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Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity	$ 8,000,000,000	8,000,000,000	$ 8,000,000,000
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations	113,388,000,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations	113,388,000,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations	113,388,000,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations	113,271,000,000us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Vendor Financing Facility \| Network Equipment
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Value of purchase assets financed	200,000,000
Long-term debt maturing within one year	800,000,000	800,000,000	800,000,000
Guarantee Of Debentures And First Mortgage Bonds Of Operating Telephone Company Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations	3,100,000,000	3,100,000,000	3,100,000,000
Guarantee of Debt Obligations of GTE Corporation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations	1,400,000,000	1,400,000,000	1,400,000,000
6.94% Notes due 2028 \| Old Notes in Exchange for 2048 New Notes \| GTE Corporation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	6.94%	6.94%	6.94%
Debt instrument maturity date		2028
2036 New Notes in February Exchange Offers \| Verizon Communications
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	4.272%	4.272%	4.272%
Debt instrument maturity date		2036
Aggregate principal amount	2,900,000,000	2,900,000,000	2,900,000,000
2048 New Notes in February Exchange Offers \| Verizon Communications
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	4.522%	4.522%	4.522%
Debt instrument maturity date		2048
Aggregate principal amount	5,000,000,000	5,000,000,000	5,000,000,000
2055 New Notes in February Exchange Offers \| Verizon Communications
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	4.672%	4.672%	4.672%
Debt instrument maturity date		2055
Aggregate principal amount	5,500,000,000	5,500,000,000	5,500,000,000
January 2015 Term Loan Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity	6,500,000,000	6,500,000,000	6,500,000,000
Term loan agreement partial mandatory prepayment amount	4,000,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date	2016-03
Date in which a partial mandatory prepayment is required	2015-06
Leverage ratio	350.00%
Term loan agreement prepaid amount			5,000,000,000
Amount of unused borrowing capacity under credit facility	$ 7,900,000,000	7,900,000,000	$ 7,900,000,000