Table:
| (dollars in millions) | At December 31, 2019 | At December 31, 2018 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Assets |  |  |
| Prepaid expenses and other | $2,578 | $ 2,083 |
| Other assets | 1,911 | 1,812 |
| Total | $ 4,489 | $ 3,895 |
Paragraphs:
Contract Costs
As discussed in Note 1, Topic 606 requires the recognition of an asset for incremental costs to obtain a customer contract, which is then amortized to expense over the respective period of expected benefit. We recognize an asset for incremental commission costs paid to internal and external sales personnel and agents in conjunction with obtaining customer contracts. We only defer these costs when we have determined the commissions are incremental costs that would not have been incurred absent the customer contract and are expected to be recoverable. Costs to obtain a contract are amortized and recorded ratably as commission expense over the period representing the transfer of goods or services to which the assets relate. Costs to obtain wireless contracts are amortized over both of our Consumer and Business customers’ estimated device upgrade cycles, as such costs are typically incurred each time a customer upgrades. Costs to obtain wireline contracts are amortized as expense over the estimated customer relationship period for our Consumer customers. Incremental costs to obtain wireline contracts for our Business customers are insignificant. Costs to obtain contracts are recorded in Selling, general and administrative expense.
We also defer costs incurred to fulfill contracts that: (1) relate directly to the contract; (2) are expected to generate resources that will be used to satisfy our performance obligation under the contract; and (3) are expected to be recovered through revenue generated under the contract. Contract fulfillment costs are expensed as we satisfy our performance obligations and recorded to Cost of services. These costs principally relate to direct costs that enhance our wireline business resources, such as costs incurred to install circuits.
We determine the amortization periods for our costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a customer contract at a portfolio level due to the similarities within these customer contract portfolios.
Other costs, such as general costs or costs related to past performance obligations, are expensed as incurred.
Collectively, costs to obtain a contract and costs to fulfill a contract are referred to as deferred contract costs, and amortized over a 2 to 5-year period. Deferred contract costs are classified as current or non-current within Prepaid expenses and other and Other assets, respectively.
The balances of deferred contract costs included in our consolidated balance sheets were as follows:
For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized expense of $2.7 billion and $2.0 billion, respectively, associated with the amortization of deferred contract costs, primarily within Selling, general and administrative expense in our consolidated statements of income.
We assess our deferred contract costs for impairment on a quarterly basis. We recognize an impairment charge to the extent the carrying amount of a deferred cost exceeds the remaining amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for the goods and services related to the cost, less the expected costs related directly to providing those goods and services that have not yet been recognized as expenses. There have been no impairment charges recognized for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.
Question:
What was the amortization and deferred cost expense in 2018?
Answer: $2.0 billion