v2.4.1.9
Additional Financial Information - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Feb. 10, 2015
Feb. 23, 2015
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items]        
Common shares issued from treasury related to dividend payments 18.2us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsShares      
Aggregate value of common shares issued from treasury related to dividend payments $ 700,000,000vz_AggregateValueOfCommonSharesIssuedFromTreasuryRelatedToDividendPayments      
Payment for repurchase of common stock   153,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock    
February 2015 Accelerated Stock Repurchase | Subsequent Event        
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items]        
Accelerated Share Repurchase       5,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesDateAxis
= vz_FebruaryTwentyFifteenAcceleratedStockRepurchaseMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Payment for repurchase of common stock     4,250,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesDateAxis
= vz_FebruaryTwentyFifteenAcceleratedStockRepurchaseMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
 
Number of shares repurchased     86.2us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesDateAxis
= vz_FebruaryTwentyFifteenAcceleratedStockRepurchaseMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
 
Expected Total Payment related to February 2015 Accelerated Stock Repurchase | Subsequent Event        
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Line Items]        
Payment for repurchase of common stock       $ 5,000,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesDateAxis
= vz_ExpectedTotalPaymentRelatedToFebruaryTwentyFifteenAcceleratedStockRepurchaseMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember