Debt - Schedule of Long-term Debt Obligations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Finance lease obligations (average rate of 3.2% and 4.1% in 2019 and 2018, respectively)	$ 1,116
Finance lease obligations (average rate of 3.2% and 4.1% in 2019 and 2018, respectively)		$ 905
Unamortized discount, net of premium	(4,480)	(6,298)
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(492)	(541)
Total long-term debt, including current maturities	111,489	112,913
Less long-term debt maturing within one year	10,777	7,040
Total long-term debt	100,712	105,873
Short-term notes payable	0	150
Total debt	$ 111,489	$ 113,063
Capital Lease Obligations
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Finance lease obligations average rate	3.20%
Capital Lease Obligations
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Finance lease obligations average rate		4.10%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 19,885	$ 24,242
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	1.38%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	5.51%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 30,038	23,711
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	1.38%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	6.80%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 47,777	54,662
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	2.65%
Verizon Communications \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	8.95%
Verizon Communications \| Floating Notes Payable and other maturing 2019-2024
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 2,210	2,868
Verizon Communications \| Floating Notes Payable and other maturing 2025-2029
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,789	1,789
Alltel Corporation \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	6.80%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 38	116
Alltel Corporation \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	7.88%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 58	118
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 141	147
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	7.88%
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	8.00%
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 286	288
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	6.00%
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	8.38%
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 339	361
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	5.13%
Operating telephone company subsidiaries—debentures \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2030-2055 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	8.75%
GTE LLC \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	8.75%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 141	178
GTE LLC \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2025-2029
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	6.94%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 250	266
Other subsidiaries \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 8,116	7,962
Other subsidiaries \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Minimum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	1.42%
Other subsidiaries \| Fixed Rate Debt Maturing 2019-2024 \| Maximum
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.56%
Other subsidiaries \| Floating Asset-backed Debt
Schedule of Capitalization, Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 4,277	$ 2,139

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

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