Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 8,333,000,000		$ 8,152,000,000		$ 24,957,000,000		$ 24,262,000,000
Inter-segment revenues	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Segment Operating Expenses	6,931,000,000		6,813,000,000		20,727,000,000		19,944,000,000
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss	1,402,000,000		1,339,000,000		4,230,000,000		4,318,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization	(1,194,000,000)		(1,552,000,000)		(3,684,000,000)		(4,862,000,000)
Other, net	0		0	[2]	0		88,000,000	[2]
Operating income (loss)	208,000,000		(213,000,000)		546,000,000		(456,000,000)
Interest Expense	(236,000,000)		(361,000,000)		(724,000,000)		(1,114,000,000)
Equity in losses of unconsolidated investments and other, net	(261,000,000)		(284,000,000)		(1,261,000,000)		(795,000,000)
Loss before income taxes	(289,000,000)		(858,000,000)		(1,439,000,000)		(2,365,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures					2,221,000,000		1,412,000,000
Wireless [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	7,516,000,000		7,175,000,000		22,381,000,000		21,237,000,000
Inter-segment revenues	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Segment Operating Expenses	6,302,000,000		6,110,000,000		18,782,000,000		17,752,000,000
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss	1,214,000,000		1,065,000,000		3,599,000,000		3,485,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures					1,899,000,000		1,060,000,000
Wireline [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	816,000,000		975,000,000		2,571,000,000		3,020,000,000
Inter-segment revenues	246,000,000	[1]	270,000,000	[1]	701,000,000	[1]	794,000,000	[1]
Segment Operating Expenses	878,000,000		974,000,000		2,650,000,000		2,991,000,000
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss	184,000,000		271,000,000		622,000,000		823,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures					135,000,000		162,000,000
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	1,000,000		2,000,000		5,000,000		5,000,000
Inter-segment revenues	(246,000,000)	[1]	(270,000,000)	[1]	(701,000,000)	[1]	(794,000,000)	[1]
Segment Operating Expenses	(249,000,000)		(271,000,000)		(705,000,000)		(799,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss	4,000,000		3,000,000		9,000,000		10,000,000
Equity in losses of unconsolidated investments and other, net	(261,000,000)		(284,000,000)		(1,261,000,000)		(795,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures					$ 187,000,000		$ 190,000,000

[1] Inter-segment revenues consist primarily of wireline services provided to the Wireless segment for resale to or use by wireless subscribers.

[2] Other, net for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2010 primarily consisted of a benefit resulting from favorable developments relating to access cost disputes with certain exchange carriers.