Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 13,638,136,000	$ 12,795,280,000
Less: Accumulated depreciation	(6,090,613,000)	(5,204,666,000)
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,547,523,000	7,590,614,000
Depreciation expense	881,500,000	599,700,000	362,200,000
Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	128,855,000	133,366,000
Buildings and leasehold improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	1,050,555,000	1,131,787,000
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	41	41
General support [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	914,777,000	604,524,000
Estimated useful lives, minimum (in years)	5	5
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	17	17
Central office/electronic circuit equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	4,582,296,000	4,319,795,000
Estimated useful lives, minimum (in years)	5	5
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	11	11
Poles [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	471,561,000	436,126,000
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	49	49
Cable and wire [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	5,727,310,000	5,447,566,000
Estimated useful lives, minimum (in years)	15	15
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	30	30
Conduit [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	342,868,000	344,159,000
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	60	60
Other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	35,534,000	29,184,000
Estimated useful lives, minimum (in years)	20	20
Estimated useful lives, maximum (in years)	30	30
Construction work in progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Construction work in progress	$ 384,380,000	$ 348,773,000