Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill

Goodwill by segment consisted of the following:

(in thousands)	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Wireless	$	146,383	$	146,383
Cable	104		104
Wireline	10		10
Total Goodwill	$	146,497	$	146,497

Intangible Assets Resulting from Acquisition

Intangible assets consisted of the following:

	December 31, 2018							December 31, 2017
(in thousands)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization and Other			Net		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization and Other			Net
Non-amortizing intangibles:
Cable franchise rights	$	64,334	$	—		$	64,334	$	64,334	$	—		$	64,334
Railroad crossing rights	141		—			141		141		—			141
Total non-amortizing intangibles	64,475		—			64,475		64,475		—			64,475
Finite-lived intangibles:
Affiliate contract expansion - Wireless	455,305		(167,830		)	287,475		410,157		(105,964		)	304,193
Favorable leases - Wireless	15,743		(1,919		)	13,824		13,103		(1,222		)	11,881
Acquired subscribers - Cable	25,265		(25,250		)	15		25,265		(25,100		)	165
Other intangibles	463		(223		)	240		463		(198		)	265
Total finite-lived intangibles	496,776		(195,222		)	301,554		448,988		(132,484		)	316,504
Total intangible assets	$	561,251	$	(195,222	)	$	366,029	$	513,463	$	(132,484	)	$	380,979

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets

Finite-lived intangible assets and liabilities are being amortized over the following estimated useful lives that were established on the dates acquired:

	Estimated Useful Life
Affiliate contract expansion	4 - 14 years
Favorable and unfavorable leases - wireless	1 - 28 years
Acquired subscribers - cable	3 - 10 years
Other intangibles	15 - 20 years

The Company recorded the following in the wireless segment:

($ in thousands)	Estimated Useful Life (in years)	February 1, 2018
Affiliate contract expansion	12	$	45,148
Prepayment of tangible assets	N/A	6,497
Off-market leases - favorable	16.5	3,665
Off-market leases - unfavorable	4.2	(3,310		)
Total		$	52,000

Intangible assets consisted of the following:

	December 31, 2018							December 31, 2017
(in thousands)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization and Other			Net		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization and Other			Net
Non-amortizing intangibles:
Cable franchise rights	$	64,334	$	—		$	64,334	$	64,334	$	—		$	64,334
Railroad crossing rights	141		—			141		141		—			141
Total non-amortizing intangibles	64,475		—			64,475		64,475		—			64,475
Finite-lived intangibles:
Affiliate contract expansion - Wireless	455,305		(167,830		)	287,475		410,157		(105,964		)	304,193
Favorable leases - Wireless	15,743		(1,919		)	13,824		13,103		(1,222		)	11,881
Acquired subscribers - Cable	25,265		(25,250		)	15		25,265		(25,100		)	165
Other intangibles	463		(223		)	240		463		(198		)	265
Total finite-lived intangibles	496,776		(195,222		)	301,554		448,988		(132,484		)	316,504
Total intangible assets	$	561,251	$	(195,222	)	$	366,029	$	513,463	$	(132,484	)	$	380,979

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense

Aggregate amortization expense, including amortization classified as a rent expense, for intangible assets for the periods shown is expected to be as follows:

Year Ending December 31,	Total		Amount Reflected as Rent Expense		Amount Reflected as Amortization Expense
(in thousands)
2019	$	21,094	$	991	$	20,103
2020	18,193		965		17,228
2021	15,477		953		14,524
2022	14,015		935		13,080
2023	13,794		924		12,870
thereafter	61,816		9,056		52,760
Total	$	144,389	$	13,824	$	130,565

Affiliate contract expansion will be further reduced by approximately $157.2 million for waived management fees as such are received from Sprint. Aggregate amortization of the unfavorable lease liability in the Wireless segment, to be classified as rent expense, is expected to be $5.1 million.