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Debt - Additional Information (Detail)			1 Months Ended					6 Months Ended
Debt - Additional Information (Detail)	Feb. 10, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 03, 2017 USD ($) Offering	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2017 CHF (SFr)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable			$ 500,000,000					$ 500,000,000
Net pre-tax losses on early debt redemption								800,000,000
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations			117,543,000,000					117,543,000,000		$ 108,078,000,000
Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity			9,000,000,000					9,000,000,000
Amount of unused borrowing capacity under credit facility			8,900,000,000					8,900,000,000
January 2017 Cash Offers
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount	$ 100,000,000
Amount of notes repaid	$ 100,000,000
Asset-Backed Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed debt			7,900,000,000					7,900,000,000
Guarantee of Debentures of Operating Telephone Company Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations			1,000,000,000					1,000,000,000
Guarantee of Debt Obligations of GTE Corporation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount outstanding in connection with the guarantee of debt obligations			800,000,000					800,000,000
Term Loan Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan agreement prepaid amount						$ 1,700,000,000
Amount drawn down						$ 3,300,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date						2019-07
ABS Financing Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed debt			2,800,000,000	$ 300,000,000				$ 2,800,000,000
Collateral revolving period								2 years
Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum threshhold term								9 months
4.95% Notes due 2047 \| February Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount							$ 1,500,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument							4.95%
Debt instrument maturity date							2047
Proceeds from long-term borrowings							$ 1,500,000,000
Senior and junior asset-backed notes \| Asset Backed Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount			$ 1,300,000,000			$ 1,300,000,000		$ 1,300,000,000
Class A Senior Secured Notes \| Asset Backed Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			1.92%			2.06%		1.92%
Debt instrument maturity period			2 years 5 months 20 days			2 years 7 months 6 days
Class B Junior Secured Notes \| Asset Backed Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			2.22%			2.45%		2.22%
Debt instrument maturity period			3 years 1 month 9 days			3 years 4 months 17 days
Class C Junior Secured Notes \| Asset Backed Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			2.38%			2.65%		2.38%
Debt instrument maturity period			3 years 4 months 2 days			3 years 7 months 21 days
Qualified Pension Plans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Defined benefit plan discretionary contributions by employer								$ 3,400,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| January 2017 Exchange Offers
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange offer expiration date		Jan. 31, 2017
Number of separate private offers to exchange \| Offering		18
Exchange Offer Settlement Date		Feb. 03, 2017
Amount of notes repaid		$ 600,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| 2.946% Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		$ 3,200,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument		2.946%
Debt instrument maturity date		2022
Verizon Communications Inc \| 4.812% Notes due 2039
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		$ 1,700,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument		4.812%
Debt instrument maturity date		2039
Verizon Communications Inc \| 5.012% Notes due 2049
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		$ 4,100,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument		5.012%
Debt instrument maturity date		2049
Verizon Communications Inc \| January 2017 Cash Offers
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		$ 500,000,000
Amount of notes repaid		$ 500,000,000
Cash offer expiration date		Jan. 31, 2017
Cash offer settlement date		Feb. 03, 2017
Verizon Communications Inc \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 11,000,000,000
Proceeds from long-term borrowings						10,900,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| Floating Rate Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of notes repaid			$ 1,300,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| 1.100% Notes Due 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			1.10%					1.10%
Debt instrument maturity date			2017
Amount of notes repaid			$ 500,000,000
Notes purchased price of principal amount of note, percentage			100.003%
Verizon Communications Inc \| Maximum \| 2.600% to 4.900% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			4.90%					4.90%
Debt instrument maturity date								2047
Verizon Communications Inc \| Minimum \| 2.600% to 4.900% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument			2.60%					2.60%
Debt instrument maturity date								2022
Verizon Communications Inc \| Old Notes in Exchange New Notes \| January 2017 Exchange Offers
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		$ 8,300,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| Floating Rate Notes \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 1,400,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date						2022
Verizon Communications Inc \| 3.125% Notes Due 2022 \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 1,850,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument						3.125%
Debt instrument maturity date						2022
Verizon Communications Inc \| 4.125% Notes Due 2027 \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 3,250,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument						4.125%
Debt instrument maturity date						2027
Verizon Communications Inc \| 5.250% Notes Due 2037 \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 3,000,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument						5.25%
Debt instrument maturity date						2037
Verizon Communications Inc \| 5.500% Notes Due 2047 \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount						$ 1,500,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument						5.50%
Debt instrument maturity date						2047
Verizon Communications Inc \| Floating Rate Notes Due 2020 \| May Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount				$ 1,500,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date				2020
Proceeds from long-term borrowings				$ 1,500,000,000
Verizon Communications Inc \| 1.00% Bonds due 2027 \| May Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount \| SFr									SFr 400,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument				1.00%					1.00%
Debt instrument maturity date				2027
Verizon Communications Inc \| 0.375% Bonds due 2023 \| May Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount \| SFr									SFr 600,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument				0.375%					0.375%
Debt instrument maturity date				2023
Verizon Communications Inc \| April Debt Redemption \| 6.10% Notes due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument					6.10%
Debt instrument maturity date					2018
Amount of notes repaid					$ 500,000,000
Notes purchased price of principal amount of note, percentage					104.50%
Verizon Communications Inc \| April Debt Redemption \| 5.50% Notes due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument					5.50%
Debt instrument maturity date					2018
Amount of notes repaid					$ 500,000,000
Notes purchased price of principal amount of note, percentage					103.30%
Verizon Communications Inc \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) \| March Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, percentage points added to the reference rate						1.00%
Verizon Communications Inc \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) \| Floating Rate Notes Due 2020 \| May Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, percentage points added to the reference rate				0.55%
Verizon Communications Inc \| Bonds Issued \| May Debt Issuance
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from long-term borrowings				$ 1,000,000,000
GTE LLC \| February Redemption \| 6.94% Debentures due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount							$ 600,000,000
Stated interest rate on debt instrument							6.94%
Debt instrument maturity date							2028
Amount of notes repaid							$ 200,000,000
Notes purchased price of principal amount of note, percentage							124.80%
Network Equipment \| Maximum \| Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount drawn down			$ 1,000,000,000					$ 1,000,000,000
Network Equipment \| Vendor Financing Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Value of purchase assets financed								200,000,000
Long-term debt maturing within one year			$ 1,200,000,000					$ 1,200,000,000