v3.20.2
Spectrum License Transactions
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Spectrum License Transactions
Note 6 – Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, are as follows:
(in millions)Goodwill
Historical goodwill, net of accumulated impairment losses of $10,766
$1,901  
Goodwill from acquisition in 201929  
Balance as of December 31, 20191,930  
Goodwill from acquisition of Sprint9,198  
Layer3 goodwill impairment(218) 
Balance as of June 30, 2020$10,910  
Accumulated impairment losses at June 30, 2020$(10,984) 

On April 1, 2020, we completed our Merger with Sprint, which was accounted for as a business combination resulting in $9.2 billion in goodwill. The acquired goodwill was allocated to the Wireless reporting unit and will be tested for impairment at this level.

Goodwill Impairment Assessment

Certain non-financial assets, including goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, are not required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are reported at carrying value. However, these assets are required to be assessed for impairment when events or circumstances indicate that carrying value may not be recoverable, and at least annually for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. Accordingly, the nonrecurring measurement of the fair value of these assets are classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. In the event an impairment is required, the asset is adjusted to fair value, using market-based assumptions.

Our enhanced in-home broadband opportunity following the Merger, along with the acquisition of certain content rights, has created a strategic shift in our TVisionTM Home service offering allowing us the ability to develop a video product that will be complementary to the in-home broadband offering. As a result of the change in the stand-alone product offering plans and
timing, we completed an interim goodwill impairment analysis for the Layer3 reporting unit and recognized a goodwill impairment of $218 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. The expense is included within Impairment expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. There were no goodwill impairments recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019.

Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment including the determination of the fair value of the reporting unit. We employed an income approach to assess the fair value of the Layer3 reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. Inherent in our preparation of cash flow projections are assumptions and estimates derived from a review of our business plans, expected growth rates, cost of capital and tax rates. We also made certain forecasts about future business strategies and economic conditions, market data, and other assumptions, such as estimates of subscribers for TVision services, average revenue and content cost per subscriber. The discount rate used was based on the weighted average cost of capital adjusted for the risk associated with business-specific characteristics and the uncertainty related to the business’s ability to execute on the projected cash flows.

Intangible Assets

Identifiable Intangible Assets Acquired

The following table summarizes the fair value of the intangible assets acquired in the Merger:
Weighted Average Useful Life (in years)Fair Value (in millions)
Spectrum licensesIndefinite-lived$45,400  
Tradenames(1)
2 years
207  
Customer relationships
8 years
4,900  
Favorable spectrum leases
18 years
790  
Patent rights
7 years
51  
Other intangible assets
7 years
377  
Total intangible assets acquired$51,725  
(1) Tradenames include the Sprint brand

Spectrum licenses are issued for a fixed period of time, typically for up to fifteen years; however, the FCC has granted license renewals routinely and at a nominal cost. The spectrum licenses acquired expire at various dates and we believe we will be able to meet all requirements necessary to secure renewal of our spectrum licenses at a nominal cost. Moreover, we determined that there are currently no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic or other factors that limit the useful lives of our spectrum licenses. Therefore, we determined the spectrum licenses should be treated as indefinite-lived intangible assets. The fair value of spectrum licenses includes the value associated with aggregating a nationwide portfolio of owned and leased spectrum.

Favorable spectrum leases represent a lease contract where the market rate is higher than the future contractual lease payments. We lease this spectrum from third parties who hold the spectrum licenses. As these contracts pertain to intangible assets, they are excluded from the lease accounting guidance (ASC 842) and are accounted for as service contracts in which the expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease team. Favorable spectrum leases of $790 million were recorded as an intangible asset as a result of purchase accounting and will be amortized on a straight-line basis over the associated remaining lease term. Additionally, we recognized unfavorable spectrum lease liabilities of $200 million, which are also amortized over their respective remaining lease terms and are included in Other liabilities in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The customer relationships intangible assets represent the value associated with the acquired Sprint customers. The customer relationship intangible assets are amortized using the sum-of-the-years digits method over periods of up to eight years.

Other intangible assets are amortized over the remaining period that the asset is expected to provide benefit to us.

Spectrum Licenses

The following table summarizes our spectrum license activity for the six months ended June 30, 2020:
(in millions)2020
Spectrum licenses, beginning of year$36,465  
Spectrum license acquisitions987  
Spectrum licenses acquired in Merger45,400  
Costs to clear spectrum18  
Spectrum licenses, end of period$82,870  

Spectrum Transactions

In March 2020, the FCC announced that we were the winning bidder of 2,384 licenses in Auction 103 (37/39 GHz and 47 GHz spectrum bands) for an aggregate price of $873 million, net of an incentive payment of $59 million. At the inception of Auction 103 in October 2019, we deposited $82 million with the FCC. Upon conclusion of Auction 103 in March 2020, we made a down payment of $93 million for the purchase price of the licenses won in the auction. On April 8, 2020, we paid the FCC the remaining $698 million of the purchase price for the licenses won in the auction. Prior to the Merger, the FCC announced that Sprint was the winning bidder of 127 licenses in Auction 103 (37/39 GHz and 47 GHz spectrum bands). All payments related to the licenses won were made by Sprint prior the Merger.

The licenses are included in Spectrum licenses in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020. Cash payments to acquire spectrum licenses and payments for costs to clear spectrum are included in Purchases of spectrum licenses and other intangible assets, including deposits in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.

In April 2020, we acquired FCC licenses in the 800 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and 2.5 GHz bands as part of the Merger with Sprint at an estimated fair value of approximately $45.4 billion. See Note 2 - Business Combination for further information.

Other Intangible Assets

The components of Other intangible assets were as follows:
Useful LivesJune 30, 2020December 31, 2019
(in millions)Gross AmountAccumulated AmortizationNet AmountGross AmountAccumulated AmortizationNet Amount
Customer relationships
Up to 8 years
$6,004  $(1,392) $4,612  $1,104  $(1,104) $—  
Tradenames and patents
Up to 19 years
590  (315) 275  323  (258) 65  
Favorable spectrum leases
Up to 27 years
790  (12) 778  —  —  —  
Other
Up to 10 years
477  (104) 373  100  (50) 50  
Other intangible assets$7,861  $(1,823) $6,038  $1,527  $(1,412) $115  

Amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization was $387 million and $18 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $411 million and $35 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The estimated aggregate future amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization are summarized below:
(in millions)Estimated Future Amortization
Twelve Months Ending June 30,
2021$1,406  
20221,096  
2023904  
2024749  
2025590  
Thereafter1,293  
Total$6,038  
Substantially all of the estimated future amortization expense is associated with intangible assets acquired in the Merger.