Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended					1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Revolving credit agreement Minimum	Mar. 31, 2012 Revolving credit agreement Maximum	Apr. 18, 2012 8.375% Notes due 2016 Qwest Corporation	Apr. 18, 2012 7.625% Notes due 2015 Qwest Corporation	Apr. 30, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement Y subsidiary	Mar. 31, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement lender	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement	Apr. 30, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement LIBOR	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement LIBOR Minimum	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement LIBOR Maximum	Apr. 30, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement Base Rate	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement Base Rate Minimum	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Revolving credit agreement Base Rate Maximum	Apr. 12, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement Letters of credit	Apr. 30, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement 7.0% Notes due 2052 Qwest Corporation	Apr. 02, 2012 Amendment and restatement of credit agreement 7.0% Notes due 2052 Qwest Corporation	Apr. 30, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 6.738% Notes due 2013 Embarq Corporation	Apr. 02, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 6.738% Notes due 2013 Embarq Corporation	Apr. 30, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 7.082% Notes due 2016 Embarq Corporation	Apr. 02, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 7.082% Notes due 2016 Embarq Corporation	Mar. 31, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 8.375% Notes due 2016	Mar. 31, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 7.625% Notes due 2015	Apr. 30, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 7.50% Notes due Feb 15, 2014 QCII	Apr. 16, 2012 Repayment/redemption of debt 7.50% Notes due Feb 15, 2014 QCII	Apr. 30, 2012 Sale of administration building Qwest Corporation Y	Apr. 30, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan installment subsidiary	Apr. 30, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan LIBOR	Apr. 18, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan LIBOR Minimum	Apr. 18, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan LIBOR Maximum	Apr. 30, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan Base Rate	Apr. 18, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan Base Rate Minimum	Apr. 18, 2012 Issuance of debt Term loan Base Rate Maximum
Long-Term Debt
Repayments of notes																			$ 200,000,000						$ 500,000,000
Term of credit facility (in years)							4
Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit agreement before amendment									1,700,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity									2,000,000,000							400,000,000
Number of lenders								18
Lender commitment			2,500,000	177,000,000
Variable rate basis used										LIBOR			base rate																LIBOR			base rate
Interest rate margin (as a percent)											1.25%	2.25%		0.25%	1.25%															1.50%	2.50%		0.50%	1.50%
Number of wholly-owned subsidiaries as guarantors for the Credit Facility							2																					2
Interest rate, stated percentage					8.375%	7.625%												7.00%		6.738%		7.082%				7.50%
Principal amount of notes issued																	525,000,000											440,000,000
Number of consecutive quarterly installments repayment																												29
Repayment amount of quarterly installment																												5,500,000
Net proceeds from issuance of debt																	508,000,000
Percentage of principal amount at which the notes may be redeemed on or before April 1, 2017																	100.00%
Principal amount of notes of which a portion was purchased through tender offer					811,000,000	400,000,000														528,000,000
Percentage of principal amount of notes for which tender offer was received and accepted																			62.00%		41.00%		71.00%	77.00%
Amount for which cash tender offer is received and accepted	849,000,000	3,000,000																	360,000,000		944,000,000		722,000,000	369,000,000
Principal amount of notes for which tender offers are received and accepted																			328,000,000		816,000,000		575,000,000	308,000,000
Loss on purchase of notes																					144,000,000			46,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment
Proceeds from sale of administrative building																											137,000,000
Deferred gain																											$ 16,000,000
Term of lease accounted for as sale-leaseback transaction (in years)																											10
Redemption price as percentage of principal amount of notes plus accrued and unpaid interest																									100.00%