Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Net operating revenues	$ 8,722,000,000		$ 8,333,000,000	$ 8,311,000,000	$ 8,313,000,000	$ 8,301,000,000		$ 8,152,000,000	$ 8,025,000,000	$ 8,085,000,000	$ 33,679,000,000		$ 32,563,000,000		$ 32,260,000,000
Inter-segment revenues											0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Total segment operating expenses											(28,607,000,000)		(26,930,000,000)		(25,853,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss											5,072,000,000		5,633,000,000		6,407,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization											(4,858,000,000)		(6,248,000,000)		(7,416,000,000)
Other, net											(106,000,000)	[2]	20,000,000	[2]	(389,000,000)	[2]
Operating Income (Loss)	(438,000,000)		208,000,000	79,000,000	259,000,000	(139,000,000)		(213,000,000)	(63,000,000)	(180,000,000)	108,000,000		(595,000,000)		(1,398,000,000)
Interest Expense											1,011,000,000		1,464,000,000		1,450,000,000
Equity in losses of unconsolidated investments, net											(1,730,000,000)		(1,286,000,000)		(803,000,000)
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)											(3,000,000)		46,000,000		157,000,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest											(2,636,000,000)		(3,299,000,000)		(3,494,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information, Expenditures for Additions to Long-Lived Assets											3,130,000,000		1,935,000,000		1,603,000,000
Assets	49,383,000,000					51,654,000,000					49,383,000,000		51,654,000,000		55,424,000,000
Wireless [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment											30,301,000,000		28,597,000,000		27,786,000,000
Inter-segment revenues											0	[1]	0	[1]	0
Total segment operating expenses											(26,034,000,000)		(24,066,000,000)		(22,588,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss											4,267,000,000		4,531,000,000		5,198,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Expenditures for Additions to Long-Lived Assets											2,702,000,000		1,455,000,000		1,149,000,000
Assets	37,606,000,000					38,445,000,000					37,606,000,000		38,445,000,000		42,338,000,000
Wireline [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment											3,370,000,000		3,959,000,000		4,471,000,000
Inter-segment revenues											956,000,000	[1]	1,081,000,000	[1]	1,158,000,000	[1]
Total segment operating expenses											(3,526,000,000)		(3,950,000,000)		(4,408,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss											800,000,000		1,090,000,000		1,221,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Expenditures for Additions to Long-Lived Assets											168,000,000		223,000,000		267,000,000
Assets	2,355,000,000					2,655,000,000					2,355,000,000		2,655,000,000		2,987,000,000
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment											8,000,000		7,000,000		3,000,000
Inter-segment revenues											(956,000,000)	[1]	(1,081,000,000)	[1]	(1,158,000,000)	[1]
Total segment operating expenses											953,000,000		1,086,000,000		1,143,000,000
Segment Reporting Information Operating Income or Loss											5,000,000		12,000,000		(12,000,000)
Equity in losses of unconsolidated investments, net											(1,730,000,000)		(1,286,000,000)		(803,000,000)
Segment Reporting Information, Expenditures for Additions to Long-Lived Assets											260,000,000	[3]	257,000,000	[3]	187,000,000	[3]
Assets	9,422,000,000	[3]				10,554,000,000	[3]				9,422,000,000	[3]	10,554,000,000	[3]	10,099,000,000	[3]
Clearwire [Member]
Equity in losses of unconsolidated investments, net											$ 1,730,000,000		$ 1,286,000,000		$ 803,000,000

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

[2] Other, net consists primarily of severance, exit costs and asset impairments offset by gains from other asset dispositions and exchanges. See note 8 for additional information on severance, exit costs and asset impairments.

[3] Corporate assets are not allocated to the operating segments and consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, the corporate headquarters campus, our equity method investment in Clearwire, other assets managed at a corporate level and assets that were related to our 4G wireless broadband business that were subsequently contributed to Clearwire. Corporate capital expenditures include various administrative assets and assets that were contributed to Clearwire.