Acquisitions and Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended								9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Reimbursement fee maximum by breaching party for material breach	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Vodafone Omnitel N.V.	Sep. 02, 2013 Stock Purchase Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless 5.143% Class D Cumulative Preferred Stock	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless 5.143% Class E Cumulative Preferred Stock	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Termination Fee by Verizon as Result of Failure to Obtain Verizon Shareholder Approval of Share Issuance	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Termination Fee by Verizon as Result of Change of Recommendation of Verizon Board of Directors	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Termination Fee by Verizon as Result of Financing Failure	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Termination Fee by Vodafone for Events Related to Vodafone	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Verizon Notes Due Eighth Anniversary	Sep. 30, 2013 Verizon Wireless Verizon Notes Due Eleventh Anniversary	Sep. 30, 2013 AT&T Spectrum License Transaction Amount Received Upon Closing	Sep. 30, 2013 Investment Firm Spectrum License Transaction Amount Received Upon Closing	Sep. 30, 2013 ATT and Investment Firm License Transactions	Sep. 30, 2013 ATT and Investment Firm License Transactions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of noncontrolling interest by Vodafone Group Plc in Cellco Partnership joint venture	45.00%	45.00%						45.00%
Cash expected to be paid to complete the Wireless Transaction								$ 58,890,000,000
Aggregate value of common shares to be issued to Vodafone shareholders								60,150,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.10	$ 0.10		$ 0.10				$ 0.10
Aggregate principal amount			500,000,000			5,000,000,000	3,500,000,000											2,500,000,000	2,500,000,000
Verizon's ownership interest in Vodafone Omnitel							23.10%
Selling price (fair value) of Verizon's equity method investment in Vodafone Omnitel							3,500,000,000
Other consideration to be paid to Vodafone								2,500,000,000
Number of trading days used to calculate the volume-weighted average trading price per share of Verizon common stock (subject to a collar), which will determine the number of shares to be issued as part of the Wireless Transaction								20 days
Common Stock issued price												$ 47.00	$ 51.00
Common stock expected to be issued, shares												1,180,000,000	1,280,000,000
Potential increase in cash portion of purchase price and reduction of stock consideration								15,000,000,000
Potential payment of termination fees if certain circumstances arise					1,550,000,000									1,550,000,000	4,650,000,000	10,000,000,000	1,550,000,000
Redemption price of notes percentage						100.00%			101.00%
Preferred stock shares outstanding										825,000	825,000
Preferred stock redemption date								2020-04
Preferred stock redemption price, per share								$ 1,000
Preferred stock dividend rate, percentage								5.143%
Acquisitions																							500,000,000
License purchase and exchange transactions, net cash proceeds		2,111,000,000																		1,900,000,000	200,000,000
Gain on sale of licenses	$ 278,000,000	$ 278,000,000																				$ 300,000,000	$ 300,000,000