Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 289,897	$ 279,737
Less Accumulated depreciation	190,201	184,904
Property, plant and equipment, net	99,696	94,833
Land
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	673	608
Buildings and equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 33,361	32,933
Buildings and equipment | Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	7 years
Buildings and equipment | Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	45 years
Central office and other network equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 162,697	160,369
Central office and other network equipment | Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	3 years
Central office and other network equipment | Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	50 years
Cable, poles and conduit
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 60,276	56,814
Cable, poles and conduit | Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	7 years
Cable, poles and conduit | Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	50 years
Leasehold improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 9,587	9,497
Leasehold improvements | Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	5 years
Leasehold improvements | Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	20 years
Work in progress
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 13,057	8,576
Furniture, vehicles and other
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 10,246	$ 10,940
Furniture, vehicles and other | Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	3 years
Furniture, vehicles and other | Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	20 years