| Background and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Background and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies General We are an integrated communications company engaged primarily in providing a broad array of communications services to our business and residential customers. Our specific products and services are detailed under the heading "Operations - Products and Services" in Item 1 of Part I of this report. We generate the majority of our total consolidated operating revenue from services provided in the 14-state region of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. We refer to this region as our local service area. On April 1, 2011, our indirect parent QCII became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lumen Technologies, Inc. in a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of our subsidiaries. Intercompany amounts and transactions with our consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated. Transactions with our non-consolidated affiliates (referred to herein as affiliates) have not been eliminated. We reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation. See Note 14—Products and Services Revenue for additional information. These changes had no impact on total operating revenue, total operating expenses or net income for any period presented. Operating lease assets are included in Other, net under goodwill and other assets on our consolidated balance sheets. Current operating lease liabilities are included in Other under accrued expenses and other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Noncurrent operating lease liabilities are included in Other under deferred credits and other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Segments Our operations are integrated into and reported as part of Lumen Technologies. Lumen's chief operating decision maker ("CODM") is our CODM but reviews our financial information on an aggregate basis only in connection with our quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Consequently, we do not provide our discrete financial information to the CODM on a regular basis. As such, we have one reportable segment. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Change in Accounting Policy During the first quarter of 2020, we elected to change the presentation for taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, including federal and certain state Universal Service Fund ("USF") regulatory fees, to present all such taxes on a net basis in our statement of operations. Prior to the first quarter of 2020, we assessed whether we were the primary obligor or principal taxpayer for the taxes assessed in each jurisdiction where we do business. The previous policy resulted in presenting such USF fees on a gross basis within operating revenue and cost of services and products, and all other significant taxes on a net basis. We applied this change in accounting policy retrospectively during the first quarter of 2020. As a result, we have decreased both operating revenue and cost of services and products by $105 million, $105 million and $98 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The change had no impact on operating income or net income in our consolidated statements of operations. Refer to our Form 8-K filing dated May 7, 2020 for further information. We changed our policy to present such taxes on the net basis and believe the new policy is preferable because of the historical and potential future regulatory rate changes outside of our control resulting in significant variability in tax and fee revenue that are not indicative of our operating performance. We believe that net presentation provides the most useful and transparent financial information and improves comparability and consistency of financial results. Use of Estimates Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These accounting principles require us to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions. We believe that the estimates, judgments and assumptions we make when accounting for specific items and matters are reasonable, based on information available at the time they are made. These estimates, judgments and assumptions can materially affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and components of stockholder's equity as of the dates of the consolidated balance sheets, as well as the reported amounts of revenue, expenses and components of cash flows during the periods presented in our other consolidated financial statements. We also make estimates in our assessments of potential losses in relation to threatened or pending tax and legal matters. See Note 13—Income Taxes and Note 16—Commitments, Contingencies and Other Items for additional information. For matters not related to income taxes, if a loss is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, we recognize an expense for the estimated loss. If we have the potential to recover a portion of the estimated loss from a third party, we make a separate assessment of recoverability and reduce the estimated loss if recovery is also deemed probable. For matters related to income taxes, if we determine that the impact of an uncertain tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority, then we recognize a benefit for the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained. No portion of an uncertain tax position will be recognized if the position has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. Interest is recognized on the amount of unrecognized benefit from uncertain tax positions. For all of these and other matters, actual results could differ materially from our estimates. Revenue Recognition We earn most of our consolidated revenue from contracts with customers, primarily through the provision of communications and other services. Revenue from contracts with customers is accounted for under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 606. We also earn revenue from leasing arrangements (primarily fiber capacity agreements) and governmental subsidy payments, neither of which are accounted for under ASC 606. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Revenue is recognized based on the following five-step model: • Identification of the contract with a customer; • Identification of the performance obligations in the contract; • Determination of the transaction price; • Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and • Recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation. We provide an array of communications services to business and residential customers, including local voice, VPN, Ethernet, data, broadband, private line (including special access), network access, transport, voice, information technology, video and other ancillary services. We provide these services to a wide range of businesses, including global/international, enterprise, wholesale, government, small and medium business customers. Certain contracts also include the sale of equipment, which is not significant to our business. We recognize revenue for services when we provide the applicable service or when control is transferred. Recognition of certain payments received in advance of services being provided is deferred. These advance payments include certain activation and certain installation charges. If the activation and installation charges are not separate performance obligations, we recognize them as revenue over the actual or expected contract term using historical experience, which ranges from one For access services, we generally bill fixed monthly charges one month in advance to customers and recognize revenue as service is provided over the contract term in alignment with the customer's receipt of service. For usage and other ancillary services, we generally bill in arrears and recognize revenue as usage or delivery occurs. In most cases, the amount invoiced for our service offerings constitutes the price that would be billed on a standalone basis. In certain cases, customers may be permitted to modify their contracts. We evaluate the change in scope or price to identify whether the modification should be treated as a separate contract, whether the modification is a termination of the existing contract and creation of a new contract, or if it is a change to the existing contract. Customer contracts are evaluated to determine whether the performance obligations are separable. If the performance obligations are deemed separable and separate earnings processes exist, the total transaction price that we expect to receive with the customer is allocated to each performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price. The revenue associated with each performance obligation is then recognized as earned. We periodically sell optical capacity on our network. These transactions are structured as indefeasible rights of use, commonly referred to as IRUs, which are the exclusive right to use a specified amount of capacity or fiber for a specified term, typically 10 to 20 years. In most cases, we account for the cash consideration received on transfers of optical capacity as ASC 606 revenue, which is adjusted for the time value of money and is recognized ratably over the term of the agreement. Cash consideration received on transfers of dark fiber is accounted for as non-ASC 606 lease revenue, which we also recognize ratably over the term of the agreement. We do not recognize revenue on any contemporaneous exchanges of our optical capacity assets for other non-owned optical capacity assets. In connection with offering products and services provided to the end user by third-party vendors, we review the relationship between us, the vendor and the end user to assess whether revenue should be reported on a gross or net basis. In assessing whether revenue should be reported on a gross or net basis, we consider whether we act as a principal in the transaction and control the goods and services used to fulfill the performance obligations associated with the transaction. We have service level commitments pursuant to contracts with certain of our customers. To the extent that such service levels are not achieved or are otherwise disputed due to performance or service issues or other service interruptions or conditions, we will estimate the amount of credits to be issued and record a corresponding reduction to revenue in the period that the service level commitment was not met. Customer payments are made based on billing schedules included in our customer contracts, which is typically on a monthly basis. We defer (or capitalize) incremental contract acquisition and fulfillment costs and recognize (or amortize) such costs over the average contract life. Our deferred contract costs for our customers have average amortization periods of approximately 30 months for consumer and 29 months for business. These deferred costs are monitored every period to reflect any significant change in assumptions. See Note 3—Revenue Recognition for additional information. Affiliate Transactions We provide to our affiliates telecommunications services that we also provide to external customers. In addition, we provide to our affiliates computer system development and support services. Services provided by us to our affiliates are recognized as operating revenue-affiliates in our consolidated statements of operations. We also purchase services from our affiliates including telecommunications services, marketing and employee-related support services. Services provided to us from our affiliates are recognized as operating expenses-affiliates on our consolidated statements of operations. Because of the significance of the services we provide to our affiliates and our affiliates provide to us, the results of operations, financial position and cash flows presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows we would have achieved had we operated as a stand-alone entity during the periods presented. We recognize intercompany charges at the amounts billed to us by our affiliates and we recognize intercompany revenue for services we bill to our affiliates. Pricing between affiliates currently uses market based, volume discounted rates. Our ultimate parent company, Lumen Technologies, Inc. has cash management arrangements with a majority of its income-generating subsidiaries that include lines of credit, affiliate obligations, capital contributions and dividends. Under these arrangements, the majority of our cash balance is transferred on a daily basis for centralized management by Lumen Technologies, Inc. and most affiliate transactions are deemed to be settled at the time the transactions are recorded in our accounting records. The resulting net balance at the end of each period is reported as advances to affiliates or advances from affiliates on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. From time to time, we may declare and pay dividends to our parent, QSC. These dividends are settled in accordance with the cash management process described above, which has the net effect of reducing our advances to affiliates or increasing our advances from affiliates. Dividends paid are reflected on our consolidated statements of stockholder's equity and the consolidated statements of cash flows reflects the changes in advances to affiliates as investing activities and changes in advances from affiliates as financing activities. Interest is assessed on advances to and from affiliates using the current interest rate for our note payable-affiliate. The affiliate obligations, net in current and noncurrent liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets primarily represents the cumulative allocation of expense, net of payments, associated with QCII’s pension plans and post-retirement benefits plans prior to the plan mergers. In 2015, we agreed to a plan to settle the outstanding affiliate obligations, net balance with QCII over a 30 year term. Under the plan, payments are scheduled to be made on a monthly basis. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we made settlement payments of $71 million and $76 million, respectively, to QCII in accordance with the plan. Changes in the affiliate obligations, net are reflected in operating activities on our consolidated statements of cash flows. In the normal course of business, we transfer assets to and from various affiliates through our parent, QSC, which are recorded through our equity. It is our policy to record asset transfers based on carrying values. Qwest Corporation is currently indebted to an affiliate of our ultimate parent company, Lumen Technologies, Inc., under a revolving promissory note. For additional information, see "Note Payable - Affiliate" in Note 6—Long-Term Debt And Note Payable - Affiliate. Advertising Costs Costs related to advertising are expensed as incurred and included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations. Our advertising expense was $25 million, $28 million and $58 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Legal Costs In the normal course of our business, we incur costs to hire and retain external legal counsel to advise us on regulatory, litigation and other matters. We expense these costs as the related services are received. Income Taxes Our results are included in the Lumen Technologies consolidated federal income tax return and certain combined state income tax returns. Lumen Technologies allocates income tax expense to us based upon a separate return allocation method which results in income tax expense that approximates the expense that would result if we were a stand-alone entity. Our reported deferred tax assets and liabilities, as discussed below and in Note 13—Income Taxes, are primarily determined as a result of the application of the separate return allocation method and therefore the settlement of these amounts is dependent upon our parent, Lumen Technologies, Inc., rather than tax authorities. Our current expectation is that the vast majority of deferred tax assets and liabilities will be settled through our general intercompany obligation based upon the current Lumen Technologies, Inc. policy. Lumen Technologies, Inc. has the right to change their policy regarding settlement of these assets and liabilities at any time. The provision for income taxes consists of an amount for taxes currently payable, an amount for tax consequences deferred to future periods and adjustments to our liabilities for uncertain tax positions. We record deferred income tax assets and liabilities reflecting future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying value of assets and liabilities and the tax basis of those assets and liabilities. Deferred taxes are computed using enacted tax rates expected to apply in the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. The effect on deferred income tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rate is recognized in earnings in the period that includes the enactment date. We establish valuation allowances when necessary to reduce deferred income tax assets to the amounts that we believe are more likely than not to be recovered. Each quarter we evaluate the need to retain all or a portion of the valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets. See Note 13—Income Taxes for additional information. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into cash and are not subject to significant risk from fluctuations in interest rates. As a result, the value at which cash and cash equivalents are reported in our consolidated financial statements approximates their fair value. Our cash collections are transferred to Lumen Technologies, Inc. on a daily basis and our ultimate parent funds our cash disbursement needs. The net cash transferred to Lumen Technologies, Inc. has been reflected as advances to affiliates in our consolidated balance sheets. Book overdrafts occur when checks have been issued but have not been presented to our controlled disbursement bank accounts for payment. Disbursement bank accounts allow us to delay funding of issued checks until the checks are presented for payment. Until the issued checks are presented for payment, the book overdrafts are included in accounts payable on our consolidated balance sheet. This activity is included in the operating activities section in our consolidated statements of cash flows. There were no book overdrafts included in accounts payable at December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019. Restricted Cash Restricted cash consists primarily of cash and investments that serve to collateralize certain performance and operating obligations. Restricted cash is recorded as current or non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets depending on the duration of the restriction and the purpose for which the restriction exists. Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses Accounts receivable are recognized based upon the amount due from customers for the services provided or at cost for purchased and other receivables less an allowance for credit losses. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-13, the allowance for credit losses receivable reflected our best estimate of probable losses inherent in our receivable portfolio determined on the basis of historical experience, specific allowances for known troubled accounts and other currently available evidence. We implemented the new standard effective January 1, 2020, as discussed in the Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements - "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments", below. For more information, see Note 5—Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. We generally consider our accounts past due if they are outstanding over 30 days. Our past due accounts are written off against our allowance for credit losses when collection is considered to be not probable. Any recoveries of accounts previously written off are generally recognized as a reduction in bad debt expense in the period received . The carrying value of accounts receivable, net of the allowance for credit losses, approximates fair value. Property, Plant and Equipment As a result of our indirect acquisition by Lumen Technologies, Inc., property, plant and equipment acquired at the time of acquisition was recorded based on its estimated fair value as of the acquisition date. Subsequently purchased and constructed property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. Property, plant and equipment is depreciated primarily using the straight-line group method. Under the straight-line group method, assets dedicated to providing telecommunications services (which comprise the majority of our property, plant and equipment) that have similar physical characteristics, use and expected useful lives are pooled for purposes of depreciation and tracking. The equal life group procedure is used to establish each pool's average remaining useful life. Generally, under the straight-line group method, when an asset is sold or retired in the course of normal business activities, the cost is deducted from property, plant and equipment and charged to accumulated depreciation without recognition of a gain or loss. A gain or loss is recognized in our consolidated statements of operations only if a disposal is unusual. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the useful lives of the assets or the expected lease term. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Interest is capitalized during the construction phase of network and other internal-use capital projects. Employee-related costs for construction of network and other internal use assets are also capitalized during the construction phase. Property, plant and equipment supplies used internally are carried at average cost, except for significant individual items for which cost is based on specific identification. We perform annual internal reviews to evaluate the reasonableness of the depreciable lives for our property, plant and equipment. Our reviews utilize models that take into account actual usage, physical wear and tear, replacement history, assumptions about technology evolution and, in certain instances, actuarially determined probabilities to estimate the remaining useful life of our asset base. Our remaining useful life assessments evaluate the possible loss in service value of assets that may precede the physical retirement. Assets shared among many customers may lose service value as those customers reduce their use of the network. However, the asset is not retired until all customers no longer utilize the asset and we determine there is no alternative use for the asset. We review long-lived tangible assets for impairment whenever facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be recoverable. For assessment purposes, long-lived assets are grouped with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities, absent a material change in operations. An impairment loss is recognized only if the carrying amount of the asset group is not recoverable and exceeds its estimated fair value. Recoverability of the asset group to be held and used is assessed by comparing the carrying amount of the asset group to the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset group. If the asset group's carrying value is not recoverable, we recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset group exceeds its estimated fair value. Goodwill, Customer Relationships and Other Intangible Assets Intangible assets arising from business combinations, such as goodwill, customer relationships and capitalized software are initially recorded at estimated fair value. We amortize customer relationships primarily over an estimated life of ten years, using either the sum-of-the-years-digits or the straight-line methods, depending on the type of customer. We amortize capitalized software using the straight-line method over estimated lives ranging up to seven years. Other intangible assets not arising from business combinations are initially recorded at cost. Internally used software, whether purchased or developed by us, is capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over its estimated useful life. We have capitalized certain costs associated with software such as costs of employees devoting time to the projects and external direct costs for materials and services. Costs associated with software to be used for internal purposes are expensed until the point at which the project has reached the development stage. Subsequent additions, modifications or upgrades to internal-use software are capitalized only to the extent that they allow the software to perform a task it previously did not perform. Software maintenance, data conversion and training costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred. We review the remaining economic lives of our capitalized software annually. Capitalized software is included in other intangible assets, net, in our consolidated balance sheets. We are required to assess goodwill for impairment at least annually, or more frequently, if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate an impairment may have occurred. We are required to write-down the value of goodwill in periods in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit equity exceeds the estimated fair value of the equity of the reporting unit limited to the goodwill balance. The impairment assessment is performed at the reporting unit level. We have determined that our operations consist of one reporting unit, consistent with our determination that our business consists of one operating segment. See Note 2—Goodwill, Customer Relationships and Other Intangible Assets for additional information. Pension and Post-Retirement Benefits A substantial portion of our active and retired employees participate in the Lumen Combined Pension Plan. On December 31, 2014, the QCII pension plan and a pension plan of an affiliate were merged into the CenturyLink Retirement Plan, The CenturyLink Retirement Plan is now named the Lumen Combined Pension Plan. Prior to the pension plan merger, the above-noted employees participated in the QCII pension plan. In addition, certain of our employees participate in Lumen's post-retirement health care and life insurance benefit plans. Lumen Technologies allocates service costs relating to pension and post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits to us and its other affiliates. The amounts contributed by us through Lumen Technologies are not segregated or restricted to pay amounts due to our employees and may be used to provide benefits to other employees of Lumen Technologies. The allocation of the service costs to us is based upon our employees who are currently earning benefits under the plans. For further information on qualified pension, post-retirement and other post-employment benefit plans, see Lumen's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements During 2020, we adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments." During 2019, we adopted ASU 2016-02, "Leases (ASC 842)". In 2018, we adopted ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”. Each of these is described further below. Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2016-13. The primary impact of ASU 2016-13 for us is a change in the model for the recognition of credit losses related to our financial instruments from an incurred loss model, which recognized credit losses only if it was probable that a loss had been incurred, to an expected loss model, which requires us to estimate the total credit losses expected on the portfolio of financial instruments. We adopted ASU 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial instruments" ("ASU 2016-13") on January 1, 2020, and recognized a cumulative adjustment to our retained earnings as of the date of adoption of $3 million, net of tax effect. Please refer to Note 5—Credit Losses On Financial Instruments for more information. Leases We adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-02, "Leases (ASC 842)" , as of January 1, 2019, using the non-comparative transition option pursuant to ASU 2018-11. Therefore, we have not restated comparative period financial information for the effects of ASC 842, and we have not made the new required lease disclosures for comparative periods beginning before January 1, 2019. Instead, we recognized ASC 842's cumulative effect transition adjustment (discussed below) as of January 1, 2019. In addition, we elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things (i) allowed us to carry forward the historical lease classification; (ii) did not require us to reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases under the new definition of a lease; and (iii) did not require us to reassess whether previously capitalized initial direct costs for any existing leases would qualify for capitalization under ASC 842. We also elected the practical expedient related to land easements, allowing us to carry forward our accounting treatment for land easements on existing agreements. We did not elect the hindsight practical expedient regarding the likelihood of exercising a lessee purchase option or assessing any impairment of right-of-use assets for existing leases. On March 5, 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-01, "Leases (ASC 842): Codification Improvements" , effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The new ASU aligns the guidance in ASC 842 for determining fair value of the underlying asset by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers, with that of existing guidance. As a result, the fair value of the underlying asset at lease commencement is its cost, reflecting any volume or trade discounts that may apply. However, if there has been a significant lapse of time between when the underlying asset is acquired and when the lease commences, the definition of fair value (in ASC 820, " Fair Value Measurement ") should be applied. More importantly, the ASU also exempts both lessees and lessors from having to provide certain interim disclosures in the fiscal year in which a company adopts the new leases standard. Early adoption permits public companies to adopt concurrent with the transition to ASC 842 on leases. We adopted ASU 2019-01 as of January 1, 2019. Adoption of the new standards resulted in the recording of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities of approximately $126 million and $133 million, respectively, as of January 1, 2019. In addition, we recorded a $22 million cumulative adjustment to accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2019, for the impact of the new accounting standards. Our financial position for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019 is presented under the new guidance, as discussed above, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") ASU 2014-09 which replaces virtually all existing generally accepted accounting principles on revenue recognition with a principles-based approach for determining revenue recognition using a new five step model. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also includes new accounting principles related to the deferral and amortization of contract acq |
