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Employee Benefits (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Schedule of estimated future benefit payments The estimated benefit payments provided below are based on actuarial assumptions using the demographics of the employee and retiree populations and have been reduced by estimated participant contributions.
Combined Pension PlanPost-Retirement
Benefit Plans		Medicare Part D
Subsidy Receipts
 (Dollars in millions)
Estimated future benefit payments:   
2025$569 188 (2)
2026490 184 (2)
2027473 180 (2)
2028450 173 (2)
2029433 166 (1)
2030 - 20341,899 720 (5)
Schedule of actuarial assumptions used to compute net periodic benefit expense
The actuarial assumptions used to compute the net periodic benefit expense for our Combined Pension Plan and post-retirement benefit plans are based upon information available as of the beginning of the year, as presented in the following table.
 Combined Pension PlanPost-Retirement Benefit Plans
 202420232022202420232022
Actuarial assumptions at beginning of year:      
Discount rate
5.16% - 5.35%
5.45% - 5.69%
2.29% - 3.12%
5.17% - 5.42%
5.43% - 5.75%
2.19% - 5.78%
Rate of compensation increase3.25 %3.25 %3.25 %N/AN/AN/A
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets(1)
6.50 %6.50 %5.50 %3.00 %3.00 %4.00 %
Initial health care cost trend rateN/AN/AN/A
7.50% / 5.40%
7.20% / 5.00%
5.00% / 5.75%
Ultimate health care cost trend rateN/AN/AN/A4.50 %4.50 %4.50 %
Year ultimate trend rate is reachedN/AN/AN/A203120302025
_______________________________________________________________________________
N/A - Not applicable
(1)Rates are presented net of projected fees and administrative costs.
Schedule of components of net periodic pension expense (income) and post-retirement benefit expense Net periodic benefit expense for our Combined Pension Plan and the Lumen Pension Plan (through October 3, 2022, together the "Pension Plans") includes the following components:
 Pension Plans
Years Ended December 31,
 202420232022
 (Dollars in millions)
Service cost$24 25 44 
Interest cost251 270 194 
Expected return on plan assets(272)(287)(385)
Realized to gain on sale of businesses— — 546 
Special termination benefits charge— 2 — 
Recognition of prior service credit(7)(7)(10)
Recognition of actuarial loss108 104 122 
Net periodic pension expense$104 107 511 

Net periodic benefit expense for our post-retirement benefit plans includes the following components:
 Post-Retirement Plans
Years Ended December 31,
 202420232022
 (Dollars in millions)
Service cost$4 5 10 
Interest cost94 103 72 
Realized to gain on sale of businesses— — (32)
Recognition of prior service cost(8)(8)8 
Recognition of actuarial loss(17)(20)(4)
Special termination benefits2 — — 
Net periodic post-retirement benefit expense$75 80 54 
Schedule of actuarial assumptions used to compute the funded status for the plans
The actuarial assumptions used to compute the funded status for the plans are based upon information available as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and are as follows:
 Combined Pension PlanPost-Retirement Benefit Plans
 As of December 31,As of December 31,
 2024202320242023
Actuarial assumptions at end of year:    
Discount rate5.62 %5.21 %5.60 %5.20 %
Rate of compensation increase3.25 %3.25 %N/AN/A
Initial health care cost trend rateN/AN/A
7.90% / 6.20%
7.50% / 5.40%
Ultimate health care cost trend rateN/AN/A4.50 %4.50 %
Year ultimate trend rate is reachedN/AN/A20312031
_______________________________________________________________________________
N/A - Not applicable
Schedule of change in benefit obligation
The following tables summarize the change in the benefit obligations for the Combined Pension Plan and post-retirement benefit plans:
 Combined Pension Plan
Years Ended December 31,
 202420232022
 (Dollars in millions)
Change in benefit obligation:   
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$5,212 5,295 9,678 
Plan spin-off— — (2,552)
Service cost24 25 37 
Interest cost251 270 154 
Special termination benefits charge— 2 — 
Actuarial (gain) loss(119)114 (1,432)
Benefits paid from plan assets(552)(494)(590)
Benefit obligation at end of year$4,816 5,212 5,295 
 Post-Retirement Benefit Plans
Years Ended December 31,
 202420232022
 (Dollars in millions)
Change in benefit obligation   
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$1,919 1,995 2,781 
Benefit obligation transferred to purchaser upon sale of business— — (26)
Service cost4 5 10 
Interest cost94 103 72 
Participant contributions27 32 37 
Direct subsidy receipts2 2 2 
Plan amendments— — (41)
Actuarial (gain) loss(84)14 (591)
Benefits paid by company(214)(228)(249)
Benefits paid from plan assets— (4)— 
Special termination benefits charge2 — — 
Benefit obligation at end of year$1,750 1,919 1,995 
Schedule of change in plan assets
The following table summarizes the change in the fair value of plan assets for the Combined Pension Plan:

 Combined Pension Plan
Years Ended December 31,
 202420232022
 (Dollars in millions)
Change in plan assets   
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$4,476 4,715 8,531 
Plan spin-off— — (2,239)
Return on plan assets107 255 (987)
Benefits paid from plan assets(552)(494)(590)
Contributions170 — — 
Fair value of plan assets at end of year$4,201 4,476 4,715 
Schedule of fair value of the plans' assets by asset category
The table below presents the fair value of plan assets by category and the input levels used to determine those fair values at December 31, 2024. It is important to note that the asset allocations do not include market exposures that are gained with derivatives. Investments include dividend and interest receivables, pending trades and accrued expenses.
 Fair Value of Combined Pension Plan Assets
As of December 31, 2024
 Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
 (Dollars in millions)
Assets
Investment grade bonds (a)$372 1,391 — 1,763 
High yield bonds (b)— 26 4 30 
Emerging market bonds (c)70 34 — 104 
U.S. stocks (d)260 2 1 263 
Non-U.S. stocks (e)14 — 1 15 
Cash equivalents and short-term investments (o)6 2 — 8 
Total investments, excluding investments valued at NAV$722 1,455 6 2,183 
Other receivables27 
Investments valued at NAV2,359 
Liabilities
Repurchase agreements & other obligations (n)$— (361)— (361)
Derivatives (m)(1)(6)— (7)
Total pension plan assets   $4,201 

The table below presents the fair value of plan assets by category and the input levels used to determine those fair values at December 31, 2023. It is important to note that the asset allocations do not include market exposures that are gained with derivatives. Investments include dividend and interest receivable, pending trades and accrued expenses.
 Fair Value of Combined Pension Plan Assets
As of December 31, 2023
 Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
 (Dollars in millions)
Assets
Investment grade bonds (a)$390 1,838 — 2,228 
High yield bonds (b)— 32 4 36 
Emerging market bonds (c)57 57 — 114 
U.S. stocks (d)247 — 1 248 
Non-U.S. stocks (e)6 — — 6 
Multi-asset strategies (l)28 — — 28 
Total investments, excluding investments valued at NAV$728 1,927 5 2,660 
Investments valued at NAV2,192 
Liabilities
Repurchase agreements (n)$— (375)— (375)
Derivatives (m)(1)— — (1)
Total pension plan assets   $4,476 
The table below presents the fair value of plan assets valued at NAV by category for our Combined Pension Plan at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
 Fair Value of Plan Assets Valued at NAV
 
Combined Pension Plan
As of December 31,
20242023
 (Dollars in millions)
Investment grade bonds (a)$72 105 
High yield bonds (b)340 110 
Emerging market bonds (c)69 — 
U.S. stocks (d)6 51 
Non-U.S. stocks (e)529 412 
Emerging market stocks (f)4 10 
Private equity (g)253 272 
Private debt (h)398 421 
Market neutral hedge funds (i)85 77 
Directional hedge funds (j)108 124 
Real estate (k)218 265 
Multi-asset strategies (l)— 27 
Cash equivalents and short-term investments (o)277 318 
Total investments valued at NAV$2,359 2,192 
Schedule of gross notional exposure of the derivative instruments directly held by the plans
 Gross Notional Exposure
 Combined Pension Plan
Years Ended December 31,
 20242023
 (Dollars in millions)
Derivative instruments:  
Exchange-traded U.S. equity futures$212 60 
Exchange-traded Treasury and other interest rate futures795 1,136 
Exchange-traded Foreign currency futures— 1 
Interest rate swaps149 214 
Credit default swaps124 72 
Index swaps701 94 
Foreign exchange forwards47 57 
Options15 32 
Schedule of changes in fair value of defined benefit plans' Level 3 assets
The table below presents a rollforward of the Combined Pension Plan assets valued using Level 3 inputs:
 
Combined Pension Plan Assets Valued
Using Level 3 Inputs
 High
Yield
Bonds
U.S.
Stocks
Non-U.S. Stocks
Total
 (Dollars in millions)
Balance at December 31, 2022$4 1 — 5 
Dispositions(2)— — (2)
Actual return on plan assets2 — — 2 
Balance at December 31, 20234 1 — 5 
Acquisition— — 1 1 
Actual return on plan assets— — — — 
Balance at December 31, 2024$4 1 1 6 
Schedule of the unfunded status of the benefit plans
The following table presents the unfunded status of the Combined Pension Plan and post-retirement benefit plans:
 Combined Pension PlanPost-Retirement
Benefit Plans
 Years Ended December 31,Years Ended December 31,
 2024202320242023
 (Dollars in millions)
Benefit obligation$(4,816)(5,212)(1,750)(1,919)
Fair value of plan assets4,201 4,476 1 1 
Unfunded status(615)(736)(1,749)(1,918)
Current portion of unfunded status— — (186)(193)
Non-current portion of unfunded status$(615)(736)(1,563)(1,725)
Schedule of items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense
The following table presents cumulative items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense as of December 31, 2023, items recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense in 2024, additional items deferred during 2024 and cumulative items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense as of December 31, 2024. The items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense have been recorded on our consolidated balance sheets in accumulated other comprehensive loss:

 As of and for the Years Ended December 31,
2023Recognition
of Net
Periodic
Benefits
Expense		DeferralsNet
Change in
AOCL		2024
 (Dollars in millions)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income     
Pension plans:     
Net actuarial (loss) gain$(1,819)108 (48)60 (1,759)
Settlement charge383 — — — 383 
Prior service benefit (cost)10 (7)— (7)3 
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)381 (25)14 (11)370 
Total pension plans(1,045)76 (34)42 (1,003)
Post-retirement benefit plans:     
Net actuarial gain (loss)337 (17)84 67 404 
Prior service benefit (cost)29 (8)— (8)21 
Curtailment loss4 — — — 4 
Deferred income tax (expense) benefit(94)6 (21)(15)(109)
Total post-retirement benefit plans276 (19)63 44 320 
Total accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income$(769)57 29 86 (683)
The following table presents cumulative items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense as of December 31, 2022, items recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense in 2023, additional items deferred during 2023 and cumulative items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense as of December 31, 2023. The items not recognized as a component of net periodic benefits expense have been recorded on our consolidated balance sheets in accumulated other comprehensive loss:

 As of and for the Years Ended December 31,
 2022Recognition
of Net
Periodic
Benefits
Expense		DeferralsNet
Change in
AOCL		2023
 (Dollars in millions)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income     
Pension plans:     
Net actuarial (loss) gain$(1,752)80 (147)(67)(1,819)
Settlement charge383 — — — 383 
Prior service benefit (cost)17 (7)— (7)10 
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)367 (23)37 14 381 
Total pension plans(985)50 (110)(60)(1,045)
Post-retirement benefit plans:     
Net actuarial gain (loss)371 (20)(14)(34)337 
Prior service benefit (cost)37 (8)— (8)29 
Curtailment loss4 — — — 4 
Deferred income tax (expense) benefit(104)7 3 10 (94)
Total post-retirement benefit plans308 (21)(11)(32)276 
Total accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income$(677)29 (121)(92)(769)