Contingencies (Details) (Retirees Vs Verizon and Company Employee Benefits Committee and Pension Plans)	0 Months Ended
	Nov. 04, 2010 claim	Nov. 25, 2009 plaintiff
Retirees Vs Verizon and Company Employee Benefits Committee and Pension Plans
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs		3
Number of claims for which motion was filed for dismissal	1
Number of remaining procedural ERISA claims	2