XML 51 R13.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.1
Accounts Receivable
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounts Receivable [Abstract]  
Accounts Receivable
(5)
Accounts Receivable:
The components of accounts receivable, net at December 31, 2019 and 2018 are as follows:

($ in millions)
  
2019
    
2018
  
             
Retail and Wholesale
  
$
678
    
$
745
  
Other
    
71
      
83
  
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts
    
(120
)
    
(105
)
Accounts receivable, net
  
$
629
    
$
723
  

An analysis of the activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 is as follows:

($ in millions)
  
Balance at
beginning of
the Period
    
ASC 606
Transition
Adjustment
    
Increases:
Charged to
Revenue
    
Decreases:
Write-offs and Customer
Credits
    
Reclassified
to
Assets Held for Sale
    
Balance at
end of
the Period
  
                                     
2017
  
$
131
    
$
-
    
$
87
    
$
(149
)
  
$
-
    
$
69
  
2018
  
$
69
    
$
32
    
$
93
    
$
(89
)
  
$
-
    
$
105
  
2019
  
$
105
    
$
-
    
$
109
    
$
(83
)
  
$
(11
)
  
$
120
  

We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts based on our estimate of our ability to collect accounts receivable. The provision for uncollectible amounts was $109 million, $93 million and $87 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The provision for uncollectible amounts charged to revenue during 2019 and the ending balance in the allowance account as of December 31, 2019 were elevated as a result of ongoing billing disputes with some of our wholesale customers. Our allowance for doubtful accounts decreased during 2018 primarily as a result of resolutions of carrier disputes and increased collection efforts on delinquent balances in both our CTF and Legacy markets and increased in 2017 primarily as a result of the customer account balances related to CTF Operations subsequent to the CTF Acquisition.  Resolutions reached with carriers resulted in a reduction of our reserves of $37 million, $9 million, and $39 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.