Divestitures	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Divestitures [Abstract]
Divestitures	Note 6 Divestitures UScellular On August 4, 2023, TDS and UScellular announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies decided to initiate a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular. On May 28, 2024, UScellular announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the execution of a Securities Purchase Agreement (Securities Purchase Agreement) by and among TDS, UScellular, T-Mobile US, Inc. (T-Mobile) and USCC Wireless Holdings, LLC, pursuant to which, among other things, UScellular has agreed to sell its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T-Mobile for a purchase price, subject to adjustments as specified in the Securities Purchase Agreement, of $4,400 million, which is payable in a combination of cash and the assumption of up to approximately $2,000 million in debt. The purchase price includes $100 million contingent on the satisfaction of certain financial and operational targets prior to close; based on projected performance against such targets through an expected mid-year 2025 close, UScellular does not expect to receive most of this contingent consideration. The purchase price also includes $400 million allocated to certain wireless spectrum licenses held by entities in which UScellular is a non-controlling limited partner. The closing with respect to these wireless spectrum licenses is contingent upon UScellular's purchase, which is pending receipt of regulatory approval, of the remaining equity in the entities that UScellular does not currently own. The Securities Purchase Agreement also contemplates, among other things, a Short-Term Spectrum Manager Lease Agreement and Short-Term Spectrum Manager Sublease Agreements that will become effective at the closing date, which provide T-Mobile with an exclusive license to use certain UScellular spectrum assets and leases at no cost for up to one-year for the sole purpose of providing continued, uninterrupted service to customers. UScellular expects to present the wireless operations and select spectrum assets sold to T-Mobile as discontinued operations if and when the accounting criteria is met. The sale of the wireless operations to T-Mobile is expected to close in mid-2025, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. On October 17, 2024, UScellular, and certain subsidiaries of UScellular, entered into a License Purchase Agreement (Verizon Purchase Agreement) with Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon) to sell certain AWS, Cellular and PCS wireless spectrum licenses and agreed to grant Verizon certain rights to lease such licenses prior to the transaction close for total proceeds of $1,000 million. As of March 31, 2025, UScellular's book value of the wireless spectrum licenses to be sold was $586 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, and is contingent on the closing of the T-Mobile transaction and the termination of the T-Mobile Short-Term Spectrum Manager Lease Agreement. On November 6, 2024, UScellular, and certain subsidiaries of UScellular, entered into a License Purchase Agreement (AT&T Purchase Agreement) with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC (AT&T), a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. to sell certain 3.45 GHz and 700 MHz wireless spectrum licenses and agreed to grant AT&T certain rights to lease and sub-lease such licenses prior to the transaction close for total proceeds of $1,018 million, subject to certain purchase price adjustments. As of March 31, 2025, UScellular's book value of the wireless spectrum licenses to be sold was $859 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions and substantially all of the licenses subject to the transaction are contingent on the closing of the T-Mobile transaction. The purchase price includes $232 million allocated to certain wireless spectrum licenses that are held by an entity in which UScellular is a non-controlling limited partner. The closing with respect to these wireless spectrum licenses is contingent upon UScellular's purchase, which is pending receipt of regulatory approval, of the remaining equity in the entity that UScellular does not currently own. The strategic alternatives review process is ongoing as UScellular works toward closing the transactions signed during 2024, including the T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T transactions and continues to seek to opportunistically monetize its spectrum assets that are not subject to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Verizon Purchase Agreement or the AT&T Purchase Agreement. TDS incurred third-party expenses related to the announced transactions and strategic alternatives review of $16 million and $11 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, which are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses. As part of the transaction, UScellular entered into a Put/Call Agreement with T-Mobile whereby T-Mobile has the right to call certain spectrum assets and UScellular has the right to put certain spectrum assets to T-Mobile for an aggregate agreed upon price of $106 million. The call option notice period started on May 24, 2024, and the put exercise period starts at the close of the broader transaction. There was no cash exchanged at the inception of the Put/Call Agreement. All license transfers pursuant to any put/call are subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. UScellular accounts for this instrument as a net written call option and records such option at fair value each reporting period unless/until such option is exercised or terminated. UScellular estimated the fair value of the net written call option at $4 million as of March 31, 2025, which was recorded to Other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The change in fair value is recorded to (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. TDS Telecom In February 2025, TDS Telecom entered into agreements with third-parties to sell certain incumbent markets in Colorado for a purchase price of $18 million. The assets and liabilities of the markets being sold have been classified as held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2025. The transactions are expected to close in 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

On August 4, 2023, TDS and UScellular announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies decided to initiate a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular. On May 28, 2024, UScellular announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the execution of a Securities Purchase Agreement (Securities Purchase Agreement) by and among TDS, UScellular, T-Mobile US, Inc. (T-Mobile) and USCC Wireless Holdings, LLC, pursuant to which, among other things, UScellular has agreed to sell its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T-Mobile for a purchase price, subject to adjustments as specified in the Securities Purchase Agreement, of $4,400 million, which is payable in a combination of cash and the assumption of up to approximately $2,000 million in debt. The purchase price includes $100 million contingent on the satisfaction of certain financial and operational targets prior to close; based on projected performance against such targets through an expected mid-year 2025 close, UScellular does not expect to receive most of this contingent consideration. The purchase price also includes $400 million allocated to certain wireless spectrum licenses held by entities in which UScellular is a non-controlling limited partner. The closing with respect to these wireless spectrum licenses is contingent upon UScellular's purchase, which is pending receipt of regulatory approval, of the remaining equity in the entities that UScellular does not currently own. The Securities Purchase Agreement also contemplates, among other things, a Short-Term Spectrum Manager Lease Agreement and Short-Term Spectrum Manager Sublease Agreements that will become effective at the closing date, which provide T-Mobile with an exclusive license to use certain UScellular spectrum assets and leases at no cost for up to one-year for the sole purpose of providing continued, uninterrupted service to customers. UScellular expects to present the wireless operations and select spectrum assets sold to T-Mobile as discontinued operations if and when the accounting criteria is met. The sale of the wireless operations to T-Mobile is expected to close in mid-2025, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

On October 17, 2024, UScellular, and certain subsidiaries of UScellular, entered into a License Purchase Agreement (Verizon Purchase Agreement) with Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon) to sell certain AWS, Cellular and PCS wireless spectrum licenses and agreed to grant Verizon certain rights to lease such licenses prior to the transaction close for total proceeds of $1,000 million. As of March 31, 2025, UScellular's book value of the wireless spectrum licenses to be sold was $586 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, and is contingent on the closing of the T-Mobile transaction and the termination of the T-Mobile Short-Term Spectrum Manager Lease Agreement.

On November 6, 2024, UScellular, and certain subsidiaries of UScellular, entered into a License Purchase Agreement (AT&T Purchase Agreement) with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC (AT&T), a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. to sell certain 3.45 GHz and 700 MHz wireless spectrum licenses and agreed to grant AT&T certain rights to lease and sub-lease such licenses prior to the transaction close for total proceeds of $1,018 million, subject to certain purchase price adjustments. As of March 31, 2025, UScellular's book value of the wireless spectrum licenses to be sold was $859 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions and substantially all of the licenses subject to the transaction are contingent on the closing of the T-Mobile transaction. The purchase price includes $232 million allocated to certain wireless spectrum licenses that are held by an entity in which UScellular is a non-controlling limited partner. The closing with respect to these wireless spectrum licenses is contingent upon UScellular's purchase, which is pending receipt of regulatory approval, of the remaining equity in the entity that UScellular does not currently own.

As part of the transaction, UScellular entered into a Put/Call Agreement with T-Mobile whereby T-Mobile has the right to call certain spectrum assets and UScellular has the right to put certain spectrum assets to T-Mobile for an aggregate agreed upon price of $106 million. The call option notice period started on May 24, 2024, and the put exercise period starts at the close of the broader transaction. There was no cash exchanged at the inception of the Put/Call Agreement. All license transfers pursuant to any put/call are subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. UScellular accounts for this instrument as a net written call option and records such option at fair value each reporting period unless/until such option is exercised or terminated. UScellular estimated the fair value of the net written call option at $4 million as of March 31, 2025, which was recorded to Other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The change in fair value is recorded to (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.