Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Other Information (Details) (USD $)	2 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 06, 2009	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Writeoffs Net Of Recoveries			$ 519,000,000	$ 437,000,000	$ 487,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets			1,400,000,000	1,300,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation			2,200,000,000	1,900,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan			800,000,000	600,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Future Employer Contributions in Next Fiscal Year			125,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses			(349,000,000)	(171,000,000)	124,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate			5.40%	6.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost, Expected Long-term Return on Assets			8.25%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Allocation Percentage of Assets, Equity Securities			50.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Allocation Percentage of Assets, International Equity Securities			15.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Allocation Percentage of Assets, Debt Securities			15.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Allocation Percentage of Assets, Real Estate			10.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Allocation Percentage of Assets, Other			10.00%
Defined Benefit Plan Deviation from Target Allocation Percentage Plus or Minus			5.00%
Percent of Fair Value of Plan Assets Valued at Level 1			57.00%
Percent of Fair Value of Plan Assets at Level 2			26.00%
Percent of Fair Value of Plan Assets Valued at Level 3			17.00%
Defined Contribution Percentage Match of Participants Contributions Maximum	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Defined Contribution Maximum Percentage of Participant's Eligible Compensation	4.00%	1.13%	2.00%
Defined Contribution Plan Fixed Matching Contributions		20,000,000	31,000,000		32,000,000
Defined contribution plan percentage of discretionary match			1.20%	0.70%
Defined Contribution Plan Discretionary Contribution			20,000,000	9,000,000
Percentage of Operating Revenues Related to Universal Service Fund Fees			2.00%	2.00%	2.00%
Advertising Expense			$ 1,400,000,000	$ 1,400,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000
Network Equipment, Site Costs and Related Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum			3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum			30
Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum			3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum			30
Non-network Internal Use Software Office Equipment And Other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum			3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum			12
Network and Non-network Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum			3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum			5