Amount of amortization expense for asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131252-203054

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of credit loss recognized for write-down of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130533-203044

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerAssetCreditLossExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisaggregationOfRevenueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130539-203045

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage Of Month To Month Contracts Of Total Service Contracts

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vz_PercentageOfMonthToMonthContractsOfTotalServiceContracts
Namespace Prefix:	vz_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Revenues From Leasing Arrangements, Captive Reinsurance Arrangements And Interest On Equipment Financed

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vz_RevenuesFromLeasingArrangementsCaptiveReinsuranceArrangementsAndInterestOnEquipmentFinanced
Namespace Prefix:	vz_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=vz_MediaBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=vz_WirelessPostpaidContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=vz_WirelineConsumerAndSmallAndMediumBusinessContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Revenues and Contract Costs - Additional Information (Details)	3 Months Ended		4 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 08, 2019 segment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments \| segment	2
Revenues from leasing arrangements, captive reinsurance arrangements and interest on equipment financed	$ 787,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000
Amortization of deferred contract costs	615,000,000	405,000,000
Contract assets impairment charge	0	0
Media Business
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer	$ 1,800,000,000	$ 1,900,000,000
Wireless postpaid contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Percentage of month-to-month contracts of total service contracts	86.00%	82.00%
Wireline Consumer and Small and Medium Business contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Percentage of month-to-month contracts of total service contracts	55.00%	57.00%
Subsequent Event
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments \| segment			2