AT&T (T) 10-Q 3 May 18 2018 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document And Entity Information

Document And Entity Information - shares shares in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2018
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Central Index Key	732,717
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Registrant Name	AT&T Inc.
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		6,141
Entity Trading Symbol	T

Consolidated Statements Of Inco

Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Operating Revenues
Service	$ 33,646	$ 36,456
Equipment	4,392	2,909
Total operating revenues	38,038	39,365
Operating Expenses
Equipment	4,848	3,848
Broadcast, programming and operations	5,166	4,974
Other cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	7,932	9,288
Selling, general and administrative	7,897	8,772
Depreciation and amortization	5,994	6,127
Total operating expenses	31,837	33,009
Operating Income	6,201	6,356
Other Income (Expense)
Interest expense	(1,771)	(1,293)
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	9	(173)
Other income (expense) - net	1,702	488
Total other income (expense)	(60)	(978)
Income Before Income Taxes	6,141	5,378
Income tax expense	1,382	1,804
Net Income	4,759	3,574
Less: Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(97)	(105)
Net Income Attributable to AT&T	$ 4,662	$ 3,469
Basic Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding - Basic (in millions)	6,161	6,166
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding - with Dilution (in millions)	6,180	6,186
Dividends Declared Per Common Share	$ 0.5	$ 0.49

Consolidated Statements Of Comp

Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 4,759	$ 3,574
Foreign currency:
Translation adjustment (includes $2 and $6 attributable to noncontrolling interest), net of taxes of $175 and $391	108	372
Available-for-sale securities:
Net unrealized gains (losses), net of taxes of $(4) and $15	(12)	33
Reclassification adjustment included in net income, net of taxes of $0 and $3	0	5
Cash flow hedges:
Net unrealized gains, net of taxes of $180 and $7	674	13
Reclassification adjustment included in net income, net of taxes of $3 and $5	12	10
Defined benefit postretirement plans:
Net prior service credit arising during period, net of taxes of $185 and $0	567	0
Amortization of net prior service credit included in net income, net of taxes of $(105) and $(139)	(323)	(228)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,026	205
Total comprehensive income	5,785	3,779
Less: Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(99)	(111)
Total Comprehensive Income Attributable to AT&T	$ 5,686	$ 3,668

Consolidated Statements of Com4

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Foreign currency translation adjustments, attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of taxes	$ 2	$ 6
Foreign currency translation adjustments, tax effect	175	391
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities - tax	(4)	15
Reclassification adjustment included in net income on available-for-sale securities - tax effect	0	3
Unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges - tax	180	7
Reclassification adjustment included in net income on cash flow hedges - tax effect	3	5
Net prior service credit (cost) arising during period - tax effect	185	0
Amortization of net prior service credit included in net income, tax effect	$ (105)	$ (139)

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 48,872	$ 50,498
Accounts receivable - net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $642 and $663	16,290	16,522
Prepaid expenses	1,335	1,369
Other current assets	12,008	10,757
Total current assets	78,505	79,146
Property, plant and equipment	317,127	313,499
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(192,003)	(188,277)
Property, Plant and Equipment - Net	125,124	125,222
Goodwill	105,482	105,449
Licenses	96,556	96,136
Customer Lists and Relationships - Net	9,878	10,676
Other Intangible Assets - Net	7,201	7,464
Investment in and Advances to Equity Affiliates	2,623	1,560
Other Assets	20,974	18,444
Total Assets	446,343	444,097
Current Liabilities
Debt maturing within one year	29,322	38,374
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	31,569	34,470
Advanced billings and customer deposits	5,081	4,213
Accrued taxes	1,534	1,262
Dividends payable	3,074	3,070
Total current liabilities	70,580	81,389
Long-Term Debt	133,724	125,972
Deferred Credits and Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Deferred income taxes	45,730	43,207
Postemployment benefit obligation	30,116	31,775
Other noncurrent liabilities	19,117	19,747
Total deferred credits and other noncurrent liabilities	94,963	94,729
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock ($1 par value, 14,000,000,000 authorized at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017: issued 6,495,231,088 at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	6,495	6,495
Additional paid-in capital	89,404	89,563
Retained earnings	55,067	50,500
Treasury stock (347,690,578 at March 31, 2018 and 355,806,544 at December 31, 2017, at cost)	(12,432)	(12,714)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	7,386	7,017
Noncontrolling interest	1,156	1,146
Total stockholders' equity	147,076	142,007
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	$ 446,343	$ 444,097

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
Allowances for doubtful accounts	$ 642	$ 663
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, authorized	14,000,000,000	14,000,000,000
Common stock, issued	6,495,231,088	6,495,231,088
Treasury stock, held	347,690,578	355,806,544

Consolidated Statements Of Cash

Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Operating Activities
Net income	$ 4,759	$ 3,574
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	5,994	6,127
Undistributed earnings from investments in equity affiliates	(2)	182
Provision for uncollectible accounts	438	393
Deferred income tax expense	1,222	480
Net loss (gain) from sale of investments, net of impairments	2	61
Actuarial (gain) loss on pension and postretirement benefits	(930)	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(439)	445
Other current assets	614	229
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(1,962)	(1,582)
Equipment installment receivables and related sales	505	394
Deferred customer contract acquisition and fulfillment costs	(826)	(436)
Retirement benefit funding	(140)	(140)
Other - net	(288)	(762)
Total adjustments	4,188	5,391
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	8,947	8,965
Investing Activities
Purchase of property and equipment	(5,957)	(5,784)
Interest during construction	(161)	(231)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(234)	(162)
Dispositions	56	6
Sales (purchases) of securities, net	(116)	17
Advances to and investments in equity affiliates, net	(1,007)	0
Cash collection of deferred purchase price	267	185
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(7,152)	(5,969)
Financing Activities
Issuance of long-term debt	2,565	12,440
Repayment of long-term debt	(4,911)	(3,053)
Purchase of treasury stock	(145)	(177)
Issuance of treasury stock	11	21
Dividends paid	(3,070)	(3,009)
Other	2,048	(173)
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities	(3,502)	6,049
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,707)	9,045
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash beginning of year	50,932	5,935
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash End of Period	$ 49,225	$ 14,980

Consolidated Statement Of Chang

Consolidated Statement Of Changes In Stockholders' Equity - 3 months ended Mar. 31, 2018 - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Attributable to AT&T, net of tax [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 142,007	$ 6,495	$ 89,563	$ 50,500	$ (12,714)	$ 7,017	$ 1,146
Balance at beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		6,495			(356)
Issuance of stock		$ 0
Issuance of stock (in shares)		0
Repurchase and acquisition of common stock					$ (164)
Repurchase and acquisition of common stock (in shares)					(4)
Issuance of treasury stock			(4)		$ 446
Issuance of treasury stock, (in shares)					12
Share-based payments			(155)
Net income attributable to AT&T ($0.75 per diluted share)	4,662			4,662
Dividends to stockholders ($0.50 per share)				(3,092)
Other comprehensive income attributable to AT&T	1,024					1,024
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	97						97
Distributions							(124)
Translation adjustments attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of taxes	2						2
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2018	147,076	$ 6,495	$ 89,404	55,067	$ (12,432)	7,386	1,156
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018		6,495			(348)
Cumulative effect of accounting changes	$ (655)			$ 2,997		$ (655)	$ 35

Consolidated Statement Of Chan9

Consolidated Statement Of Changes In Stockholders' Equity (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited)
Net income attributable to AT&T, per diluted share	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Dividends to stockholders, per share	$ 0.5	$ 0.49

Preparation Of Interim Financia

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements [Text Block]	NOTE 1. PREPARATION OF INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Basis of Presentation These consolidated financial statements include all adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for the presented interim periods, consisting of normal recurring accruals and other items. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and our majority-owned subsidiaries and affiliates. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated in the consolidation process. Investments in less than majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships where we have significant influence are accounted for under the equity method. Earnings from certain investments accounted for using the equity method are included for periods ended within up to one q uarter of our period end. We also record our proportionate share of our equity method investees’ other comprehensive income (OCI) items, including translation adjustments. We treat distributions received from equity method investees as returns on investmen t and classify them as cash flows from operating activities until those distributions exceed our cumulative equity in the earnings of that investment. We treat the excess amount as a return of investment and classify it as cash flows from investing activit ies. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes, including estimates of probable losses and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain amounts have been conformed to the current period’s presentation, including impacts for the adoption of recent accounting standards and the real ignment of certain business units within our reportable segments (see Note 4). Tax Reform The Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts (the Act) was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and required compa nies to pay a one-time transition tax on earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred. Recognizing the late enactment of the Act and complexity of accurately accounting for its impact, the Securities and Exchange Commission (S EC) in Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 118 provided guidance that allows registrants to provide a reasonable estimate of the impact to their financial statements and adjust the reported impact in a measurement period not to exceed one year. We included the estimated impact of the Act in our financial results at or for the period ended December 31, 2017 and did not record any adjustments thereto during the first quarter of 2018. Our future results could include additional adjustments, and those adjustments c ould be m aterial. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition As of January 1, 2018, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” as modified (ASC 606), using the modified retrospective method , w hich does not allow us to adjust prior periods . We applied the rules to all open contracts existing as of January 1, 2018, recording an increase of $2,342 to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of the change, with an offsetting contract asset of $1,737, deferred contract acquisition costs of $ 1,454, other asset reductions of $239, other liability reductions of $212, deferred income taxes of $787 and noncontrolling interest of $35. (See Note 5) Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective appl ication, ASU No. 2017-07, “Compensation – Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit C ost” (A SU 2017-07). We are no longer allowed to present interest, estimated return on ass ets and amortization of prior service credits components of our net periodic benefit cost in our consolidated operating expenses, but rather include those amounts in “other income (expense) – net” in our consolidated statements of income. We continue to pr esent service costs with the associated compensation costs within our operating expenses. As a practical expedient, we used the amounts disclosed as the estimated basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirement. The following table presents our results under our historical method and as adjusted to reflect ASU 2017-07 (presentation of benefit cost) : Historical Effect of Accounting Adoption of As Method ASU 2017-07 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 7,572 $ 360 $ 7,932 Selling, general and administrative expenses 6,755 1,142 7,897 Operating Income 7,703 (1,502) 6,201 Other Income (Expense) - net 200 1,502 1,702 Net Income 4,759 - 4,759 For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 9,065 $ 223 $ 9,288 Selling, general and administrative expenses 8,487 285 8,772 Operating Income 6,864 (508) 6,356 Other Income (Expense) - net (20) 508 488 Net Income 3,574 - 3,574 Cash Flows As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective application, ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (ASU 2016-15). Under ASU 2016-15, we continue to recognize cash receipts on owned equipment installment receivables as cash flows from operations. However, cash receipts on the deferred purchase price described in Note 9 are now required to be classified as cash flows from investing activities instead of cash flows from operatin g activities. As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective application, ASU No. 2016-18, “State ment of Cash Flows (Topic 230) - Restricted Cash,” (ASU 2016-18). The primary impact of ASU 2016-18 was to require us to include restricted cash in our reconciliation of beginning and ending cash and cash equivalents (restricted and unrestricted) on the face of the statements of cash flows. (See Note 10 ) The following table presents our results under our historical method and as adjusted to reflect ASU 2016-15 (cash receipts on deferred purchase price) and ASU 2016-18 (restricted cash) : Historical Effect of Effect of Accounting Adoption of Adoption of As Method ASU 2016-15 ASU 2016-18 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Equipment installment receivables and related sales $ 772 $ (267) $ - $ 505 Other - net (322) - 34 (288) Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities 9,180 (267) 34 8,947 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - (116) (116) Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 267 - 267 Cash Used in Investing Activities (7,303) 267 (116) (7,152) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ (1,625) $ - $ (82) $ (1,707) For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Changes in other current assets $ 228 $ - $ 1 $ 229 Equipment installment receivables and related sales 579 (185) - 394 Other - net (693) - (69) (762) Cash Provided by Operating Activities 9,218 (185) (68) 8,965 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - 17 17 Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 185 - 185 Cash Used in Investing Activities (6,171) 185 17 (5,969) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 9,096 $ - $ (51) $ 9,045 Financial Instruments As of January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2016-01, “Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (ASU 2016-01), which requires us to prospectively record changes in the fair value of our equity investments, except for those accounted for under the equity method, in net income instead of in accumulated other comprehensive income. As of January 1, 2018, we recorded an increase of $655 in retained earnings for the cumula tive effect of the adoption of ASU 2016-01, wit h an offset to accumulated other comprehensive income (accumulated OCI). New Accounting Standards and Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases ( Topic 842),” as modified (ASC 842 ), which replaces existing leasing rules with a comprehensive lease measurement and recognition standard and expanded disclosure requirements. ASC 842 will require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets as liabilities, with corresponding “right-of-use” assets , and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, subject to early adoption. For income statement recognition purposes, leases will be classified as either a finance or an operating lease without relying upon the bright-line tests under current GAAP. Upon initial evaluation, we believe the key change upon adoption will be the balance sheet recognition. At adoption, we will recognize a right-to-use asset and corresponding lease liability on our consolidated balance sheets. The income statement recognition of lease expense appears similar to our current methodology . We are continuing to evaluate the magnitude and other potential impacts to our financial statements.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share
Earnings Per Share [Text Block]	NOTE 2. EARNINGS PER SHARE A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 , is shown in the table below: Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Numerators Numerator for basic earnings per share: Net Income $ 4,759 $ 3,574 Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (97) (105) Net Income attributable to AT&T 4,662 3,469 Dilutive potential common shares: Share-based payment 5 4 Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 4,667 $ 3,473 Denominators (000,000) Denominator for basic earnings per share: Weighted average number of common shares outstanding 6,161 6,166 Dilutive potential common shares: Share-based payment (in shares) 19 20 Denominator for diluted earnings per share 6,180 6,186 Basic earnings per share attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.56 Diluted earnings per share attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.56

Accumulated Other Comprehensive

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Text Block]	NOTE 3. OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Changes in the balances of each component included in accumulated OCI are presented below. All amounts are net of tax and exclude noncontrolling interest. Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ (2,054) $ 660 $ 1,402 $ 7,009 $ 7,017 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 106 (12) 674 567 1,335 Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI - 1 - 1 12 2 (323) 3 (311) Net other comprehensive income (loss) 106 (12) 686 244 1,024 Amounts reclassified to retained earnings - (655) 4 - - (655) Balance as of March 31, 2018 $ (1,948) $ (7) $ 2,088 $ 7,253 $ 7,386 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ (1,995) $ 541 $ 744 $ 5,671 $ 4,961 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 366 33 13 - 412 Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI - 1 5 1 10 2 (228) 3 (213) Net other comprehensive income (loss) 366 38 23 (228) 199 Balance as of March 31, 2017 $ (1,629) $ 579 $ 767 $ 5,443 $ 5,160 1 (Gains) losses are included in Other income (expense) - net in the consolidated statements of income. 2 (Gains) losses are included in Interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 7 for additional information. 3 The amortization of prior service credits associated with postretirement benefits are included in Other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of income (see Note 6). 4 With the adoption of ASU 2016-01, the unrealized (gains) losses on our equity investments are reclassified to retained earnings (see Note 1).

Segment Information

Segment Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Information
Segment Information [Text Block]	NOTE 4. SEGMENT INFORMATION Our segments are strategic business units that offer products and services to different customer segments over various technology platforms and/or in different geographies that are managed accordingly. We analyze our segments based on Segment Contribution, which consists of operating income, excluding acquisition-related costs and other significant items (as discussed below), and equity in net income (loss) of affiliates for investments managed within each segment. We have four reportable segments: (1) Consumer Mobility, (2) Business Solutions, (3) Entertainment Group and (4) International. We also evaluate segment performance based on EBITDA and/or EBITDA margin, which is defined as Segment Contribution excluding equity in ne t income (loss) of affiliates and depreciation and amortization. We believe EBITDA to be a relevant and useful measurement to our investors as it is part of our internal management reporting and planning processes and it is an important metric that managem ent uses to evaluate segment operating performance. EBITDA does not give effect to cash used for debt service requirements and thus does not reflect available funds for distributions, reinvestment or other discretionary uses. EBITDA margin is EBITDA divide d by total revenues. To most effectively implement our strategies for 2018, we have realigned certain responsibilities and operations within our reportable segments. The most significant of these changes is to report individual wireless accounts with empl oyer discounts in our Consumer Mobility segment, instead of our Business Solutions segment. As a result of these realignments, $19,686 of goodwill from the Business Solutions segment was reallocated to the Consumer Mobility segment. Our reported segment re sults include the impact for the adoption of recent accounting standards, which affects the comparability between 2018 and 2017 (see Note 5). The Consumer Mobility segment provides nationwide wireless service to consumers, wholesale and resale wireless su bscribers located in the United States or in U.S. territories. We provide voice and data services, including high-speed internet over wireless devices. The Business Solutions segment provides services to business customers, including multinational compani es and governmental and wholesale customers. We provide advanced IP-based services including Virtual Private Networks (VPN); Ethernet-related products; FlexWare, a service that relies on Software Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualization to pr ovide application-based routing, and broadband, collectively referred to as strategic services; as well as traditional data and voice products. We provide a complete communications solution to our business customers. The Entertainment Group segment provi des video, internet, voice communication, and interactive and targeted advertising services to customers located in the United States or in U.S. territories. The International segment provides entertainment services in Latin America and wireless services in Mexico. Video entertainment services are provided to primarily residential customers using satellite technology. We utilize our regional and national networks in Mexico to provide consumer and business customers with wireless data and voice communicati on services. Our international subsidiaries conduct business in their local currency, and operating results are converted to U.S. dollars using official exchange rates (operations in countries with highly inflationary economies consider the U.S. dollar as the functional currency). In reconciling items to consolidated operating income and income before income taxes, Corporate and Other includes: (1) operations that are not considered reportable segments and that are no longer integral to our operations or w hich we no longer actively market, (2) corporate support functions and operations, (3) impacts of corporate-wide decisions for which the individual operating segments are not being evaluated, and (4) the reclassification of the amortization of prior servic e credits, which we continue to report with segment operating expenses, to consolidated other income (expense) – net. Certain operating items are not allocated to our business segments, and those include: Acquisition-related items which consists of (1) it ems associated with the merger and integration of acquired businesses and (2) the noncash amortization of intangible assets acquired in acquisitions. Certain significant items which consists of (1) employee separation charges associated with voluntary and/ or strategic offers, (2) losses resulting from abandonment or impairment of assets and (3) other items for which the segments are not being evaluated. I nterest expense and other income (expense) – net, are managed only on a total company basis and are, accordingly, reflected only in consolidated results. Our domestic communications business strategies reflect bundled product offerings that increasingly cut across product lines and utilize our shared asset base. Therefore, asset information and capital expenditures by segment are not presented. Depreciation is allocated based on asset utilization by segment. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Revenues Operations and Support Expenses EBITDA Depreciation and Amortization Operating Income (Loss) Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates Segment Contribution Consumer Mobility $ 14,986 $ 8,524 $ 6,462 $ 1,807 $ 4,655 $ - $ 4,655 Business Solutions 9,185 5,638 3,547 1,462 2,085 (1) 2,084 Entertainment Group 11,577 8,939 2,638 1,312 1,326 9 1,335 International 2,025 1,804 221 332 (111) - (111) Segment Total 37,773 24,905 12,868 4,913 7,955 $ 8 $ 7,963 Corporate and Other 265 691 (426) 19 (445) Acquisition-related items - 67 (67) 1,062 (1,129) Certain significant items - 180 (180) - (180) AT&T Inc. $ 38,038 $ 25,843 $ 12,195 $ 5,994 $ 6,201 For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Revenues Operations and Support Expenses EBITDA Depreciation and Amortization Operating Income (Loss) Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates Segment Contribution Consumer Mobility $ 14,806 $ 8,560 $ 6,246 $ 1,716 $ 4,530 $ - $ 4,530 Business Solutions 9,692 6,040 3,652 1,465 2,187 - 2,187 Entertainment Group 12,601 9,605 2,996 1,420 1,576 (6) 1,570 International 1,929 1,759 170 290 (120) 20 (100) Segment Total 39,028 25,964 13,064 4,891 8,173 $ 14 $ 8,187 Corporate and Other 337 829 (492) 34 (526) Acquisition-related items - 207 (207) 1,202 (1,409) Certain significant items - (118) 118 - 118 AT&T Inc. $ 39,365 $ 26,882 $ 12,483 $ 6,127 $ 6,356 The following table is a reconciliation of Segment Contribution to “Income Before Income Taxes” reported on our consolidated statements of income. First Quarter 2018 2017 Consumer Mobility $ 4,655 $ 4,530 Business Solutions 2,084 2,187 Entertainment Group 1,335 1,570 International (111) (100) Segment Contribution 7,963 8,187 Reconciling Items: Corporate and Other (445) (526) Amortization of intangibles acquired (1,062) (1,202) Merger and integration charges (67) (207) Venezuela devaluation (25) - Employee separation costs (51) - Natural disaster charges (104) - Gain on wireless spectrum transactions - 118 Segment equity in net (income) loss of affiliates (8) (14) AT&T Operating Income 6,201 6,356 Interest expense 1,771 1,293 Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates 9 (173) Other income (expense) - net 1,702 488 Income Before Income Taxes $ 6,141 $ 5,378

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]	NOTE 5 . REVENUE RECOGNITION As of January 1, 2018, we adopted FASB ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” as modified (ASC 606). With our adoption of ASC 606, we made a policy election to record certain regulatory fees, primarily Universal Service Fund (USF) fees, on a net basis. See the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements of our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information regarding our policies prior to adoption of ASC 606. When implementing AS C 606, we utilized the practical expedient allowing us to reflect the aggregate effect of all contract modifications occurring before the beginning of the earliest period presented when allocating the transaction price to performance obligations. Contract s with Customers Our products and services are offered to customers in service-only contracts and in contracts that bundle equipment used to access the services and/or with other service offerings. Service revenue is recognized when services are provided, based upon either usage (e.g., minutes of traffic/bytes of data processed) or period of time (e.g., monthly service fees). We record the sale of equipment when title has passed and the products are accepted by the customer. Some contracts have fixed terms and others are cancellable on a short-term basis (i.e., month-to-month arrangements). Revenues from transactions between us and our customers are recorded net of regulatory fees and taxes. Cash incentives given to customers are recorded as a reduction of revenue. N onrefundable, upfront service activation and setup fees associated with service arrangements are deferred and recognized over the associated service contract period or customer life. We record the sale of equipment and services to customers as gr oss revenue when we are the principal in the arrangement and net of the associated costs incurred when we act as an agent in the arrangement. Our contracts allow for customers to frequently modify their arrangement, without incurring penalties in many cas es. When a contract is modified, we evaluate the change in scope or price of the contract to determine if the modification should be treated as a new contract or if it should be considered a change of the existing contract. We generally do not have signifi cant impacts from contract modifications. Service-Only Contracts and Standalone Equipment Sales Revenue is recognized as service is provided or when control has transferred. For devices sold through indirect channels (e.g., national dealers), revenue is recognized when the dealer accepts the device, not upon activation. Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations Revenue recognized from fixed term contracts that bundle services and/or equipment are allocated based on the standalone selling pric e of all required performance obligations of the contract (i.e., each item included in the bundle). Promotional discounts are attributed to each required component of the arrangement, resulting in recognition over the contract term. Standalone selling pric es are determined by assessing prices paid for service-only contracts (e.g., arrangements where customers bring their own devices) and standalone device pricing. We offer the majority of our customers the option to purchase certain wireless devices in in stallments over a specified period of time, and, in many cases, they may be eligible to trade in the original equipment for a new device and have the remaining unpaid balance paid or settled. For customers that elect these equipment installment payment pro grams, at the point of sale, we recognize revenue for the entire amount of revenue allocated to the customer receivable net of fair value of the trade-in right guarantee. The difference between the revenue recognized and the consideration received is recor ded as a note receivable when the devices are not discounted and our right to consideration is unconditional. When installment sales include promotional discounts (e.g., “buy one get one free”), the difference between revenue recognized and consideration r eceived is recorded as a contract asset to be amortized over the contract term. Less commonly, we offer certain customers highly discounted devices when they enter into a minimum service agreement term. For these contracts, we recognize equipment revenue at the point of sale based on a standalone selling price allocation. The difference between the revenue recognized and the cash received is recorded as a contract asset that will amortize over the contract term. For contracts that require the use of certain equipment in order to receive service (e.g., AT&T U-verse® and DIRECTV linear video services), we allocate the total transaction price to service if the equipment does not meet the criteria to be a distinct performance obligation. Disaggregation of Revenue The following table sets forth disaggregated reported revenue by category : For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consumer Mobility Business Solutions Entertainment Group International Other AT&T Inc. Wireless service $ 11,612 $ 1,791 $ - $ 404 $ - $ 13,807 Video entertainment - - 8,359 1,354 - 9,713 Strategic services - 3,138 - - - 3,138 High-speed internet - - 1,878 - - 1,878 Legacy voice and data - 2,839 819 - - 3,658 Other service - 669 519 - 264 1,452 Wireless equipment 3,374 578 - 267 - 4,219 Other equipment - 170 2 - 1 173 $ 14,986 $ 9,185 $ 11,577 $ 2,025 $ 265 $ 38,038 Deferred Customer Contract Acquisition and Fulfillment Costs Costs to fulfill customer contracts are deferred and amortized over periods ranging generally from four to five years, reflecting the estimated economic lives of the respective customer relationships, subject to an assessment of the recoverability of such costs. Costs to acquire customer contracts, including commissions on service activations, for our wireless and video e ntertainment services, are deferred and amortized over the contract period or expected customer life, which typically ranges from two to five years. For contracts with an estimated amortization period of less than one year, we expense incremental costs imm ediately. Our deferred customer contract acquisition costs and deferred customer contract fulfillment costs balances were $2,117 and $10,763 as of March 31, 2018, respectively, of which $782 and $4,062 were included in Other current assets on our consoli dated balance sheets. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, we amortized $263 and $1,047 of these costs, respectively. Contract Assets and Liabilities A contract asset is recorded when revenue is recognized in advance of our right to bill and recei ve consideration (i.e., we must perform additional services or satisfy another performance obligation in order to bill and receive additional consideration). The contract asset will decrease as services are provided and billed. When consideration is receiv ed in advance of the delivery of goods or services, a contract liability is recorded. Reductions in the contract liability will be recorded as we satisfy the performance obligations. The following table presents contract assets and liabilities and revenue recorded at or for the period ended March 31, 2018: March 31, 2018 Contract asset $ 1,757 Contract liability 5,510 Beginning of period contract liability recorded as customer contract revenue during period 3,625 Our consolidated balance sheet included approximately $1,252 for the current portion of our contract asset in “Other current assets” and $4,882 for the current portion of our contract liability in “Advanced billings and customer deposits.” Transaction Price Allocated to Remaining Performance Obligations Our remaining performance obligations represent services we are required to provide to customers under bundled or discounted arrangements, which are satisfied as services are provided over the contract term. In determining the transaction price allocated, we do not include non-recurring charges and estimates for usage, nor do we consider arrangements with an original expected duration of less than one-year, which are primarily prepaid wirele ss, video and residential internet agreements. Remaining performance obligations associated with business contracts reflect recurring charges billed, adjusted to reflect estimates for sales incentives and revenue adjustments. Performance obligations asso ciated with wireless contracts are estimated using a portfolio approach in which we review all relevant promotional activities, calculating the remaining perform ance obligation using the average device price and average service component for the portfolio. As of March 31, 2018, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $27,836, of which we expect to recognize approximately 50% over the remainder of 2018, with the balance recognized thereafter. Comparat ive Results Prior to 2018, revenue recognized from contracts that bundle services and equipment was limited to the lesser of the amount allocated based on the relative selling price of the equipment and service already delivered or the consideration receiv ed from the customer for the equipment and service already delivered. Our prior accounting also separately recognized regulatory fees as operating revenue when received and as an expense when incurred. Sales commissions were expensed as incurred. The fol lowing table presents our reported results under ASC 606 and our pro forma results using the historical accounting method: At or for the three months ended March 31, 2018 As Reported Historical Accounting Method Consolidated Statements of Income: Service Revenues $ 33,646 $ 35,069 Equipment Revenues 4,392 3,861 Total Operating Revenues 38,038 38,930 Other cost of services 7,932 8,861 Selling, general and administrative expenses 7,897 8,497 Total Operating Expenses 31,837 33,366 Operating income 6,201 5,564 Income before income taxes 6,141 5,504 Income tax expense 1,382 1,226 Net income 4,759 4,278 Net income attributable to AT&T 4,662 4,187 Basic Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Diluted Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Consolidated Balance Sheets: Other current assets 12,008 10,124 Other Assets 20,974 19,164 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 31,569 31,748 Advanced billings and customer deposits 5,081 5,140 Deferred income taxes 45,730 44,787 Other noncurrent liabilities 19,117 18,990 Retained earnings 55,067 52,250 Accumulated other comprehensive income 7,386 7,375 Noncontrolling interest 1,156 1,115

Pension And Postretirement Bene

Pension And Postretirement Benefits	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Pension And Postretirement Benefits
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTE 6. PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS Many of our employees are covered by one of our noncontributory pension plans. We also provide certain medical, dental, life insurance and death benefits to certain retired employees under various plans and accrue actuarially determined postretirement benefit costs. Our objective in funding these plans, in combination with the standards of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1 974, as amended (ERISA), is to accumulate assets sufficient to provide benefits described in the plans to employees upon their retirement. In 2013, we made a voluntary contribution of a preferred equity interest in AT&T Mobility II LLC, the primary holdi ng company for our domestic wireless business, to the trust used to pay pension benefits under our qualified pension plans. The preferred equity interest had a value of $8,944 at March 31, 2018. The trust is entitled to receive cumulative cash distribution s of $560 per annum, which are distributed quarterly by AT&T Mobility II LLC to the trust, in equal amounts and accounted for as contributions. We distributed $140 to the trust during the three months ended March 31, 2018. So long as we make the distributi ons, we will have no limitations on our ability to declare a dividend or repurchase shares. This preferred equity interest is a plan asset under ERISA and is recognized as such in the plan’s separate financial statements. However, because the preferred equ ity interest is not unconditionally transferable to an unrelated party, it is not reflected in plan assets in our consolidated financial statements and instead has been eliminated in consolidation. We recognize actuarial gains and losses on pension and p ostretirement plan assets in our consolidated results as a component of other income (expense) – net at our annual measurement date of December 31, unless earlier remeasurements are required. During the first quarter of 201 8 , a substantive plan change invo lving the frequency of future health reimbursement account credit increases was communicated to our retirees. This plan change resulted in additional prior service credits recognized in other comprehensive income, reducing our liability by $ 752 . Such credi ts amortize through earnings over a period approximating the average service period to full eligibility. The plan change also triggered a remeasurement of our postretirement benefit obligation, resulting in an actuarial gain of $930 recognized in the first quarter of 2018, for a total reduction in our liability of $1,682. The following table details pension and postretirement benefit costs included in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. The service cost component of net periodic pension cost (benefit) is recorded in operating expenses in t he consolidated statements of income while the remaining components are recorded in other income (expense) – net. S ervice costs are eligible for capitalization as part of internal construction projects, providing a small reduction in the net expense record ed. Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Pension cost: Service cost – benefits earned during the period $ 291 $ 282 Interest cost on projected benefit obligation 487 484 Expected return on assets (760) (783) Amortization of prior service credit (30) (31) Net pension (credit) cost $ (12) $ (48) Postretirement cost: Service cost – benefits earned during the period $ 29 $ 41 Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 191 222 Expected return on assets (77) (80) Amortization of prior service credit (397) (336) Actuarial (gain) loss (930) - Net postretirement (credit) cost $ (1,184) $ (153) Combined net pension and postretirement (credit) cost $ (1,196) $ (201) As part of our first-quarter 2018 remeasurement, we increased the weighted-average discount rate used to measure our postretirement benefit obligation to 4.10%. The discount rate in effect for determining postretirement service and interest costs after remeasurement i s 4.30% and 3.70%, respectively. As a result of our plan change and remeasurement, the total estimated prior service cred i ts that will be amortized from accumulated OCI into net periodic benefit cost over the remainder of 2018 is $1,237 ($933 net of tax) for postretirement benefits. We also provide senior- and middle-management employees with nonqualified, unfunded supplemental retirement and savings plans. For the first quarter ended 201 8 and 201 7 , net supplemental pension benefits costs not included in the table above were $ 21 and $ 22 .

Fair Value Measurements And Dis

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures
Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTE 7 . FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DISCLOSURE The Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure framework provides a three-tiered fair value hierarchy that gives highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below: Level 1 Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets o r liabilities in active markets that we have the ability to access. Level 2 Inputs to the valuation methodology include: Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets. Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in in active markets. Inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable for the asset or liability. Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Level 3 Inputs to the valuation method ology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement. Fair value is often based on developed models in which there are few, if any, external observations. The fair value measurements level of an asset or liability within the fair value hie rarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our valuation techniques maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The valuation methodologies described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of future net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. We believe our valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants. The use of different methodolog ies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date. There have been no changes in the methodologies used since December 31, 2017 . Long-Term Debt and Ot her Financial Instruments The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our long-term debt, including current maturities, and other financial instruments, are summarized as follows: March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Carrying Fair Carrying Fair Amount Value Amount Value Notes and debentures 1 $ 161,161 $ 169,388 $ 162,526 $ 171,938 Bank borrowings 2 2 2 2 Investment securities 2 2,584 2,584 2,447 2,447 1 Includes credit agreement borrowings. 2 Excludes investments accounted for under the equity method. The carrying amount of debt with an original maturity of less than one year approximates market value. The fair value measurements used for notes and debentures are considered Level 2 and are determined using various methods, including quoted prices for identical or similar securities in both active and inactive markets. Following is the fair value leveling for investment securities that are measured at fair value and derivatives as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 . Derivatives designat ed as hedging instruments are reflected as “Other assets,” “Other noncurrent liabilities” and, for a portion of interest rate swaps, “Other current assets” on our consolidated balance sheets. March 31, 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Equity Securities Domestic equities $ 1,065 $ - $ - $ 1,065 International equities 294 - - 294 Fixed income equities - 149 - 149 Available-for-Sale Debt Securities - 777 - 777 Asset Derivatives Interest rate swaps - 10 - 10 Cross-currency swaps - 2,761 - 2,761 Foreign exchange contracts - 12 - 12 Liability Derivatives Interest rate swaps - (78) - (78) Cross-currency swaps - (706) - (706) Foreign exchange contracts - (15) - (15) December 31, 2017 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Equity Securities Domestic equities $ 1,142 $ - $ - $ 1,142 International equities 321 - - 321 Fixed income equities - 152 - 152 Available-for-Sale Debt Securities - 581 - 581 Asset Derivatives Interest rate swaps - 17 - 17 Cross-currency swaps - 1,753 - 1,753 Liability Derivatives Interest rate swaps - (31) - (31) Cross-currency swaps - (1,290) - (1,290) Investment Securities Our investment securities include both equity and debt securities that are measured at fair value, as well as equity securities without readily determinable fair values. A substantial portion of the fair values of our investment securities are estimated based on quoted market prices. Investments in equity securities not traded on a national securities exchange are valued at cost, less any impairment, and adjusted for changes resulting from observable, orderly transactions for iden tical or similar securities. Investments in debt securities not traded on a national securities exchange are valued using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows. Prior to 2018, realized gains and losses on investment securities were included in “Other income (expense) – net” in the consolidated statements of income, while unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, were recorded in accumulated OCI. ASU 2016-01 required unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, on equity securities to also be included in “Other income (expense) – net” while debt securities will continue to be recorded in accumulated OCI. Upon the adoption of ASU 2016-01, we reclassified $655 of suc h unrealized gains and losses on equity securities to retained earnings and beginning in 2018, gains and losses, both realized and unrealized, on equity securities measured at fair value are included in “Other income (expense) – net” in the consolidated st atements of income using the specific identification method . The components comprising total gains and losses on equity securities are as follows: Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Total gains (losses) recognized on equity securities $ (13) $ 89 Gains (Losses) recognized on equity securities sold 52 11 Unrealized gains (losses) recognized on equity securities held at end of period (65) 78 Unrealized losses that are considered other than temporary are recorded in “Other income (expense) – net” with the corresponding reduction to the carrying basis of the investment. Debt securities of $ 18 have maturities of less than one year, $ 137 within one to three years, $ 63 within three to five years and $ 559 for five or more years. Our cash equivalents (money market securities), short-term investments (certificate and time deposits) and nonrefundable customer deposits are recorded at amortized cost, and the respective carrying amounts approximate fair values. Short-term investments and nonrefundable customer de posits are recorded in “Other current assets” and our investment securities are recorded in “Other Assets” on the consolidated balance sheets. Derivative Financial Instruments We enter into derivative transactions to manage certain market risks, primarily interest rate risk and foreign currency exchange risk. This includes the use of interest rate swaps, interest rate locks, foreign exchange forward contracts and combined interest rate foreign exchange contracts (cross-currency swaps). We do not use deriva tives for trading or speculative purposes. We record derivatives on our consolidated balance sheets at fair value that is derived from observable market data, including yield curves and foreign exchange rates (all of our derivatives are Level 2). Cash flow s associated with derivative instruments are presented in the same category on the consolidated statements of cash flows as the item being hedged. Fair Value Hedging We designate our fixed-to-floating interest rate swaps as fair value hedges. The purpose of these swaps is to manage interest rate risk by managing our mix of fixed-rate and floating-rate debt. These swaps involve the receipt of fixed-rate amounts for floating interest rate payments over the life of the swaps without exchange of the underlyin g principal amount. Accrued and realized gains or losses from interest rate swaps impact interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. Unrealized gains on interest rate swaps are recorded at fair market value as assets, and unrealized losses o n interest rate swaps are recorded at fair market value as liabilities. Changes in the fair values of the interest rate swaps are exactly offset by changes in the fair value of the underlying debt. Gains or losses realized upon early termination of our fai r value hedges are recognized in interest expense. In the three months ended March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2017 , no ineffectiveness was measured on interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges . Cash Flow Hedging We design ate our cross-currency swaps as cash flow hedges. We have entered into multiple cross-currency swaps to hedge our exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that are attributable to foreign currency risk generated from the issuance of our Euro, British pound sterling, Canadian dollar and Swiss franc denominated debt. These agreements include initial and final exchanges of principal from fixed foreign currency denominated amounts to fixed U.S. dollar denominated amounts, to be exchanged at a speci fied rate that is usually determined by the market spot rate upon issuance. They also include an interest rate swap of a fixed or floating foreign currency-denominated rate to a fixed U.S. dollar denominated interest rate. Unrealized gains on derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are recorded at fair value as assets, and unrealized losses on derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are recorded at fair value as liabilities. For derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges, the effective por tion is reported as a component of accumulated OCI until reclassified into interest expense in the same period the hedged transaction affects earnings. The gain or loss on the ineffective portion is recognized as “Other income (expense) – net” in the conso lidated statements of income in each period. We evaluate the effectiveness of our cross-currency swaps each quarter. In the three months ended March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2017 , no ineffectiveness was measured on cross-currency s waps designated as cash flow hedges. Periodically, we enter into and designate interest rate locks to partially hedge the risk of changes in interest payments attributable to increases in the benchmark interest rate during the period leading up to the pro bable issuance of fixed-rate debt. We designate our interest rate locks as cash flow hedges. Gains and losses when we settle our interest rate locks are amortized into income over the life of the related debt, except where a material amount is deemed to be ineffective, which would be immediately reclassified to “Other income (expense) – net” in the consolidated statements of income. Over the next 12 months, we expect to reclassify $ 59 from accumulated OCI to interest expense due to the amor tization of net losses on historical interest rate locks. We hedge a portion of the exchange risk involved in anticipation of highly probable foreign currency-denominated transactions. In anticipation of these transactions, we often enter into foreign exc hange contracts to provide currency at a fixed rate. Gains and losses at the time we settle or take delivery on our designated foreign exchange contracts are amortized into income in the same period the hedged transaction affects earnings, except where an amount is deemed to be ineffective, which would be immediately reclassified to “Other income (expense) – net” in the consolidated statements of income. In the three months ended March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2017 , no ineffectivene ss was measured on foreign exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges. Collateral and Credit-Risk Contingency We have entered into agreements with our derivative counterparties establishing collateral thresholds based on respective credit ratings and netting agreements. At March 31, 2018 , we had posted collateral of $125 (a deposit asset) and held collateral of $2,672 (a receipt liability) . Under the agreements, if AT&T’s credit rating had been downgraded one rating level by Fitch Ratings, before the final collateral exchange in March , we would have been required to post additional collateral of $ 84 . If DIRECTV Holdings LLC’s credit rating had been downgraded below BBB- (S&P), we would have been required to post additional collateral of $ 72 . At December 31, 2017 , we had posted collateral of $495 (a deposit asset) and held collateral of $968 (a receipt liability) . We do not offset the fair value of collateral, whether the right to reclaim cash collateral (a receivable) or the obligation to return cash collateral (a payable) exists, against the fair value of the derivative instruments. Following are th e notional amounts of our outstanding derivative positions: March 31, December 31, 2018 2017 Interest rate swaps $ 8,333 $ 9,833 Cross-currency swaps 36,092 38,694 Foreign exchange contracts 2,908 - Total $ 47,333 $ 48,527 Following are the related hedged items affecting our financial position and performance: Effect of Derivatives on the Consolidated Statements of Income Fair Value Hedging Relationships Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Interest rate swaps (Interest expense): Gain (Loss) on interest rate swaps $ (53) $ (25) Gain (Loss) on long-term debt 53 25 In addition, the net swap settlements that accrued and settled in the quarter ended March 31 were offset against interest expense. Cash Flow Hedging Relationships Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Cross-currency swaps: Gain (Loss) recognized in accumulated OCI $ 854 $ 20 Interest rate locks: Interest income (expense) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (15) (15)

Acquisitions, Dispositions And

Acquisitions, Dispositions And Other Adjustments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Acquisitions, Dispositions And Other Adjustments
Acquisitions, Dispositions And Other Adjustments [Text Block]	NOTE 8 . ACQUISITIONS, DISPOSITIONS AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS Pending Acquisition Time Warner Inc. On October 22, 2016, we entered into and announced a merger agreement (Merger Agreement) to acquire Time Warner Inc. (Time Warner) in a 50% cash and 50% stock transaction for $107.50 per share of Time Warner common stock, or approximately $85,400 at the date of the announcement (Merger). Combined with Time Warner’s net debt at March 31, 2018, the total transaction value is approximately $ 105,962 . Each share of Time Warner common stock will be exchanged for $53.75 per share in cash and a number of shares of AT&T common stock equal to the exchange ratio. If the average stock price (as defined in the Merger Agreement) at the time of closing the Merger is between (o r equal to) $37.411 and $41.349 per share, the exchange ratio will be the quotient of $53.75 divided by the average stock price. If the average stock price is greater than $41.349, the exchange ratio will be 1.300. If the average stock price is less than $ 37.411, the exchange ratio will be 1.437. Post-transaction, Time Warner shareholders will own between 14.4% and 15.7% of AT&T shares on a fully-diluted basis based on the number of AT&T shares outstanding. Time Warner is a global leader in media and enter tainment whose major businesses encompass an array of some of the most respected and successful media brands. The deal combines Time Warner’s vast library of content and ability to create new premium content for audiences around the world with our extensiv e customer relationships and distribution, one of the world’s largest pay-TV subscriber bases and leading scale in TV, mobile and broadband distribution. On November 20, 2017, the United States Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia seeking a permanent injunction to prevent AT&T from acquiring Time Warner, alleging that the effect of the transaction “may be substantially to lessen competition” in violation of federal antitrust law. AT&T disputes the governm ent allegations, and believes the merger is pro-consumer and pro-competiti on, and ultimately will be approved. The trial began in late March 2018, with oral arguments concluding on April 30 , 2018. In light of the trial date and allowing time for a decision , both AT&T and Time Warner elected to further extend the termination date of the merger agreement to June 21, 2018. If the Merger is terminated as a result of reaching the extended termination date (and at that time one or more of the conditions relating to certain regulatory approvals have not been satisfied), or there is a final, non-appealable order preventing the transaction relating to antitrust laws, communications laws, utilities laws or foreign regulatory laws, then under certain circumstances, we would be obligated to pay Time Warner $500.

Sale of Equipment Installment R

Sale of Equipment Installment Receivables	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Changes In Other Assets
Finance Receivables Disclosure[Text Block]	NOTE 9. SALES OF EQUIPMENT INSTALLMENT RECEIVABLES We offer our customers the option to purchase certain wireless devices in installments over a specified period of time and, in many cases, once certain conditions are met, they may be eligible to trade in the original equipment for a new device and have the remaining unpaid balance paid or settled. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, gross equipment installment receivables of $4,798 and $6,079 were included on our consolidated balance sheets, of which $2,627 and $3,340 are notes receivable that are included in “Accounts receivable - net.” In 2014, we entered into an uncommitted agreement pertaining to the sale of equipment installment receivables and related security with Citibank and various ot her relationship banks as purchasers (collectively, the Purchasers). Under this agreement, we transfer certain receivables to the Purchasers for cash and additional consideration upon settlement of the receivables, referred to as the deferred purchase pric e. Since 2014, we have made beneficial modifications to the agreement. During 2017, we modified the agreement and entered into a second uncommitted agreement with the Purchasers such that we receive more upfront cash consideration at the time the receivabl es are transferred to the Purchasers. Additionally, in the event a customer trades in a device prior to the end of the installment contract period, we agree to make a payment to the Purchasers equal to any outstanding remaining installment receivable balan ce. Accordingly, we record a guarantee obligation to the Purchasers for this estimated amount at the time the receivables are transferred. Under the terms of the agreement, we continue to bill and collect the payments from our customers on behalf of the Pu rchasers. As of March 31, 2018 , total cash proceeds received, net of remittances (excluding amounts returned as deferred purchase price), were $ 5,569. The following table sets forth a summary of equipment installment receivables sold during the three months ended Ma rch 31, 2018 and 2017: Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Gross receivables sold $ 3,010 $ 2,846 Net receivables sold 1 2,795 2,621 Cash proceeds received 2,395 1,432 Deferred purchase price recorded 519 1,189 Guarantee obligation recorded 123 - 1 Receivables net of allowance, imputed interest and trade-in right guarantees. The deferred purchase price and guarantee obligation are initially recorded at estimated fair value and subsequently carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The estimation of their fair values is based on remaining installment payments expected to be collected and the expected timing and value of device trade-ins. The estimated value of the device trade-ins considers prices offered to us by independent third parties that contemplate changes in value after the launch of a device model. The fair value measurements used for the deferred purchase price and the guarantee obligation are considered Level 3 under the Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure framework (see Note 7). The following table show s the equipment installment receivables, previously sold to the Purchasers, which we repurchased in exchange for the associated deferred purchase price during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 . We did not repurchase any installment receivables in the quarter ended March 31, 2018. Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Fair value of repurchased receivables $ - $ 377 Carrying value of deferred purchase price - 339 Gain (loss) on repurchases 1 $ - $ 38 1 These gains (losses) are included in “Selling, general and administrative” in the consolidated statements of income. At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, our deferred purchase price receivable was $3,009 and $2,749, respectively, of which $1,996 and $1,781 are included in “Other current assets” on our consolidated balance sheets, with the remainder in “Other Assets.” The guarantee obligation at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 was $309 and $204, respectively, of which $94 and $55 are included in “Accounts payable and accrued liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheets, with the remainder in “Other nonc urrent liabilities.” Our maximum exposure to loss as a result of selling these equipment installment receivables is limited to the total amount of our deferred purchase price and guarantee obligation. The sales of equipment installment receivables did not have a material impact on our consolidated statements of income or to “Total Assets” reported on our consolidated balance sheets. We reflect cash receipts on owned equipment installment receivables as cash flows from operations in our consolidated stateme nts of cash flows. With the retrospective adoption of ASU 2016-15 in 2018 (see Note 1), cash receipts on the deferred purchase price are now classified as cash flows from investing activities instead of cash flows from operating activities. The outstandin g portfolio of installment receivables derecognized from our consolidated balance sheets, but which we continue to service, was $8,895 and $7,446 at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

Additional Financial Informatio

Additional Financial Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Additional Financial Information [Abstract]
Additional Financial Information [Text Block]	NOTE 10. ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION We typically maintain our restricted cash balances for purchases and sales of certain investment securities, investment income for those investments and funding of certain deferred compensation benefit payments. The following summarizes cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash balances contained on our consolidated balance sheets: March 31, December 31, Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash 2018 2017 2017 2016 Cash and cash equivalents $ 48,872 $ 14,884 $ 50,498 $ 5,788 Restricted cash in Other current assets 8 7 6 7 Restricted cash in Other Assets 345 89 428 140 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 49,225 $ 14,980 $ 50,932 $ 5,935 Three months ended March 31, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 2018 2017 Cash paid (received) during the period for: Interest $ 2,408 $ 1,643 Income taxes, net of refunds (1,089) (160)

Preparation Of Interim Financ20

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation These consolidated financial statements include all adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for the presented interim periods, consisting of normal recurring accruals and other items. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and our majority-owned subsidiaries and affiliates. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated in the consolidation process. Investments in less than majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships where we have significant influence are accounted for under the equity method. Earnings from certain investments accounted for using the equity method are included for periods ended within up to one q uarter of our period end. We also record our proportionate share of our equity method investees’ other comprehensive income (OCI) items, including translation adjustments. We treat distributions received from equity method investees as returns on investmen t and classify them as cash flows from operating activities until those distributions exceed our cumulative equity in the earnings of that investment. We treat the excess amount as a return of investment and classify it as cash flows from investing activit ies. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes, including estimates of probable losses and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain amounts have been conformed to the current period’s presentation, including impacts for the adoption of recent accounting standards and the real ignment of certain business units within our reportable segments (see Note 4).
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Tax Reform The Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts (the Act) was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and required compa nies to pay a one-time transition tax on earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred. Recognizing the late enactment of the Act and complexity of accurately accounting for its impact, the Securities and Exchange Commission (S EC) in Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 118 provided guidance that allows registrants to provide a reasonable estimate of the impact to their financial statements and adjust the reported impact in a measurement period not to exceed one year. We included the estimated impact of the Act in our financial results at or for the period ended December 31, 2017 and did not record any adjustments thereto during the first quarter of 2018. Our future results could include additional adjustments, and those adjustments c ould be m aterial.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Revenue Recognition As of January 1, 2018, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” as modified (ASC 606), using the modified retrospective method , w hich does not allow us to adjust prior periods . We applied the rules to all open contracts existing as of January 1, 2018, recording an increase of $2,342 to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of the change, with an offsetting contract asset of $1,737, deferred contract acquisition costs of $ 1,454, other asset reductions of $239, other liability reductions of $212, deferred income taxes of $787 and noncontrolling interest of $35.
Pension and Other Postretirement Plans [Policy Text Block]	Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective appl ication, ASU No. 2017-07, “Compensation – Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit C ost” (A SU 2017-07). We are no longer allowed to present interest, estimated return on ass ets and amortization of prior service credits components of our net periodic benefit cost in our consolidated operating expenses, but rather include those amounts in “other income (expense) – net” in our consolidated statements of income. We continue to pr esent service costs with the associated compensation costs within our operating expenses. As a practical expedient, we used the amounts disclosed as the estimated basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirement.
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Policy Text Block]	Cash Flows As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective application, ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (ASU 2016-15). Under ASU 2016-15, we continue to recognize cash receipts on owned equipment installment receivables as cash flows from operations. However, cash receipts on the deferred purchase price described in Note 9 are now required to be classified as cash flows from investing activities instead of cash flows from operatin g activities. As of January 1, 2018, we adopted, with retrospective application, ASU No. 2016-18, “State ment of Cash Flows (Topic 230) - Restricted Cash,” (ASU 2016-18). The primary impact of ASU 2016-18 was to require us to include restricted cash in our reconciliation of beginning and ending cash and cash equivalents (restricted and unrestricted) on the face of the statements of cash flows.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Policy Text Block]	Financial Instruments As of January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2016-01, “Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (ASU 2016-01), which requires us to prospectively record changes in the fair value of our equity investments, except for those accounted for under the equity method, in net income instead of in accumulated other comprehensive income. As of January 1, 2018, we recorded an increase of $655 in retained earnings for the cumula tive effect of the adoption of ASU 2016-01, wit h an offset to accumulated other comprehensive income (accumulated OCI).
Leases [Policy Text Block]	Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases ( Topic 842),” as modified (ASC 842 ), which replaces existing leasing rules with a comprehensive lease measurement and recognition standard and expanded disclosure requirements. ASC 842 will require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets as liabilities, with corresponding “right-of-use” assets , and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, subject to early adoption. For income statement recognition purposes, leases will be classified as either a finance or an operating lease without relying upon the bright-line tests under current GAAP. Upon initial evaluation, we believe the key change upon adoption will be the balance sheet recognition. At adoption, we will recognize a right-to-use asset and corresponding lease liability on our consolidated balance sheets. The income statement recognition of lease expense appears similar to our current methodology . We are continuing to evaluate the magnitude and other potential impacts to our financial statements.

Revenue Recognition (Policy)

Revenue Recognition (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue Recognition, Deferred Revenue [Policy Text Block]	NOTE 5 . REVENUE RECOGNITION As of January 1, 2018, we adopted FASB ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” as modified (ASC 606). With our adoption of ASC 606, we made a policy election to record certain regulatory fees, primarily Universal Service Fund (USF) fees, on a net basis. See the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements of our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information regarding our policies prior to adoption of ASC 606. When implementing AS C 606, we utilized the practical expedient allowing us to reflect the aggregate effect of all contract modifications occurring before the beginning of the earliest period presented when allocating the transaction price to performance obligations. Contract s with Customers Our products and services are offered to customers in service-only contracts and in contracts that bundle equipment used to access the services and/or with other service offerings. Service revenue is recognized when services are provided, based upon either usage (e.g., minutes of traffic/bytes of data processed) or period of time (e.g., monthly service fees). We record the sale of equipment when title has passed and the products are accepted by the customer. Some contracts have fixed terms and others are cancellable on a short-term basis (i.e., month-to-month arrangements). Revenues from transactions between us and our customers are recorded net of regulatory fees and taxes. Cash incentives given to customers are recorded as a reduction of revenue. N onrefundable, upfront service activation and setup fees associated with service arrangements are deferred and recognized over the associated service contract period or customer life. We record the sale of equipment and services to customers as gr oss revenue when we are the principal in the arrangement and net of the associated costs incurred when we act as an agent in the arrangement. Our contracts allow for customers to frequently modify their arrangement, without incurring penalties in many cas es. When a contract is modified, we evaluate the change in scope or price of the contract to determine if the modification should be treated as a new contract or if it should be considered a change of the existing contract. We generally do not have signifi cant impacts from contract modifications. Service-Only Contracts and Standalone Equipment Sales Revenue is recognized as service is provided or when control has transferred. For devices sold through indirect channels (e.g., national dealers), revenue is recognized when the dealer accepts the device, not upon activation. Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations Revenue recognized from fixed term contracts that bundle services and/or equipment are allocated based on the standalone selling pric e of all required performance obligations of the contract (i.e., each item included in the bundle). Promotional discounts are attributed to each required component of the arrangement, resulting in recognition over the contract term. Standalone selling pric es are determined by assessing prices paid for service-only contracts (e.g., arrangements where customers bring their own devices) and standalone device pricing. We offer the majority of our customers the option to purchase certain wireless devices in in stallments over a specified period of time, and, in many cases, they may be eligible to trade in the original equipment for a new device and have the remaining unpaid balance paid or settled. For customers that elect these equipment installment payment pro grams, at the point of sale, we recognize revenue for the entire amount of revenue allocated to the customer receivable net of fair value of the trade-in right guarantee. The difference between the revenue recognized and the consideration received is recor ded as a note receivable when the devices are not discounted and our right to consideration is unconditional. When installment sales include promotional discounts (e.g., “buy one get one free”), the difference between revenue recognized and consideration r eceived is recorded as a contract asset to be amortized over the contract term. Less commonly, we offer certain customers highly discounted devices when they enter into a minimum service agreement term. For these contracts, we recognize equipment revenue at the point of sale based on a standalone selling price allocation. The difference between the revenue recognized and the cash received is recorded as a contract asset that will amortize over the contract term. For contracts that require the use of certain equipment in order to receive service (e.g., AT&T U-verse® and DIRECTV linear video services), we allocate the total transaction price to service if the equipment does not meet the criteria to be a distinct performance obligation. Costs to fulfill customer contracts are deferred and amortized over periods ranging generally from four to five years, reflecting the estimated economic lives of the respective customer relationships, subject to an assessment of the recoverability of such costs. Costs to acquire customer contracts, including commissions on service activations, for our wireless and video e ntertainment services, are deferred and amortized over the contract period or expected customer life, which typically ranges from two to five years. For contracts with an estimated amortization period of less than one year, we expense incremental costs imm ediately. A contract asset is recorded when revenue is recognized in advance of our right to bill and recei ve consideration (i.e., we must perform additional services or satisfy another performance obligation in order to bill and receive additional consideration). The contract asset will decrease as services are provided and billed. When consideration is receiv ed in advance of the delivery of goods or services, a contract liability is recorded. Reductions in the contract liability will be recorded as we satisfy the performance obligations.

Pension And Postretirement Be22

Pension And Postretirement Benefits (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Pension And Postretirement Benefits
Capitalization Of Benefit Plan Costs	The service cost component of net periodic pension cost (benefit) is recorded in operating expenses in t he consolidated statements of income while the remaining components are recorded in other income (expense) – net. S ervice costs are eligible for capitalization as part of internal construction projects, providing a small reduction in the net expense record ed.
Recognition Of Actuarial Gains And Losses	We recognize actuarial gains and losses on pension and p ostretirement plan assets in our consolidated results as a component of other income (expense) – net at our annual measurement date of December 31, unless earlier remeasurements are required.

Fair Value Measurements And D23

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures
Derivatives, Offsetting Fair Value Amounts, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We do not offset the fair value of collateral, whether the right to reclaim cash collateral (a receivable) or the obligation to return cash collateral (a payable) exists, against the fair value of the derivative instruments.

Preparation Of Interim Financ24

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles
Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Table Text Block]	Historical Effect of Accounting Adoption of As Method ASU 2017-07 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 7,572 $ 360 $ 7,932 Selling, general and administrative expenses 6,755 1,142 7,897 Operating Income 7,703 (1,502) 6,201 Other Income (Expense) - net 200 1,502 1,702 Net Income 4,759 - 4,759 For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 9,065 $ 223 $ 9,288 Selling, general and administrative expenses 8,487 285 8,772 Operating Income 6,864 (508) 6,356 Other Income (Expense) - net (20) 508 488 Net Income 3,574 - 3,574 Historical Effect of Effect of Accounting Adoption of Adoption of As Method ASU 2016-15 ASU 2016-18 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Equipment installment receivables and related sales $ 772 $ (267) $ - $ 505 Other - net (322) - 34 (288) Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities 9,180 (267) 34 8,947 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - (116) (116) Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 267 - 267 Cash Used in Investing Activities (7,303) 267 (116) (7,152) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ (1,625) $ - $ (82) $ (1,707) For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Changes in other current assets $ 228 $ - $ 1 $ 229 Equipment installment receivables and related sales 579 (185) - 394 Other - net (693) - (69) (762) Cash Provided by Operating Activities 9,218 (185) (68) 8,965 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - 17 17 Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 185 - 185 Cash Used in Investing Activities (6,171) 185 17 (5,969) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 9,096 $ - $ (51) $ 9,045 At or for the three months ended March 31, 2018 As Reported Historical Accounting Method Consolidated Statements of Income: Service Revenues $ 33,646 $ 35,069 Equipment Revenues 4,392 3,861 Total Operating Revenues 38,038 38,930 Other cost of services 7,932 8,861 Selling, general and administrative expenses 7,897 8,497 Total Operating Expenses 31,837 33,366 Operating income 6,201 5,564 Income before income taxes 6,141 5,504 Income tax expense 1,382 1,226 Net income 4,759 4,278 Net income attributable to AT&T 4,662 4,187 Basic Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Diluted Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Consolidated Balance Sheets: Other current assets 12,008 10,124 Other Assets 20,974 19,164 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 31,569 31,748 Advanced billings and customer deposits 5,081 5,140 Deferred income taxes 45,730 44,787 Other noncurrent liabilities 19,117 18,990 Retained earnings 55,067 52,250 Accumulated other comprehensive income 7,386 7,375 Noncontrolling interest 1,156 1,115

Earnings Per Share (Tables)

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Earnings Per Share
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]	Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Numerators Numerator for basic earnings per share: Net Income $ 4,759 $ 3,574 Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (97) (105) Net Income attributable to AT&T 4,662 3,469 Dilutive potential common shares: Share-based payment 5 4 Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 4,667 $ 3,473 Denominators (000,000) Denominator for basic earnings per share: Weighted average number of common shares outstanding 6,161 6,166 Dilutive potential common shares: Share-based payment (in shares) 19 20 Denominator for diluted earnings per share 6,180 6,186 Basic earnings per share attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.56 Diluted earnings per share attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.56

Accumulated Other Comprehensi26

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Balance as of December 31, 2017 $ (2,054) $ 660 $ 1,402 $ 7,009 $ 7,017 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 106 (12) 674 567 1,335 Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI - 1 - 1 12 2 (323) 3 (311) Net other comprehensive income (loss) 106 (12) 686 244 1,024 Amounts reclassified to retained earnings - (655) 4 - - (655) Balance as of March 31, 2018 $ (1,948) $ (7) $ 2,088 $ 7,253 $ 7,386 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Balance as of December 31, 2016 $ (1,995) $ 541 $ 744 $ 5,671 $ 4,961 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 366 33 13 - 412 Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI - 1 5 1 10 2 (228) 3 (213) Net other comprehensive income (loss) 366 38 23 (228) 199 Balance as of March 31, 2017 $ (1,629) $ 579 $ 767 $ 5,443 $ 5,160 1 (Gains) losses are included in Other income (expense) - net in the consolidated statements of income. 2 (Gains) losses are included in Interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 7 for additional information. 3 The amortization of prior service credits associated with postretirement benefits are included in Other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of income (see Note 6). 4 With the adoption of ASU 2016-01, the unrealized (gains) losses on our equity investments are reclassified to retained earnings (see Note 1).

Segment Information (Tables)

Segment Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Information
Reconciliation of Revenue from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Revenues Operations and Support Expenses EBITDA Depreciation and Amortization Operating Income (Loss) Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates Segment Contribution Consumer Mobility $ 14,986 $ 8,524 $ 6,462 $ 1,807 $ 4,655 $ - $ 4,655 Business Solutions 9,185 5,638 3,547 1,462 2,085 (1) 2,084 Entertainment Group 11,577 8,939 2,638 1,312 1,326 9 1,335 International 2,025 1,804 221 332 (111) - (111) Segment Total 37,773 24,905 12,868 4,913 7,955 $ 8 $ 7,963 Corporate and Other 265 691 (426) 19 (445) Acquisition-related items - 67 (67) 1,062 (1,129) Certain significant items - 180 (180) - (180) AT&T Inc. $ 38,038 $ 25,843 $ 12,195 $ 5,994 $ 6,201 For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Revenues Operations and Support Expenses EBITDA Depreciation and Amortization Operating Income (Loss) Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates Segment Contribution Consumer Mobility $ 14,806 $ 8,560 $ 6,246 $ 1,716 $ 4,530 $ - $ 4,530 Business Solutions 9,692 6,040 3,652 1,465 2,187 - 2,187 Entertainment Group 12,601 9,605 2,996 1,420 1,576 (6) 1,570 International 1,929 1,759 170 290 (120) 20 (100) Segment Total 39,028 25,964 13,064 4,891 8,173 $ 14 $ 8,187 Corporate and Other 337 829 (492) 34 (526) Acquisition-related items - 207 (207) 1,202 (1,409) Certain significant items - (118) 118 - 118 AT&T Inc. $ 39,365 $ 26,882 $ 12,483 $ 6,127 $ 6,356
Reconciliation of Operating Income (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated Statements of Income [Table Text Block]	The following table is a reconciliation of Segment Contribution to “Income Before Income Taxes” reported on our consolidated statements of income. First Quarter 2018 2017 Consumer Mobility $ 4,655 $ 4,530 Business Solutions 2,084 2,187 Entertainment Group 1,335 1,570 International (111) (100) Segment Contribution 7,963 8,187 Reconciling Items: Corporate and Other (445) (526) Amortization of intangibles acquired (1,062) (1,202) Merger and integration charges (67) (207) Venezuela devaluation (25) - Employee separation costs (51) - Natural disaster charges (104) - Gain on wireless spectrum transactions - 118 Segment equity in net (income) loss of affiliates (8) (14) AT&T Operating Income 6,201 6,356 Interest expense 1,771 1,293 Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates 9 (173) Other income (expense) - net 1,702 488 Income Before Income Taxes $ 6,141 $ 5,378

Revenue Recognition (Tables)

Revenue Recognition (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Table Text Block]	For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consumer Mobility Business Solutions Entertainment Group International Other AT&T Inc. Wireless service $ 11,612 $ 1,791 $ - $ 404 $ - $ 13,807 Video entertainment - - 8,359 1,354 - 9,713 Strategic services - 3,138 - - - 3,138 High-speed internet - - 1,878 - - 1,878 Legacy voice and data - 2,839 819 - - 3,658 Other service - 669 519 - 264 1,452 Wireless equipment 3,374 578 - 267 - 4,219 Other equipment - 170 2 - 1 173 $ 14,986 $ 9,185 $ 11,577 $ 2,025 $ 265 $ 38,038
Contract with Customer, Asset and Liability [Table Text Block]	March 31, 2018 Contract asset $ 1,757 Contract liability 5,510 Beginning of period contract liability recorded as customer contract revenue during period 3,625
Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Table Text Block]	Historical Effect of Accounting Adoption of As Method ASU 2017-07 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 7,572 $ 360 $ 7,932 Selling, general and administrative expenses 6,755 1,142 7,897 Operating Income 7,703 (1,502) 6,201 Other Income (Expense) - net 200 1,502 1,702 Net Income 4,759 - 4,759 For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Income Other cost of services $ 9,065 $ 223 $ 9,288 Selling, general and administrative expenses 8,487 285 8,772 Operating Income 6,864 (508) 6,356 Other Income (Expense) - net (20) 508 488 Net Income 3,574 - 3,574 Historical Effect of Effect of Accounting Adoption of Adoption of As Method ASU 2016-15 ASU 2016-18 Adjusted For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Equipment installment receivables and related sales $ 772 $ (267) $ - $ 505 Other - net (322) - 34 (288) Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities 9,180 (267) 34 8,947 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - (116) (116) Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 267 - 267 Cash Used in Investing Activities (7,303) 267 (116) (7,152) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ (1,625) $ - $ (82) $ (1,707) For the three months ended March 31, 2017 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Changes in other current assets $ 228 $ - $ 1 $ 229 Equipment installment receivables and related sales 579 (185) - 394 Other - net (693) - (69) (762) Cash Provided by Operating Activities 9,218 (185) (68) 8,965 Sales (purchases) of securities - net - - 17 17 Cash collections of deferred purchase price - 185 - 185 Cash Used in Investing Activities (6,171) 185 17 (5,969) Change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 9,096 $ - $ (51) $ 9,045 At or for the three months ended March 31, 2018 As Reported Historical Accounting Method Consolidated Statements of Income: Service Revenues $ 33,646 $ 35,069 Equipment Revenues 4,392 3,861 Total Operating Revenues 38,038 38,930 Other cost of services 7,932 8,861 Selling, general and administrative expenses 7,897 8,497 Total Operating Expenses 31,837 33,366 Operating income 6,201 5,564 Income before income taxes 6,141 5,504 Income tax expense 1,382 1,226 Net income 4,759 4,278 Net income attributable to AT&T 4,662 4,187 Basic Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Diluted Earnings per Share Attributable to AT&T $ 0.75 $ 0.68 Consolidated Balance Sheets: Other current assets 12,008 10,124 Other Assets 20,974 19,164 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 31,569 31,748 Advanced billings and customer deposits 5,081 5,140 Deferred income taxes 45,730 44,787 Other noncurrent liabilities 19,117 18,990 Retained earnings 55,067 52,250 Accumulated other comprehensive income 7,386 7,375 Noncontrolling interest 1,156 1,115

Pension And Postretirement Be29

Pension And Postretirement Benefits (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Pension And Postretirement Benefits
Pension and postretirement benefit costs included in operating expenses [Table Text Block]	Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Pension cost: Service cost – benefits earned during the period $ 291 $ 282 Interest cost on projected benefit obligation 487 484 Expected return on assets (760) (783) Amortization of prior service credit (30) (31) Net pension (credit) cost $ (12) $ (48) Postretirement cost: Service cost – benefits earned during the period $ 29 $ 41 Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 191 222 Expected return on assets (77) (80) Amortization of prior service credit (397) (336) Actuarial (gain) loss (930) - Net postretirement (credit) cost $ (1,184) $ (153) Combined net pension and postretirement (credit) cost $ (1,196) $ (201)

Fair Value Measurements And D30

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures
Long-term debt and other financial instruments [Table Text Block]	March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Carrying Fair Carrying Fair Amount Value Amount Value Notes and debentures 1 $ 161,161 $ 169,388 $ 162,526 $ 171,938 Bank borrowings 2 2 2 2 Investment securities 2 2,584 2,584 2,447 2,447 1 Includes credit agreement borrowings. 2 Excludes investments accounted for under the equity method.
Fair Value Leveling [Table Text Block]	March 31, 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Equity Securities Domestic equities $ 1,065 $ - $ - $ 1,065 International equities 294 - - 294 Fixed income equities - 149 - 149 Available-for-Sale Debt Securities - 777 - 777 Asset Derivatives Interest rate swaps - 10 - 10 Cross-currency swaps - 2,761 - 2,761 Foreign exchange contracts - 12 - 12 Liability Derivatives Interest rate swaps - (78) - (78) Cross-currency swaps - (706) - (706) Foreign exchange contracts - (15) - (15) December 31, 2017 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Equity Securities Domestic equities $ 1,142 $ - $ - $ 1,142 International equities 321 - - 321 Fixed income equities - 152 - 152 Available-for-Sale Debt Securities - 581 - 581 Asset Derivatives Interest rate swaps - 17 - 17 Cross-currency swaps - 1,753 - 1,753 Liability Derivatives Interest rate swaps - (31) - (31) Cross-currency swaps - (1,290) - (1,290)
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments [Table Text Block]	The components comprising total gains and losses on equity securities are as follows: Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Total gains (losses) recognized on equity securities $ (13) $ 89 Gains (Losses) recognized on equity securities sold 52 11 Unrealized gains (losses) recognized on equity securities held at end of period (65) 78
Notional Amount of Outstanding Derivative Positions [Table Text Block]	March 31, December 31, 2018 2017 Interest rate swaps $ 8,333 $ 9,833 Cross-currency swaps 36,092 38,694 Foreign exchange contracts 2,908 - Total $ 47,333 $ 48,527
Effect on Derivatives on the Consolidated Statements of Income [Table Text Block]	Following are the related hedged items affecting our financial position and performance: Effect of Derivatives on the Consolidated Statements of Income Fair Value Hedging Relationships Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Interest rate swaps (Interest expense): Gain (Loss) on interest rate swaps $ (53) $ (25) Gain (Loss) on long-term debt 53 25 Cash Flow Hedging Relationships Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Cross-currency swaps: Gain (Loss) recognized in accumulated OCI $ 854 $ 20 Interest rate locks: Interest income (expense) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (15) (15)

Sale of Equipment Installment31

Sale of Equipment Installment Receivables (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Changes In Other Assets
Finance Receivables [Table Text Block]	Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Gross receivables sold $ 3,010 $ 2,846 Net receivables sold 1 2,795 2,621 Cash proceeds received 2,395 1,432 Deferred purchase price recorded 519 1,189 Guarantee obligation recorded 123 - 1 Receivables net of allowance, imputed interest and trade-in right guarantees.
Finance Receivables Repurchased [Table Text Block]	Three months ended March 31, 2018 2017 Fair value of repurchased receivables $ - $ 377 Carrying value of deferred purchase price - 339 Gain (loss) on repurchases 1 $ - $ 38 1 These gains (losses) are included in “Selling, general and administrative” in the consolidated statements of income.

Additional Financial Informat32

Additional Financial Information [Tables]	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018
Additional Financial Information [Abstract]
Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]	March 31, December 31, Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash 2018 2017 2017 2016 Cash and cash equivalents $ 48,872 $ 14,884 $ 50,498 $ 5,788 Restricted cash in Other current assets 8 7 6 7 Restricted cash in Other Assets 345 89 428 140 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 49,225 $ 14,980 $ 50,932 $ 5,935 Three months ended March 31, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 2018 2017 Cash paid (received) during the period for: Interest $ 2,408 $ 1,643 Income taxes, net of refunds (1,089) (160)

Preparation Of Interim Financ33

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%	35.00%
Cumulative effect of accounting changes	$ (655)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			$ (655)
ASC 606 [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			2,342
ASC 606 [Member] | Contract Asset [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			1,737
ASC 606 [Member] | Deferred Customer Contract Acquisition Costs [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			1,454
ASC 606 [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			(239)
ASC 606 [Member] | Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			35
ASC 606 [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			(212)
ASC 606 [Member] | Deferred Income Tax Liability [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			787
ASU 2016-01 [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes			$ 655

Preparation Of Interim Financ34

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements (Consolidated Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other cost of services	$ 7,932	$ 9,288
Selling, general and administrative	7,897	8,772
Operating Income (Loss)	6,201	6,356
Other income (expense) - net	1,702	488
Net income	4,759	3,574
Historical Accounting Method [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other cost of services	7,572
Selling, general and administrative	6,755
Operating Income (Loss)	7,703
Other income (expense) - net	200
Net income	4,759
Historical Accounting Method, previously reported [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other cost of services		9,065
Selling, general and administrative		8,487
Operating Income (Loss)		6,864
Other income (expense) - net		(20)
Net income		3,574
Effect of Adoption | ASU 2017-07
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other cost of services	360	223
Selling, general and administrative	1,142	285
Operating Income (Loss)	(1,502)	(508)
Other income (expense) - net	1,502	508
Net income	$ 0	$ 0

Preparation Of Interim Financ35

Preparation Of Interim Financial Statements (Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other current assets	$ 614	$ 229
Equipment installment receivables and related sales	505	394
Other - net	(288)	(762)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	8,947	8,965
Sales (purchases) of securities, net	(116)	17
Cash collection of deferred purchase price	267	185
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(7,152)	(5,969)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	(1,707)	9,045
Historical Accounting Method [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equipment installment receivables and related sales	772
Other - net	(322)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	9,180
Sales (purchases) of securities, net	0
Cash collection of deferred purchase price	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(7,303)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	(1,625)
Historical Accounting Method, previously reported [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other current assets		228
Equipment installment receivables and related sales		579
Other - net		(693)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities		9,218
Sales (purchases) of securities, net		0
Cash collection of deferred purchase price		0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		(6,171)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect		9,096
Effect of Adoption | ASU 2016-15 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other current assets		0
Equipment installment receivables and related sales	(267)	(185)
Other - net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	(267)	(185)
Sales (purchases) of securities, net	0	0
Cash collection of deferred purchase price	267	185
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	267	185
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	0	0
Effect of Adoption | ASU 2016-18 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements Or Change In Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other current assets		1
Equipment installment receivables and related sales	0	0
Other - net	34	(69)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	34	(68)
Sales (purchases) of securities, net	(116)	17
Cash collection of deferred purchase price	0	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(116)	17
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	$ (82)	$ (51)

Earnings Per Share (Details)

Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Earnings Per Share
Net income	$ 4,759	$ 3,574
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(97)	(105)
Net Income attributable to AT&T	4,662	3,469
Share-based payment	5	4
Numerator for diluted earnings per share	$ 4,667	$ 3,473
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding	6,161	6,166
Share-based payment (in shares)	19	20
Denominator for diluted earnings per share	6,180	6,186
Basic Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56

Accumulated Other Comprehensi37

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning balance		$ 7,017	$ 4,961
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification, net of tax		1,335	412
Amounts reclassifed from accumulated OCI, net of tax		(311)	(213)
Net other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		1,024	199
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings		(655)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, ending balance		7,386	5,160
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning balance		(2,054)	(1,995)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification, net of tax		106	366
Amounts reclassifed from accumulated OCI, net of tax	[1]	0	0
Net other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		106	366
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income, ending balance		(1,948)	(1,629)
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning balance		660	541
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification, net of tax		(12)	33
Amounts reclassifed from accumulated OCI, net of tax	[1]	0	5
Net other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		(12)	38
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings	[2]	(655)
Accumulated other comprehensive income, ending balance		(7)	579
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning balance		1,402	744
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification, net of tax		674	13
Amounts reclassifed from accumulated OCI, net of tax	[3]	12	10
Net other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		686	23
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income, ending balance		2,088	767
Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning balance		7,009	5,671
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassification, net of tax		567	0
Amounts reclassifed from accumulated OCI, net of tax	[4]	(323)	(228)
Net other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		244	(228)
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income, ending balance		$ 7,253	$ 5,443
[1]	(Gains) losses are included in Other income (expense) - net in the consolidated statements of income.
[2]	With the adoption of ASU 2016-01, the unrealized (gains) losses on our equity investments are reclassifed to retained earnings (see Note 1).
[3]	(Gains) losses are included in Interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 7 for additional information.
[4]	The amortization of prior service credits associated with postretirement benefits, net of amounts capitalized as part of construction labor, are included in Other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of income (see Note 5).

Segment Information (Summary Of

Segment Information (Summary Of Operating Revenues And Expenses) (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments	4
Goodwill	$ 105,482	$ 105,449
Business Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill	(19,686)
Consumer Mobility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 19,686

Segment Information (Summary 39

Segment Information (Summary Of Operating Revenues And Expenses) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 38,038	$ 39,365
Operations and Support Expenses	25,843	26,882
EBITDA	12,195	12,483
Depreciation and Amortization	5,994	6,127
Operating Income (Loss)	6,201	6,356
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	9	(173)
Segment Contribution	6,141	5,378
Operating Segments [Member] | Business Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	9,185	9,692
Operations and Support Expenses	5,638	6,040
EBITDA	3,547	3,652
Depreciation and Amortization	1,462	1,465
Operating Income (Loss)	2,085	2,187
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	(1)	0
Segment Contribution	2,084	2,187
Operating Segments [Member] | Entertainment Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	11,577	12,601
Operations and Support Expenses	8,939	9,605
EBITDA	2,638	2,996
Depreciation and Amortization	1,312	1,420
Operating Income (Loss)	1,326	1,576
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	9	(6)
Segment Contribution	1,335	1,570
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Mobility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	14,986	14,806
Operations and Support Expenses	8,524	8,560
EBITDA	6,462	6,246
Depreciation and Amortization	1,807	1,716
Operating Income (Loss)	4,655	4,530
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	0	0
Segment Contribution	4,655	4,530
Operating Segments [Member] | International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	2,025	1,929
Operations and Support Expenses	1,804	1,759
EBITDA	221	170
Depreciation and Amortization	332	290
Operating Income (Loss)	(111)	(120)
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	0	20
Segment Contribution	(111)	(100)
Operating Segments [Member] | Segment Total [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	37,773	39,028
Operations and Support Expenses	24,905	25,964
EBITDA	12,868	13,064
Depreciation and Amortization	4,913	4,891
Operating Income (Loss)	7,955	8,173
Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Affiliates	8	14
Segment Contribution	7,963	8,187
Consolidation Non-Segment [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	265	337
Operations and Support Expenses	691	829
EBITDA	(426)	(492)
Depreciation and Amortization	19	34
Operating Income (Loss)	(445)	(526)
Consolidation Non-Segment [Member] | Acquisition-related items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	0	0
Operations and Support Expenses	67	207
EBITDA	(67)	(207)
Depreciation and Amortization	1,062	1,202
Operating Income (Loss)	(1,129)	(1,409)
Consolidation Non-Segment [Member] | Certain Significant Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	0	0
Operations and Support Expenses	180	(118)
EBITDA	(180)	118
Depreciation and Amortization	0	0
Operating Income (Loss)	$ (180)	$ 118

Segment Information (Reconcilia

Segment Information (Reconciliation Of Operating Income Loss to Consolidated Statement Of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	$ 6,201	$ 6,356
Interest Expense	1,771	1,293
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	9	(173)
Other income (expense) - net	1,702	488
Segment Contribution	6,141	5,378
Operating Segments [Member] | Business Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	2,085	2,187
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	(1)	0
Segment Contribution	2,084	2,187
Operating Segments [Member] | Entertainment Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	1,326	1,576
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	9	(6)
Segment Contribution	1,335	1,570
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Mobility [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	4,655	4,530
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	0	0
Segment Contribution	4,655	4,530
Operating Segments [Member] | International [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(111)	(120)
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	0	20
Segment Contribution	(111)	(100)
Operating Segments [Member] | Segment Contribution [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	7,955	8,173
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	8	14
Segment Contribution	7,963	8,187
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(445)	(526)
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Merger and intergration items [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(67)	(207)
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Venezuela devaluation [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(25)	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Amortization of intangibles acquired [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(1,062)	(1,202)
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Employee separate charges [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(51)	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Natural Disaster Charges [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	(104)	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Gain on wireless spectrum transactions [Member]
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	0	118
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Segment equity in net (income) loss of affiliates
Segment Reporting Reconciling Item For Operating Income (Loss) From Segment To Consolidated Statements Of Income [Line Items]
AT&T Operating Income	$ (8)	$ (14)

Revenue Recognition (Narrative)

Revenue Recognition (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Contract with Customer, Asset and Liability [Abstract]
Contract asset balance - current portion (in millions)	$ 1,252
Contract liability balance - current portion (in millions)	4,882
Advanced billings and customer deposits	5,081	$ 4,213
Revenue, Performance Obligation [Abstract]
Aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations (in millions)	$ 27,836
Aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations (percentage)	50.00%
Deferred Customer Contract Acquisition Costs [Member]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net [Abstract]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net (in millions)	$ 2,117
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization (in millions)	$ 263
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Method	Costs to acquire customer contracts, including commissions on service activations, for our wireless and video entertainment services, are deferred and amortized over the contract period or expected customer life, which typically ranges from two to five years. For contracts with an estimated amortization period of less than one year, we expense incremental costs immediately.
Deferred Customer Contract Acquisition Costs [Member] | Other Current Assets [Member]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net [Abstract]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net (in millions)	$ 782
Deferred Customer Contract Fulfillment Cost [Member]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net [Abstract]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net (in millions)	10,763
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization (in millions)	$ 1,047
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Method	Costs to fulfill customer contracts are deferred and amortized over periods ranging generally from four to five years, reflecting the estimated economic lives of the respective customer relationships, subject to an assessment of the recoverability of such costs. For contracts with an estimated amortization period of less than one year, we expense incremental costs immediately.
Deferred Customer Contract Fulfillment Cost [Member] | Other Current Assets [Member]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net [Abstract]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net (in millions)	$ 4,062

Revenue Recognition (Disaggrega

Revenue Recognition (Disaggregation of Revenue) (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	$ 38,038
Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	13,807
Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	9,713
Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	3,138
High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	1,878
Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	3,658
Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	1,452
Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	4,219
Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	173
Consumer Mobility [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	14,986
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	11,612
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Consumer Mobility [Member] | High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	3,374
Consumer Mobility [Member] | Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Business Solutions [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	9,185
Business Solutions [Member] | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	1,791
Business Solutions [Member] | Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Business Solutions [Member] | Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	3,138
Business Solutions [Member] | High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Business Solutions [Member] | Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	2,839
Business Solutions [Member] | Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	669
Business Solutions [Member] | Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	578
Business Solutions [Member] | Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	170
Entertainment Group [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	11,577
Entertainment Group [Member] | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Entertainment Group [Member] | Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	8,359
Entertainment Group [Member] | Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Entertainment Group [Member] | High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	1,878
Entertainment Group [Member] | Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	819
Entertainment Group [Member] | Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	519
Entertainment Group [Member] | Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Entertainment Group [Member] | Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	2
International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	2,025
International [Member] | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	404
International [Member] | Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	1,354
International [Member] | Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
International [Member] | High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
International [Member] | Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
International [Member] | Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
International [Member] | Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	267
International [Member] | Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	265
Corporate and Other [Member] | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | Video entertainment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | Strategic services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | High-speed internet
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | Legacy Voice and Data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | Other service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	264
Corporate and Other [Member] | Wireless equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	0
Corporate and Other [Member] | Other equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer	$ 1

Revenue Recognition (Contract A

Revenue Recognition (Contract Assets and Liabilities) (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)
Contract with Customer, Asset and Liability [Abstract]
Contract asset	$ 1,757
Contract liability	5,510
Beginning of period contract liability recorded as customer contract revenue during period	$ 3,625

Revenue Recognition (Consolidat

Revenue Recognition (Consolidated Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Service Revenues	$ 33,646	$ 36,456
Equipment Revenues	4,392	2,909
Total Operating Revenues	38,038	39,365
Other cost of services	7,932	9,288
Selling, general and administrative expenses	7,897	8,772
Total Operating Expenses	31,837	33,009
Operating Income	6,201	6,356
Income Before Income Taxes	6,141	5,378
Income tax expense	1,382	1,804
Net income	4,759	3,574
Net Income attributable to AT&T	$ 4,662	$ 3,469
Basic Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.75	$ 0.56
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | ASC 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Service Revenues	$ 35,069
Equipment Revenues	3,861
Total Operating Revenues	38,930
Other cost of services	8,861
Selling, general and administrative expenses	8,497
Total Operating Expenses	33,366
Operating Income	5,564
Income Before Income Taxes	5,504
Income tax expense	1,226
Net income	4,278
Net Income attributable to AT&T	$ 4,187
Basic Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.68
Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to AT&T	$ 0.68

Revenue Recognition (Consolid45

Revenue Recognition (Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other current assets	$ 12,008	$ 10,757
Other Assets	20,974	18,444
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	31,569	34,470
Advanced billings and customer deposits	5,081	4,213
Deferred income taxes	45,730	43,207
Other noncurrent liabilities	19,117	19,747
Retained Earnings	55,067	50,500
Accumulated other comprehensive income	7,386	7,017	$ 5,160	$ 4,961
Noncontrolling interest	1,156	$ 1,146
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] | ASC 606 [Member]
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Other current assets	10,124
Other Assets	19,164
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	31,748
Advanced billings and customer deposits	5,140
Deferred income taxes	44,787
Other noncurrent liabilities	18,990
Retained Earnings	52,250
Accumulated other comprehensive income	7,375
Noncontrolling interest	$ 1,115

Pension And Postretirement Be46

Pension And Postretirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	$ 930	$ 0
Pension Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net supplemental retirement pension benefits costs	$ 21	22
Pension Contribution Date	Dec. 31, 2013
Required contribution to pension plans	$ 140
Value of entity's noncash contribution to it's defined benefit plans	8,944
Pension Benefit [Member] | Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Required contribution to pension plans			$ 560
Postretirement Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Prior Service Cost (Credit) Arising During Period, before tax	(752)
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	930	$ 0
Postemployment benefit obligation	$ (1,682)
Discount rate for determining projected benefit obligation	4.10%
Postretirement Benefit [Member] | Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Amendments	$ 752
Postretirement Benefit [Member] | Service Cost [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate for determining projected benefit obligation	4.30%
Postretirement Benefit [Member] | Interest Cost [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate for determining projected benefit obligation	3.70%
Postretirement Benefit [Member] | Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Prior service cost (credit), before tax, for pension, other postretirement, or supplemental retirement benefits that will be amortized from accumulated OCI into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year			(1,237)
Prior service cost (credit), net of tax, for pension, other postretirement, or supplemental retirement benefits that will be amortized from accumulated OCI into net periodic benefit cost over the next			$ (933)

Pension And Postretirement Be47

Pension And Postretirement Benefits (Pension And Postretirement Benefit Costs Included In Operating Expenses) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Actuarial (gain) loss	$ (930)	$ 0
Net (credit) cost	(1,196)	(201)
Pension Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	291	282
Interest cost on benefit obligation	487	484
Expected return on assets	(760)	(783)
Amortization of prior service credit	(30)	(31)
Net (credit) cost	(12)	(48)
Postretirement Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	29	41
Interest cost on benefit obligation	191	222
Expected return on assets	(77)	(80)
Amortization of prior service credit	(397)	(336)
Actuarial (gain) loss	(930)	0
Net (credit) cost	$ (1,184)	$ (153)

Fair Value Measurements And D48

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value Disclosures [Line Items]
Collateral received from counterparty	$ 2,672	$ 968
Collateral submitted to counterparty	125	$ 495
Collateral contingently payable to the counterparty	84
Amounts reclassifed to retained earnings	655
Fixed income investments - maturities less than 1 year	18
Fixed income investments - maturities within 1 to 3 years	137
Fixed income investments - maturities within 3 to 5 years	63
Fixed income investments - maturities for 5 or more years	559
Anticipated reclassification of holding losses during the next 12 months - cash flow hedges	59
DIRECTV [Member]
Fair Value Disclosures [Line Items]
Collateral contingently payable to the counterparty	$ 72

Fair Value Measurements And D49

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Long-Term Debt And Other Financial Instruments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Carrying Amount [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment [Line Items]
Notes and debentures	[1]	$ 161,161	$ 162,526
Bank borrowings		2	2
Investment securities	[2]	2,584	2,447
Fair Value [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment [Line Items]
Bank borrowings		2	2
Investment securities	[2]	2,584	2,447
Fair Value [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment [Line Items]
Notes and debentures	[1]	$ 169,388	$ 171,938
[1]	Includes credit agreement borrowings.
[2]	Excludes investments accounted for under the equity method.

Fair Value Measurements And D50

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Fair Value Leveling) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	$ 10	$ 17
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(78)	(31)
Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	2,761	1,753
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(706)	(1,290)
Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	12
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(15)
Investment Type [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities (at fair value)	777	581
Domestic Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	1,065	1,142
International Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	294	321
Fixed Income Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	149	152
Level 1 [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Level 1 [Member] | Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Level 1 [Member] | Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0
Level 1 [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 1 [Member] | Domestic Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	1,065	1,142
Level 1 [Member] | International Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	294	321
Level 1 [Member] | Fixed Income Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 2 [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	10	17
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(78)	(31)
Level 2 [Member] | Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	2,761	1,753
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(706)	(1,290)
Level 2 [Member] | Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	12
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	(15)
Level 2 [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities (at fair value)	777	581
Level 2 [Member] | Domestic Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 2 [Member] | International Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 2 [Member] | Fixed Income Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	149	152
Level 3 [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Level 3 [Member] | Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0	0
Level 3 [Member] | Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives (at fair value)	0
Liability Derivatives (at fair value)	0
Level 3 [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 3 [Member] | Domestic Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 3 [Member] | International Equities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	0	0
Level 3 [Member] | Fixed Income Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-Sale Securities (at fair value)	$ 0	$ 0

Fair Value Measurement and Disc

Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure (Gain and Losses on Equity Securities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Gains (Losses) recognized on equity securities sold	$ 52	$ 11
Unrealized gains (losses) recognized on equity securities held at end of period	(65)	78
Equity Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Total gains (losses) recognized on equity securities	$ (13)	$ 89

Fair Value Measurements And D52

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Notional Amount Of Our Outstanding Derivative Positions) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Amount of Outstanding Derivative Positions	$ 47,333	$ 48,527
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Amount of Outstanding Derivative Positions	8,333	9,833
Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Amount of Outstanding Derivative Positions	36,092	38,694
Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Amount of Outstanding Derivative Positions	$ 2,908	$ 0

Fair Value Measurements And D53

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosure (Effect Of Derivatives On The Consolidated Statements Of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Fair Value Hedging Relationships [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Interest expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on interest rate swaps	$ (53)	$ (25)
Gain (Loss) on long-term debt	53	25
Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] | Cross-Currency Swaps [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) recognized in accumulated OCI	854	20
Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] | Interest Rate Locks [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest income (expense) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income	$ (15)	$ (15)

Acquisitions, Dispositions An54

Acquisitions, Dispositions And Other Adjustments (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - purchase price (in millions)	$ 234	$ 162
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Date of Acquisition Agreement	Oct. 22, 2016
Fair Value of Assets Acquired	$ 105,962
Acquisition of business - purchase price (in millions)	$ 85,400
Acquisition of business - purchase price (in US dollars per share)	$ 107.5
Acquisition of business - obligation upon termination	$ 500
Lawsuit Filing Date	Nov. 20, 2017
Name of Plaintiff	U.S. Department of Justice
Expected Trial Commencement	2018-03
Agreement Termination Rights Grant Date	Jun. 21, 2018
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - percentage ownership of combined company held by former shareholders of acquiree	14.40%
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - percentage ownership of combined company held by former shareholders of acquiree	15.70%
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Cash [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - consideration to be given (percent)	50.00%
Acquisition of business - value of noncash consideration to be given (in US dollars per share)	$ 53.75
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - consideration to be given (percent)	50.00%
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Stock Price Scenario 1 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - noncash consideration to be given	Quotient of $53.75 divided by the average stock price
Acquisition of business - value of noncash consideration to be given (in US dollars per share)	$ 37.411
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Stock Price Scenario 1 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - noncash consideration to be given	Quotient of $53.75 divided by the average stock price
Acquisition of business - value of noncash consideration to be given (in US dollars per share)	$ 41.349
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Stock Price Scenario 2 [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - noncash consideration to be given	1.300 shares of AT&T stock per share of Time Warner common stock
Acquisition of business - value of noncash consideration to be given (in US dollars per share)	$ 41.349
Time Warner Inc. [Member] | Acquisition [Member] | Pending Approval [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Stock Price Scenario 3 [Member]
Acquisition and Dispositions [Line Items]
Acquisition of business - noncash consideration to be given	1.437 shares of AT&T stock per share of Time Warner common stock
Acquisition of business - value of noncash consideration to be given (in US dollars per share)	$ 37.411

Sale Of Equipment Installment55

Sale Of Equipment Installment Receivables (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Other Assets - current	$ 12,008		$ 10,757
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	31,569		34,470
Outstanding derecognized receivables	8,895		7,446
Guarantee Obligations [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	94		55
Guarantee Obligation, current	309		204
Deferred Purchase Price [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Other Assets	3,009		2,749
Other Assets - current	1,996		1,781
Finance Receivables [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Other Assets	4,798		6,079
Cash proceeds from sale of receivables, net	2,395	$ 1,432
Repurchased Installment Receivables	0	$ 377
Finance Receivables [Member] | Notes Receivable [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Gross equipment installment receivables balance - current	$ 2,627		$ 3,340

Sale Of Equipment Installment56

Sale Of Equipment Installment Receivables (Finance Receivables) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Finance Receivables [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Receivables sold during period		$ 3,010	$ 2,846
Cash proceeds received		2,395	1,432
Deferred purchase price recorded		519	1,189
Guarantee obligation recorded		123	0
Finance Receivables Net [Member]
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Receivables sold during period	[1]	$ 2,795	$ 2,621
[1]	Receivables net of allowance, imputed interest and trade-in right guarantees.

Sale Of Equipment Installment57

Sale Of Equipment Installment Receivables (Finance Receivables Repurchased) (Details) - Finance Receivables [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Changes In Other Assets [Line Items]
Fair value of repurchased receivables		$ 0	$ 377
Carrying value of deferred purchase price		0	339
Gain (Loss) on repurchases	[1]	$ 0	$ 38
[1]	These gains (losses) are included in “Selling, general and administrative” in the consolidated statements of income.

Sale Of Equipment Installment58

Sale Of Equipment Installment Receivables (Derecognized Installment Receivables) (Details) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)
Derecognized Installment Receivables [Abstract]
Outstanding derecognized receivables at January 1,	$ 7,446
Outstanding derecognized receivables at March 31,	$ 8,895

Additional Financial Informat59

Additional Financial Information (Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 48,872	$ 14,884	$ 50,498	$ 5,788
Restricted cash in Other current assets	8	7	6	7
Restricted cash in Other Assets	345	89	428	140
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	49,225	14,980	$ 50,932	$ 5,935
Cash paid (refunded) during the year for:
Interest	2,408	1,643
Income taxes, net of refunds	$ (1,089)	$ (160)