v2.4.1.9
Stock Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Billions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Maximum number of shares available for awards under the Long-Term Incentive Plan 119,600,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized    
Share-based compensation $ 0.3us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation $ 0.4us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation $ 0.7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Percentage of fair market value of Verizon common stock on the grant date 100.00%vz_PercentageOfFairMarketValueOfCommonStockOnGrantDate    
Period of stock option life following date of grant, in years 10 years    
Vesting period of stock options, in years 3 years    
Restricted Stock Units and Performance Stock Units      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of RSUs and PSUs 0.4us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedShareBasedAwardsOtherThanOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= vz_RestrictedStockUnitsAndPerformanceStockUnitsMember
   
Weighted-average period of unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of RSUs and PSUs (in years) 2 years    
Payments made to settle compensation classified as liability awards $ 0.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsShareBasedLiabilitiesPaid
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= vz_RestrictedStockUnitsAndPerformanceStockUnitsMember
$ 1.1us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsShareBasedLiabilitiesPaid
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= vz_RestrictedStockUnitsAndPerformanceStockUnitsMember
$ 0.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsShareBasedLiabilitiesPaid
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= vz_RestrictedStockUnitsAndPerformanceStockUnitsMember
Restricted Stock Units      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Weighted average grant date fair value per unit $ 47.23us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
$ 47.96us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
 
Stock Options      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Stock Options Outstanding 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockOptionMember