v2.4.1.9
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Segment
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 21, 2014
Jan. 28, 2014
Sep. 02, 2013
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Number of reportable segments 2us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments          
Restricted stock units outstanding to purchase shares included in diluted earnings per common share 7,000,000us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangements 8,000,000us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangements 9,000,000us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangements      
Number of Common stock authorized to be issued         6,250,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized  
Increase in Depreciation expenses $ 14,966us-gaap_Depreciation $ 15,019us-gaap_Depreciation $ 14,920us-gaap_Depreciation      
Wireless license period 10 years          
Stock Purchase Agreement            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Common Shares issued       1,270,000,000us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionEquityInterestsIssuedOrIssuableNumberOfSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= vz_StockPurchaseAgreementMember		    
Percentage of noncontrolling interest by Vodafone Group Plc in Cellco Partnership joint venture           45.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= vz_StockPurchaseAgreementMember
Property Plant and Equipment by Estimated Useful Life            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Increase in Depreciation expenses $ 600us-gaap_Depreciation
/ us-gaap_ChangeInAccountingEstimateByTypeAxis
= vz_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByEstimatedUsefulLifeMember		          
Verizon Edge            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Minimum number of days before customers become eligible to upgrade their phone to a new phone under Verizon Edge 30 days          
Capitalized non-network internal-use software | Minimum            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Useful life for finite-lived intangible assets, years 3 years          
Capitalized non-network internal-use software | Maximum            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Useful life for finite-lived intangible assets, years 7 years          
Increase in number of authorized common shares            
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]            
Number of Common stock authorized to be issued         2,000,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= vz_IncreaseMember