Contingent Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Contingent Liabilities
Contractual purchase obligations for 2014	$ 5,749
Contractual purchase obligations for 2015 and 2016	5,182
Contractual purchase obligations for 2017 and 2018	2,570
Contractual purchase obligations for years after 2019	$ 819

The remaining amount of the fixed and determinable portion of an unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation on the fourth and fifth anniversary of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	t_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDuringFourthAndFifthAnniversary
Namespace Prefix:	t_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration