Segment Information (Operating Revenues by Service and Products) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Total Net Operating Revenues	$ 8,734,000,000		$ 8,313,000,000
Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	7,112,000,000		6,649,000,000
Equipment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	735,000,000		695,000,000
Voice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	290,000,000		333,000,000
Data [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	64,000,000		79,000,000
Internet [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	407,000,000		465,000,000
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	126,000,000		92,000,000
Wireless [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	7,950,000,000		7,413,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Total Net Operating Revenues	7,950,000,000		7,413,000,000
Wireless [Member] | Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	7,112,000,000		6,649,000,000
Wireless [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	735,000,000		695,000,000
Wireless [Member] | Voice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0		0
Wireless [Member] | Data [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0		0
Wireless [Member] | Internet [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0		0
Wireless [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	103,000,000		69,000,000
Wireline [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	781,000,000		898,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Total Net Operating Revenues	998,000,000		1,120,000,000
Wireline [Member] | Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0		0
Wireline [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0		0
Wireline [Member] | Voice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	417,000,000		486,000,000
Wireline [Member] | Data [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	108,000,000		116,000,000
Wireline [Member] | Internet [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	453,000,000		497,000,000
Wireline [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	20,000,000		21,000,000
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	3,000,000		2,000,000
Segment Reporting Information, Total Net Operating Revenues	(214,000,000)	[1]	(220,000,000)	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0	[1]	0	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	0	[1]	0	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Voice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	(127,000,000)	[1]	(153,000,000)	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Data [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	(44,000,000)	[1]	(37,000,000)	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Internet [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	(46,000,000)	[1]	(32,000,000)	[1]
Corporate, Other And Eliminations [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment	$ 3,000,000	[1]	$ 2,000,000	[1]

[1] Revenues eliminated in consolidation consist primarily of wireline services provided to the Wireless segment for resale to or use by wireless subscribers.