Planned Divestiture of the Latin American and ILEC Businesses - Components of Held for Sale Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2022	Jan. 01, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 59			$ 0
Other current assets	$ 123		$ 126
Senior notes | Embarq
Liabilities held for sale
Stated interest rate	7.995%		7.995%
ILEC Business | Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Plan
Liabilities held for sale
Pension liability	$ 2,500	$ 2,500	$ 2,500
ILEC Business | Defined Benefit Plan, Funded through Transfer of Plan Assets
Liabilities held for sale
Pension liability		$ 2,200
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	59		40
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $3, $18, $21, $3, $21 and $24	284		310
Other current assets	123		126
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $456, $8,379, $8,835, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	5,269		5,082
Goodwill	2,874		2,854
Other intangible assets, net	296		284
Other non-current assets	120		113
Total assets held for sale	9,025		8,809
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	140		165
Salaries and benefits	50		48
Income and other taxes	64		51
Interest	38		10
Current portion of deferred revenue	108		116
Other current liabilities	30		42
Long-term debt, net of discounts	1,387		1,377
Deferred income taxes, net	148		129
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	58		58
Other non-current liabilities	227		261
Total liabilities held for sale	2,250		2,257
Allowance for doubtful accounts	21		24
Accumulated depreciation	8,835		8,737
Long-term finance lease obligations	66		57
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Senior notes | Embarq
Liabilities held for sale
Long-term debt, net of discounts	1,400		1,400	$ 1,400
Unamortized discount	116		117
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Latin American Business
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	58		39
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $3, $18, $21, $3, $21 and $24	93		83
Other current assets	83		81
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $456, $8,379, $8,835, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	1,704		1,591
Goodwill	259		239
Other intangible assets, net	138		126
Other non-current assets	83		75
Total assets held for sale	2,418		2,234
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	90		101
Salaries and benefits	25		23
Income and other taxes	34		27
Interest	0		0
Current portion of deferred revenue	26		26
Other current liabilities	7		7
Long-term debt, net of discounts	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	148		129
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	2		2
Other non-current liabilities	132		120
Total liabilities held for sale	464		435
Allowance for doubtful accounts	3		3
Accumulated depreciation	456		434
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | ILEC Business
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	1		1
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $3, $18, $21, $3, $21 and $24	191		227
Other current assets	40		45
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $456, $8,379, $8,835, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	3,565		3,491
Goodwill	2,615		2,615
Other intangible assets, net	158		158
Other non-current assets	37		38
Total assets held for sale	6,607		6,575
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	50		64
Salaries and benefits	25		25
Income and other taxes	30		24
Interest	38		10
Current portion of deferred revenue	82		90
Other current liabilities	23		35
Long-term debt, net of discounts	1,387		1,377
Deferred income taxes, net	0		0
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	56		56
Other non-current liabilities	95		141
Total liabilities held for sale	1,786		1,822
Allowance for doubtful accounts	18		21
Accumulated depreciation	$ 8,379		$ 8,303