Revenue Recognition (Revenue Categories) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 30,043	$ 31,326	$ 89,398	$ 102,943
Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	24,731	26,247	72,998	87,340
Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	15,819	14,942	46,431	44,082
Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	2,132	0	15,423
Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	5,524	5,765	16,418	17,567
Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	2,429	2,290	7,177	6,761
Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	81	77	240	254
Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	514	582	1,574	1,841
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	364	459	1,158	1,412
Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	5,312	5,079	16,400	15,603
Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	29,916	28,942	88,985	86,567
Operating Segments | Communications
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	29,131	28,218	86,702	84,524
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	20,278	19,138	60,279	57,108
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	15,337	14,527	45,065	42,921
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	15,256	14,450	44,825	42,667
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	81	77	240	254
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Mobility | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	4,941	4,611	15,214	14,187
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	5,668	5,938	16,903	18,036
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	5,524	5,765	16,418	17,497
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	5,524	5,765	16,418	17,497
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Business Wireline | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	144	173	485	539
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	3,185	3,142	9,520	9,380
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	3,185	3,125	9,520	9,287
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	2,429	2,290	7,177	6,761
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	427	484	1,332	1,507
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	329	351	1,011	1,019
Operating Segments | Communications | Consumer Wireline | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	17	0	93
Operating Segments | Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	785	724	2,283	2,043
Operating Segments | Latin America | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	559	463	1,583	1,349
Operating Segments | Latin America | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	559	463	1,583	1,349
Operating Segments | Latin America | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Latin America | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	226	261	700	694
Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	127	2,401	413	16,512
Corporate | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	126	2,384	412	16,422
Corporate | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	4	29	23	66
Corporate | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	2,132	0	15,423
Corporate | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	70
Corporate | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	17	0	136
Corporate | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	87	98	242	334
Corporate | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	35	108	147	393
Corporate | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	1	17	1	90
Elim.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	(17)	0	(136)
Elim. | Total Service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	(17)	0	(136)
Elim. | Wireless service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Video service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Business service
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Broadband
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	(17)	0	(136)
Elim. | Legacy voice and data
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Elim. | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0