Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities - Schedule of Long Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Finance lease and other obligations	$ 324	$ 347
Unamortized (discounts) premiums, net	(8)	21
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(193)	(220)
Total long-term debt	25,238	28,982
Less current maturities	(3,474)	(1,554)
Long-term debt, excluding current maturities	21,764	27,428
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Credit facility \| Revolving Credit Facility
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 280	$ 200
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	5.08%	2.103%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Credit facility \| Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	2.00%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan A
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,006	$ 1,050
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	5.115%	2.104%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan A \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	2.00%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan A-1
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 287	$ 300
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	5.115%	2.104%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan A-1 \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	2.00%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan B
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 4,863	$ 4,900
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	5.365%	2.354%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Term Loan B \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	2.25%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Senior notes \| 4.000% Senior Secured Notes Due 2027
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	4.00%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,250	$ 1,250
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2023-2042
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 6,985	8,414
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2023-2042 \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	4.50%
Lumen Technologies, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2023-2042 \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	7.65%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Tranche B 2027 Term Loan
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 2,411	$ 3,111
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	4.865%	1.854%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Term Loan \| Tranche B 2027 Term Loan \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	1.75%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes, Maturing 2027-2029
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,500	$ 1,500
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes, Maturing 2027-2029 \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	3.40%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes, Maturing 2027-2029 \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	3.875%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2025-2029
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 3,940	$ 5,515
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2025-2029 \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	3.625%
Level 3 Financing, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Senior Notes Maturing 2025-2029 \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	4.625%
Embarq Corporation subsidiaries \| Senior notes
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	7.995%	7.995%
Embarq Corporation subsidiaries \| Senior notes \| Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, indebtedness	$ 1,400	$ 1,400
Embarq Corporation subsidiaries \| First mortgage bonds \| First Mortgage Bonds
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 137	138
Embarq Corporation subsidiaries \| First mortgage bonds \| First Mortgage Bonds \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	7.125%
Embarq Corporation subsidiaries \| First mortgage bonds \| First Mortgage Bonds \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	8.375%
Qwest Corporation \| Term Loan
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 215	$ 215
Long-term debt, weighted average interest rate	5.12%	2.11%
Qwest Corporation \| Term Loan \| LIBOR
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Basis spread (as a percent)	2.00%
Qwest Corporation \| Senior notes
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,986	$ 1,986
Qwest Corporation \| Senior notes \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	6.50%
Qwest Corporation \| Senior notes \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	7.75%
Qwest Capital Funding, Inc. \| Senior notes
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Long-term debt, gross	$ 255	$ 255
Qwest Capital Funding, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Minimum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	6.875%
Qwest Capital Funding, Inc. \| Senior notes \| Maximum
Long-term Debt and Credit Facilities
Stated interest rate	7.75%

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