v2.4.1.9
Employee Benefits - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended 4 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 10, 2012
Employee
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans $ 25,300,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation $ 22,900,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation        
Define benefits postretirement plans amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income 300,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmountToBeAmortizedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNextFiscalYear          
Defined benefit plan, period used to determine overall expected long term rate of return on assets assumption (in years) 10          
Number of unallocated shares of common stock in ESOP 0us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPNumberOfSuspenseShares          
Number of allocated shares of common stock in ESOP 61,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPNumberOfAllocatedShares          
Total savings plan cost 900,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 1,000,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 700,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense      
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges 7,507,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges (6,232,000,000)vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges 7,186,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges      
Discount Rate 4.20%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 4.20%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 4.20%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate  
Expected return on plan assets     7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets      
Severance, pension and benefit charges 500,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCharges          
Return Seeking Assets            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Target allocation percentage of assets 70.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ReturnSeekingAssetsMember		          
Liability Hedging Assets            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Target allocation percentage of assets 30.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_LiabilityHedgingAssetsMember		          
Qualified pension plans            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer 1,500,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_QualifiedPensionPlansMember		          
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer in next fiscal year 700,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_QualifiedPensionPlansMember		          
Non qualified pension plans            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer 100,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_NonQualifiedPensionPlansMember		          
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer in next fiscal year 100,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_NonQualifiedPensionPlansMember		          
Postretirement Benefit Plans            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer 700,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember		          
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer in next fiscal year 800,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember		          
Verizon Management Pension Plan Liabilities Expected to be Purchased by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Prudential Financial Inc.            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer       2,600,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_VerizonManagementPensionPlanMember		    
Number of Retirees Covered Under Group Annuity Contract           41,000vz_NumberOfRetireesCoveredUnderGroupAnnuityContract
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_VerizonManagementPensionPlanMember
Charges Primarily Driven By Increase In Discount Rate Assumption            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges   (4,300,000,000)vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesPrimarilyDrivenByIncreaseInDiscountRateAssumptionMember		        
Charges Due To Difference Between Estimated Return On Assets And Actual Return On Assets            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges 600,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		 (500,000,000)vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		 700,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		      
Expected return on plan assets 7.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		   7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		      
Actual return on assets 10.50%vz_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsPercentage
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		 8.60%vz_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsPercentage
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		 10.00%vz_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsPercentage
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesDueToDifferenceBetweenEstimatedReturnOnAssetsAndActualReturnOnAssetsMember		      
Charges Primarily Driven By Other Assumption Adjustments            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges 1,800,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesPrimarilyDrivenByOtherAssumptionAdjustmentsMember		 (1,400,000,000)vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesPrimarilyDrivenByOtherAssumptionAdjustmentsMember		        
Charges Primarily Driven By Decrease In Discount Rate Assumption            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges 5,200,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesPrimarilyDrivenByDecreaseInDiscountRateAssumptionMember		   5,300,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_ChargesPrimarilyDrivenByDecreaseInDiscountRateAssumptionMember		      
Annuitization Benefit            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges     1,000,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_AnnuitizationBenefitMember		      
Severance charges to management employees            
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]            
Severance, Pension and Benefit (Credits) Charges     $ 400,000,000vz_SeverancePensionAndBenefitCreditsCharges
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= vz_SeveranceAndOtherCostsMember