XML 43 R47.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross $ 19,489us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 17,329us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross  
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (9,629)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (9,089)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Net 9,860us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 8,240us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet  
Depreciation expense 713us-gaap_Depreciation 727us-gaap_Depreciation 659us-gaap_Depreciation
Land      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 192us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
193us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment 0us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
0us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
 
Net 192us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
193us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
 
Land Improvements      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 73us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
72us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (50)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
(47)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
 
Net 23us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
25us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandImprovementsMember
 
Facility and Leasehold Improvements      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 2,489us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
2,207us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (1,265)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
(1,193)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
 
Net 1,224us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
1,014us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lvlt_BuildingAndLeaseholdImprovementsMember
 
Network infrastructure      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 8,941us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
8,505us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (3,447)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
(3,279)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
 
Net 5,494us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
5,226us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TechnologyEquipmentMember
 
Operating Equipment      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 7,217us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
6,057us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (4,669)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
(4,381)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
 
Net 2,548us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
1,676us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentMember
 
Furniture, Fixtures and Office Equipment      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
196us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (177)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
(168)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
 
Net 78us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
28us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
 
Other      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 29us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
22us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment (21)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
(21)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
 
Net 8us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
1us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
 
Construction-in-Progress      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]      
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross 293us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
77us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
 
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment 0us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
0us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
 
Net $ 293us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
$ 77us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember