v2.4.1.9
Wireless Equipment Installment Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]    
Long-term portion of financing receivables $ 5,765,000,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent $ 5,707,000,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Verizon Edge    
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]    
Minimum number of days before customers become eligible to upgrade their phone to a new phone under Verizon Edge 30 days  
Guarantee liability 600,000,000us-gaap_GuarantyLiabilities
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
700,000,000us-gaap_GuarantyLiabilities
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
Sale of receivables 2,000,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableSignificantSales
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
 
Proceeds from receivable 1,300,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfFinanceReceivables
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
 
Verizon Edge | Other Assets    
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]    
Deferred purchase price receivable 700,000,000vz_DeferredPurchasePriceReceivable
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
 
Finance Leases Financing Receivable | Verizon Edge    
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]    
Current portion of financing receivables 2,000,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentCurrent
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= us-gaap_FinanceLeasesFinancingReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
2,300,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentCurrent
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= us-gaap_FinanceLeasesFinancingReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
Long-term portion of financing receivables $ 900,000,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= us-gaap_FinanceLeasesFinancingReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember
$ 1,200,000,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis
= us-gaap_FinanceLeasesFinancingReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= vz_VerizonEdgeMember