The details of our property and equipment and the related accumulated depreciation are set forth below:
Estimated useful
life at
December 31, 2025
December 31,
20252024
 in millions
Distribution systems
3 to 25 years
$5,280.3 $5,181.1 
Support equipment and buildings
3 to 40 years
1,403.2 1,292.6 
CPE
3 to 5 years
965.4 948.6 
7,648.9 7,422.3 
Accumulated depreciation(4,105.2)(3,767.4)
Total depreciable assets3,543.7 3,654.9 
CIP and land
304.1 407.5 
Total property and equipment, net$3,847.8 $4,062.4 

About PP&E Disclosures

The PP&E disclosure details a company's physical asset base — land, buildings, machinery, and equipment — along with the depreciation methods and useful life assumptions that determine how these costs flow through the income statement. Capitalization policy thresholds reveal management's judgment on the boundary between expense and asset, directly affecting both reported earnings and asset values.

Key signals: changes in estimated useful lives or depreciation methods can materially shift reported earnings without any operational change. Compare capital expenditures against depreciation expense — when capex consistently trails depreciation, the asset base may be aging and underinvested. Watch for large asset impairments or write-downs that signal overvalued carrying amounts. Asset retirement obligations reveal future environmental or decommissioning costs that are often underappreciated. Compare PP&E intensity (PP&E-to-revenue) against industry peers to assess capital efficiency and competitive positioning.