Recently Completed Divestiture of the Latin American Business and Planned Divestiture of ILEC Businesses - Components of Held for Sale Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2022	Jan. 01, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Aug. 03, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 48				$ 0
Other current assets	$ 121		$ 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	48		40
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $2, $17, $19, $3, $21 and $24	291		310
Other current assets	121		126
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $431, $8,251, $8,682, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	5,296		5,082
Goodwill	2,827		2,854
Other intangible assets, net	288		284
Other non-current assets	125		113
Total assets held for sale	8,996		8,809
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	166		165
Salaries and benefits	42		48
Income and other taxes	66		51
Interest	10		10
Current portion of deferred revenue	108		116
Other current liabilities	33		42
Long-term debt, net of discounts	1,395		1,377
Deferred income taxes, net	149		129
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	59		58
Other non-current liabilities	219		261
Total liabilities held for sale	2,247		2,257
Allowance for doubtful accounts	19		24
Accumulated depreciation	8,682		8,737
Long-term finance lease obligations	73		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	115		117
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Latin American Business
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	48		39
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $2, $17, $19, $3, $21 and $24	94		83
Other current assets	79		81
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $431, $8,251, $8,682, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	1,714		1,591
Goodwill	246		239
Other intangible assets, net	130		126
Other non-current assets	80		75
Total assets held for sale	2,391		2,234
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	110		101
Salaries and benefits	21		23
Income and other taxes	37		27
Interest	0		0
Current portion of deferred revenue	27		26
Other current liabilities	7		7
Long-term debt, net of discounts	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	149		129
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	3		2
Other non-current liabilities	125		120
Total liabilities held for sale	479		435
Allowance for doubtful accounts	2		3
Accumulated depreciation	431		434
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | ILEC Business
Assets held for sale
Cash and cash equivalents	0		1
Accounts receivable, less allowance of $2, $17, $19, $3, $21 and $24	197		227
Other current assets	42		45
Property, plant and equipment, net accumulated depreciation of $431, $8,251, $8,682, $434, $8,303 and $8,737	3,582		3,491
Goodwill	2,581		2,615
Other intangible assets, net	158		158
Other non-current assets	45		38
Total assets held for sale	6,605		6,575
Liabilities held for sale
Accounts payable	56		64
Salaries and benefits	21		25
Income and other taxes	29		24
Interest	10		10
Current portion of deferred revenue	81		90
Other current liabilities	26		35
Long-term debt, net of discounts	1,395		1,377
Deferred income taxes, net	0		0
Pension and other post-retirement benefits	56		56
Other non-current liabilities	94		141
Total liabilities held for sale	1,768		1,822
Allowance for doubtful accounts	17		21
Accumulated depreciation	$ 8,251		$ 8,303