Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: a) Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates: Frontier Communications Corporation and its subsidiaries are referred to as “we,” “us,” “our,” “Frontier,” or the “Company” in this report. Our interim unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These interim unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary, in the opinion of Frontier’s management, to present fairly the results for the interim periods shown. Revenues, net income (loss) and cash flows for any interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full year. For our interim financial statements as of and for the period ended September 30, 2020, we evaluated subsequent events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date that we filed this Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The preparation of our interim financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect (i) the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, (ii) the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and (iii) the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Estimates and judgments are used when accounting for the allowance for doubtful accounts, asset impairments, indefinite-lived intangibles, depreciation and amortization, income taxes, and pension and other postretirement benefits, among others. We operate in one reportable segment. Frontier provides both regulated and unregulated voice, data and video services to consumer, commercial and wholesale customers and is typically the incumbent voice services provider in its service areas. b) Going Concern: Our interim unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern, which contemplates continuity of operations, realization of assets, and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. In connection with the preparation of our interim unaudited consolidated financial statements, we conducted an evaluation as to whether there were conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, which raised substantial doubt as to Frontier’s ability to continue as a going concern. As reflected in our consolidated financial statements, the Company had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $1,767 million and an accumulated deficit of $8,925 million as of September 30, 2020. The Company also had operating income of $682 million and a net loss of $352 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. On April 14, 2020, Frontier Communications Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company Parties or the Debtors and, as they may be reorganized pursuant to the Plan, the Reorganized Company Parties or the Reorganized Debtors) entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (the Restructuring Support Agreement) with certain of its noteholders (the Consenting Noteholders). The Restructuring Support Agreement contemplates agreed-upon terms for a pre-arranged financial restructuring plan that leaves unimpaired all general unsecured creditors and holders of secured debt and subsidiary debt. Under the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Consenting Noteholders agreed, subject to certain terms and conditions, to support a financial restructuring (the Restructuring) of the existing debt of, existing equity interests in, and certain other obligations of the Company Parties, pursuant to the Plan to be filed in cases commenced under chapter 11 (the Chapter 11 Cases) of title 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code). To implement the Plan, on April 14, 2020 (the Petition Date), the Company Parties filed the Chapter 11 Cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court). Each Company Party continues to operate its business as a “debtor in possession” under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. The Chapter 11 Cases are being jointly administered under the caption In re Frontier Communications Corporation., et al., Case No. 20-22476 (RDD). On May 15, 2020, the Company Parties filed a proposed Joint Plan of Reorganization and related Disclosure Statement, each of which were amended on June 26, 2020, June 29, 2020 and June 30, 2020. On May 15, 2020, the Debtors also filed a proposed order approving the Disclosure Statement and various plan solicitation materials, including the solicitation and voting procedures, which was revised on June 29, 2020 (including modifications to some of the exhibits). On June 30, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered the modified order approving the adequacy of the Disclosure Statement and the solicitation and notice procedures and the forms of voting ballots and notices in connection therewith. The order established June 29, 2020 as the voting record date, July 2, 2020 as the solicitation launch date and July 31, 2020 as the voting deadline. On August 21, 2020, the Company Parties filed the Fifth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization of Frontier Communications Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the Plan) with the Bankruptcy Court. On August 27, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered the Order Confirming the Fifth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization of Frontier Communications Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the Confirmation Order), which approved and confirmed the Plan. The effective date of the Plan will occur once all conditions precedent to the Plan have been satisfied (the Effective Date). Our ability to continue as a going concern is contingent upon, among other things, our ability to, subject to the Bankruptcy Court’s approval, implement the Plan, successfully emerge from the Chapter 11 Cases and generate sufficient liquidity from the Restructuring to meet our obligations and operating needs. As a result of risks and uncertainties related to (i) the Company’s ability to successfully consummate the Plan and emerge from the Chapter 11 Cases, and (ii) the effects of disruption from the Chapter 11 Cases making it more difficult to maintain business, financing and operational relationships, together with the Company’s recurring losses from operations and accumulated deficit, substantial doubt exists regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. For detailed discussion about the Chapter 11 Cases and the Plan, refer to Note 3. The filing of the Chapter 11 Cases constituted an event of default that accelerated substantially all of our obligations under the JPM Credit Agreement (as defined herein), the Company’s 8.000% first lien secured notes due 2027 (the Original First Lien Notes), the Company’s 8.500% second lien secured notes due April 1, 2026 (the Second Lien Notes), our unsecured notes and debentures and the secured and unsecured debentures of our subsidiaries. We have reclassified all debt obligations to “Long term debt due within one year” or “Liabilities Subject to Compromise”, based on the event of default or reinstatement provisions of each security in the Restructuring Support Agreement, on our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2020. On October 8, 2020, the Company issued $1,150 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% First Lien Secured Notes due 2027 (the New First Lien Notes), entered into a $625 million DIP revolving facility (the DIP Revolving Facility) and a $500 million DIP term loan facility (the DIP Term Loan Facility). The Company used the proceeds from the offering of the New First Lien Notes, together with the proceeds of the DIP Term Loan Facility and cash on hand, to (i) repay in full the Company’s Original First Lien Notes and (ii) pay related interest, fees and expenses. For additional discussion related to the impact of the Chapter 11 Cases on our debt obligations, refer to Note 10. Our consolidated interim unaudited financial statements do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern. c) Impact of COVID-19: On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the highly contagious and lethal corona virus outbreak a global pandemic (COVID-19) and recommended containment and other mitigation measures worldwide to lessen the transmission of COVID-19. In the first half of 2020, governments from around the world, including the United States federal government as well as state and local governments reacted to this public health crisis, imposing travel restrictions and restrictions on large gatherings of people, which includes school and non-essential business closures. The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the drastic responses being taken to curb its spread have resulted in a significant negative impact to the global and domestic economies, which will increase the longer these limitations are in place. In an effort to reduce the economic impacts of COVID-19, the United States federal government has responded with multiple stimulus bills, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the largest economic stimulus legislation in American history. Despite these efforts, the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 cannot be determined. With more people staying at home and an increased reliance on broadband and telephone networks, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued the Keep Americans Connected Pledge on March 11, 2020, which provided for telecommunication providers, including Frontier, to not terminate service and to waive any late payment fees for 60 days for certain customers due to economic circumstances they are facing related to COVID-19 as well as making WIFI hotspots available to all Americans who need them. In addition, some of the states we operate in have issued executive orders as a result of COVID-19 that further impact our business, including prohibiting the disconnection of services for customers for the length of the state of emergency. While the initial 60-day period of the Keep Americans Connected Pledge has expired, state and federal governments continue to ask companies to aid in pandemic response. While certain customers have taken advantage of our COVID-19 related relief programs, as of September 30, 2020, very few had past due balances beyond the point of normal disconnection. In addition to committing to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, Frontier’s response to COVID-19 has included several operational safety precautions such as limiting our product offerings in certain markets for certain periods, including not allowing our field service employees to enter a customer’s home for a period of time, a limitation which is no longer in effect. We are continuing to require personal protective equipment on any employees entering a customer location. The percentage of Frontier’s employees who have reported testing positive for COVID-19 is small and continues to track below the percentage of reported cases both nationally and in those states in which Frontier has a significant number of employees. Through September 30, 2020, we had not experienced any significant disruptions in our supply chain; however, some of our business partners, particularly those vendors operating outside of the United States, have been more greatly impacted which has affected our service levels and distribution of work. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, certain states are currently considering legislation or other regulations to adopt additional protections for workers impacted by COVID-19. To date, we have not experienced significant disruptions in our workforce due to COVID-19 related absences or legislative or regulatory changes. Given the unprecedented and evolving nature of the pandemic and the swift moving response of multiple levels of government as well as the uncertainty of funding available for services provided, the full impact of these changes and potential changes on the Company are unknown at this time. While overall the operational and financial impacts to Frontier of the COVID-19 pandemic for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 were not significant, we continue to closely monitor the ongoing impact to our employees, our customers, our business and our results of operations. We have experienced a slowdown in service activations and an increase in deactivations for our SMB customers; to date, these negative impacts have been partially offset by higher residential activations and lower churn. We also continue to closely track our customers’ payment activity as well as external factors, including the expiration of federal wage subsidies for individuals and small businesses which could materially impact payment trends. With more people working from home, we have experienced higher demands on our network and higher sales activity for our residential broadband service offering. This sustained increase in network demand could lead to reduced network availability and potential outages, which may impair our ability to meet customer service level commitments, lead to higher costs, higher customer churn and potential increased regulatory actions. These potential changes, among others, could have a material financial impact to Frontier. d) Debtor-in-Possession: In general, as debtors-in-possession under the Bankruptcy Code, we are authorized to continue to operate as an ongoing business but may not engage in transactions outside the ordinary course of business without the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court. Pursuant to certain motions and applications intended to limit the disruption of the bankruptcy proceedings on our operations (the First Day Motions) and other motions filed with the Bankruptcy Court, the Bankruptcy Court has authorized us to conduct our business activities in the ordinary course, including, among other things and subject to the terms and conditions of such orders, authorizing us to obtain DIP financing, pay employee wages and benefits, settle certain de minimis disputes and pay vendors and suppliers in the ordinary course for all goods and services. e) Revenue Recognition: Revenue for data & Internet services, voice services, video services and switched and non-switched access services is recognized as the service is provided. Services that are billed in advance include monthly recurring network access services (including data services), special access services, and monthly recurring voice, video, and related charges. The unearned portion of these fees is initially deferred as a component of “Advanced billings” on our consolidated balance sheet and recognized as revenue over the period that the services are provided. Services that are billed in arrears include non-recurring network access services (including data services), switched access services, and non-recurring voice and video services. The earned but unbilled portion of these fees is recognized as revenue in our consolidated statements of operations and accrued in “Accounts receivable” on our consolidated balance sheet in the period that services are provided. Excise taxes are recognized as a liability when billed. Satisfaction of Performance Obligations Frontier satisfies its obligations to customers by transferring goods and services in exchange for consideration received from the customer. The timing of Frontier’s satisfaction of the performance obligation often differs from the timing of the customer’s payment, which results in the recognition of a contract asset or a contract liability. Frontier recognizes a contract asset or liability when the Company transfers goods or services to a customer and bills an amount which differs from the revenue allocated to the related performance obligations. Bundled Service and Allocation of Discounts When customers purchase more than one service, the revenue allocable to each service is determined based upon the relative stand-alone selling price of each service received. We frequently offer service discounts as an incentive to customers. Service discounts reduce the total transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are satisfied over the term of the customer contract. We may also offer incentives which are considered cash equivalents (e.g. Visa gift cards) that similarly result in a reduction of the total transaction price as well as lower revenue over the term of the contract. A contract asset is often created during the beginning of the contract term when the term of the incentive is shorter than the contract term. These contract assets are realized over the term of the contract as our performance obligations are satisfied and customer consideration is received. Customer Incentives In the process of acquiring and/or retaining customers, we may issue a variety of other incentives aside from service discounts or cash equivalent incentives. Those incentives that have stand-alone value (e.g. gift cards not considered cash equivalents or free goods/services) are considered a separate performance obligation. As a result, while these incentives are free to the customer, a portion of the consideration received from the customer over the contract term is ascribed to them based upon their relative stand-alone selling price. The revenue, reflected in “Other” revenue, and costs, reflected in “Network access expenses”, for these incentives are recognized when they are delivered to the customer and the performance obligation is satisfied. Similar to discounts, these types of incentives generally result in the creation of a contract asset during the beginning of the contract term which is recorded in Other current assets and Other assets on our consolidated balance sheet. Upfront Fees All non-refundable upfront fees provide our customers with a material right to renew, and therefore, are deferred and amortized into revenue over the expected period for which related services are provided. With upfront fees assessed at the beginning of a contract, a contract liability is often created, which is reduced over the term of the contract as the performance obligations are satisfied. The contract liabilities are recorded in Other current liabilities and Other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. Contributions in Aid of Construction (CIAC) It is customary for us to charge customers for certain construction activities. These activities are requested by the customer and construction charges are assessed at the beginning of a contract. When charges are incurred, a contract liability is often created, which is reduced over the term of the contract as performance obligations are satisfied. The contract liabilities are recorded in Other current liabilities and Other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. Contract Acquisition Costs Certain costs to acquire customers are deferred and amortized over the expected customer life (average of 4.0 years). For Frontier, this includes certain commissions paid to acquire new customers. Commissions attributable to new customer contracts are deferred and amortized into expense. Unamortized deferred commissions are recorded in Contract acquisition costs and Other assets on our consolidated balance sheet. Surcharges and Subsidies Frontier collects various taxes from its customers and subsequently remits these taxes to governmental authorities. Substantially all of these taxes are recorded through the consolidated balance sheet and presented on a net basis in our consolidated statements of operations. We also collect Universal Service Fund (USF) surcharges from customers (primarily federal USF), which amounted to $51 million and $60 million, and $142 million and $162 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and video franchise fees, which amounted to $7 million and $10 million, and $23 million and $31 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, that we have recorded on a gross basis in our consolidated statements of operations and included within “Revenue” and “Network related expenses”. In June 2015, Frontier accepted the FCC offer of support to price cap carriers under the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II program, which is intended to provide long-term support for broadband in high cost unserved or underserved areas. We are recognizing FCC’s CAF Phase II subsidies into revenue on a straight-line basis over the seven year funding term. f)Cash Equivalents: We consider all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Restricted cash of $58 million and $50 million is included in “Other assets” on our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. These amounts represent funds held as collateral by a bank against letters of credit issued predominately to insurance carriers and, beginning in the second quarter of 2020, funds held in an interest-bearing account as adequate assurances to utility providers established in accordance with First Day Motions filed by Frontier. g)Definite and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets: Intangible assets arising from business combinations, such as customer lists, tradenames, and royalty agreements, are initially recorded at estimated fair value. Frontier amortizes its acquired customer lists and certain other finite-lived intangible assets over their estimated useful lives on the accelerated method of sum of the years digits and its royalty agreement over its estimated useful life on the straight-line method. We review such intangible assets at least annually as of December 31st to assess whether any potential impairment exists and whether factors exist that would necessitate a change in useful life and a different amortization period. h)Lease Accounting: We determine if an arrangement contains a lease at inception. Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating and Finance lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The operating and finance lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our lease terms used in accounting for leases may reflect options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. ROU assets for operating leases are recorded to “Other Assets”, and the related liabilities recorded to “Other current liabilities”, and “Other liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheets. Assets subject to finance leases are included in “Property, Plant & Equipment”, with corresponding liabilities recorded to “Other current liabilities”, and “Other liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheets. i)Assets Held for Sale: We classify assets and related liabilities as held for sale when the following criteria are met: when management has committed to a plan to sell the asset, the asset is available for immediate sale, there is an active program to locate a buyer and the sale and transfer of the asset is probable within one year. Assets and liabilities are presented separately on the Consolidated Balance Sheets with a valuation allowance, if necessary, to recognize the net carrying amount at the lower of cost or fair value, less costs to sell. Depreciation and amortization for property, plant and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets, are not recorded while these assets are classified as held for sale. Assets held for sale are tested for recoverability each period that they are classified as held for sale. On May 1, 2020, Frontier completed the sale of its operations and associated assets in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana (Northwest Operations or Northwest Ops). As of December 31, 2019, the assets and liabilities of the Northwest Operations were classified as held for sale on our consolidated balance sheets, and the amounts and information of the Company in the footnotes as they are presented do not include assets and liabilities that have been reclassified, refer to Note 8.