presentation Our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018, which was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, and our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements provided herein have been prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") have been condensed or omitted pursuant to rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"); however, in our opinion, the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. We believe that these consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary to fairly present the results for the interim periods. The consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the first six months of the year are not necessarily indicative of the consolidated results of operations and cash flows that might be expected for the entire year. These consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of our subsidiaries in which we have a controlling interest. Intercompany amounts and transactions with our consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated. To simplify the overall presentation of our consolidated financial statements, we report immaterial amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests in certain of our subsidiaries as follows: (i) income attributable to noncontrolling interests in other income, net, (ii) equity attributable to noncontrolling interests in additional paid-in capital and (iii) cash flows attributable to noncontrolling interests in other, net financing activities. We reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation, including the categorization of our revenue and expenses in our segment reporting. See Note 11—Segment Information for additional information. These changes had no impact on total operating revenue, total operating expenses or net income (loss) for any period. Included in accounts payable at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, were less than $1 million and $86 million, respectively, representing book overdrafts. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The significant accounting policy below is in addition to the significant accounting policies described in Note 1 — Background and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in Part II Item 8 of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. Derivatives and Hedging We may use derivative instruments to hedge exposure to interest rate risks arising from fluctuation in interest rates. We account for derivative instruments in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 815, Derivatives and Hedging, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments. We do not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. Derivatives are recognized in the consolidated balance sheets at their fair values. When we become a party to a derivative instrument and intend to apply hedge accounting, we formally document the hedge relationship and the risk management objective for undertaking the hedge which includes designating the instrument for financial reporting purposes as a fair value hedge, a cash flow hedge, or a net investment hedge. We entered into five variable-to-fixed interest rate swap agreements during the first quarter 2019 and six variable-to-fixed interest rate swap agreements during the second quarter 2019, which we designated as cash-flow hedges (see Note 10—Derivative Financial Instruments to our consolidated financial statements in Item 1 of Part 1 of this report). We evaluate the effectiveness of these hedges qualitatively on a quarterly basis. The change in the fair value of the interest rate swaps is reflected in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (“AOCI”) and is subsequently reclassified into earnings in the period the hedged transaction affects earnings, due to the fact that the interest rate swaps qualify as effective cash flow hedges. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements We adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-02, "Leases (ASC 842)", as of January 1, 2019, using the non-comparative transition option pursuant to ASU 2018-11. Therefore, we have not restated comparative period financial information for the effects of ASC 842, and we will not make the new required lease disclosures for comparative periods beginning before January 1, 2019. Instead, we will recognize ASC 842's cumulative effect transition adjustment (discussed below) as of January 1, 2019. In addition, we elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things (i) allowed us to carry forward the historical lease classification; (ii) did not require us to reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases under the new definition of a lease; and (iii) did not require us to reassess whether previously capitalized initial direct costs for any existing leases would qualify for capitalization under ASC 842. We also elected the practical expedient related to land easements, allowing us to carry forward our accounting treatment for land easements on existing agreements. We did not elect the hindsight practical expedient regarding the likelihood of exercising a lessee purchase option or assessing any impairment of right-of-use assets for existing leases. On March 5, 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2019-01, "Leases (ASC 842): Codification Improvements", effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The new ASU aligns the guidance for fair value of the underlying asset by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in ASC 842, with that of existing guidance. As a result, the fair value of the underlying asset at lease commencement is its cost, reflecting any volume or trade discounts that may apply. However, if there has been a significant lapse of time between when the underlying asset is acquired and when the lease commences, the definition of fair value (in ASC 820, "Fair Value Measurement") should be applied. More importantly, the ASU also exempts both lessees and lessors from having to provide certain interim disclosures in the fiscal year in which a company adopts the new leases standard. Early adoption permits public companies to adopt concurrent with the transition to ASC 842 on leases. We adopted ASU 2019-01 as of January 1, 2019. Adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities of approximately $2.1 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively, as of January 1, 2019. The difference is driven principally by the netting of our existing real estate restructure reserve against the corresponding operating lease right of use asset. In addition, we recorded a $115 million cumulative adjustment to accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2019, for the impact of the new accounting standard. The adjustment to accumulated deficit was driven by the derecognition of our prior failed sale leaseback transaction discussed in our prior periodic reports. Our financial position for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019 is presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. The standard did not materially impact our consolidated net earnings or our cash flows in the six months ended June 30, 2019. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASU 2017-12, "Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities". ASU 2017-12 amends current guidance on accounting for hedges mainly to align more closely an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. In addition, amendments in ASU 2017-12 simplify the application of hedge accounting by allowing more time to prepare hedge documentation and perform effectiveness assessments on a qualitative basis after hedges are implemented. The adoption of this standard will be applied prospectively and did not have an impact on us. See Note 10—Derivative Financial Instruments to our consolidated financial statements in Item 1 of Part I of this report for additional disclosure regarding our hedging arrangements. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Financial Instruments In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments". The primary impact of ASU 2016-13 for us is a change in the model for the recognition of credit losses related to our financial instruments from an incurred loss model, which recognized credit losses only if it was probable that a loss had been incurred, to an expected loss model, which requires our management team to estimate the total credit losses expected on the portfolio of financial instruments. We are currently reviewing the requirements of the standard and evaluating the impact on our consolidated financial statements. We are required to adopt the provisions of ASU 2016-13 no later than January 1, 2020. We expect to adopt ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020 and recognize the impacts through a cumulative adjustment to accumulated deficit as of the date of adoption.