Goodwill And Other Intangibles

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Goodwill And Other Intangibles [Abstract]

(6) Goodwill and Other Intangibles:

The components of goodwill by the reporting units in effect as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:



($ in thousands)	2014		2013

Central	$	1,815,498	$	1,815,498
East		1,711,061		2,003,574
Mid-Atlantic		1,160,151		-
National		1,218,113		1,218,113
West		1,300,534		1,300,534
Total Goodwill	$	7,205,357	$	6,337,719

The components of other intangibles at December 31, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:



($ in thousands)	2014						2013
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Amount

Other Intangibles:
Customer base	$	3,017,648	$	(1,640,324)	$	1,377,324	$	2,427,648	$	(1,336,852)	$	1,090,796
Trade name and license		122,540		-		122,540		124,136		-		124,136
Total other intangibles	$	3,140,188	$	(1,640,324)	$	1,499,864	$	2,551,784	$	(1,336,852)	$	1,214,932

Amortization expense was $303 million, $328 million and $422 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Amortization expense mainly represents the accelerated amortization of our customer base acquired as a result of the Connecticut Acquisition and an acquisition of certain Verizon Communications Inc. properties in 2010 (the 2010 Acquisition) based on a useful life of nine to 12 years. Amortization expense for 2012 included $38 million for amortization associated with certain software licenses that were acquired in the 2010 Acquisition and are no longer required for operations as a result of the completed systems conversions and $11 million for amortization associated with certain properties, each of which were fully amortized in 2012. Amortization expense, based on our current estimate of useful lives, is estimated to be approximately $345 million in 2015, $290 million in 2016, $235 million in 2017, $180 million in 2018 and $125 million in 2019.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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