Intangible assets (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

	September 30, 2016							December 31, 2015
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Non-amortizing intangibles:
Cable franchise rights	$	64,431	$	—		$	64,431	$	64,098	$	—		$	64,098
Finite-lived intangibles:
Affiliate contract expansion rights	$	287,800	$	(8,883	)	$	278,917	$	—	$	—		$	—
Acquired subscribers – wireless	113,761		(11,442		)	102,319		—		—			—
Contract based intangibles – wireless	11,000		(458		)	10,542		—		—			—
Acquired subscribers – cable	25,265		(24,452		)	813		25,326		(23,805		)	1,521
Other intangibles	2,102		(723		)	1,379		1,938		(564		)	1,374
Total finite-lived intangibles	$	439,928	$	(45,958	)	$	393,970	$	27,264	$	(24,369	)	2,895
Total intangible assets	$	504,359	$	(45,958	)	$	458,401	$	91,362	$	(24,369	)	$	66,993

Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets

Aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the periods shown is expected to be as follows:

Year Ending December 31,	Amount
	(in thousands)
2016 Remaining	$	12,463
2017	45,091
2018	39,372
2019	35,428
2020	32,718
2021	30,139
thereafter	198,759
Total	$	393,970

Changes in the Carrying Amount of Goodwill

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 are shown below (in thousands):

Goodwill as of December 31, 2015, Wireline segment	$	10
Goodwill recorded January 2016, Cable segment, Colane acquisition	104
Goodwill recorded May 2016, Wireless segment, nTelos acquisition	145,299
Goodwill as of September 30, 2016	$	145,413