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Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Liabilities, Non Recurring (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 11 Months Ended 24 Months Ended 65 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Oct. 04, 2013
Aug. 01, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Oct. 04, 2013
Jul. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2013
Tranche B-II 2019 Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent) 3.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_Tranchebii2019TermloanMember
             
Debt instrument, basis floor (as percent)           1.50%lvlt_DebtInstrumentBasisFloor
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_Tranchebii2019TermloanMember
   
Tranche B 2019 Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent)   3.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheB2019TermLoanMember
           
Debt instrument, basis floor (as percent)           1.50%lvlt_DebtInstrumentBasisFloor
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheB2019TermLoanMember
   
Tranche B 2016 Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent)   3.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheB2016TermLoanMember
           
Debt instrument, basis floor (as percent)           1.50%lvlt_DebtInstrumentBasisFloor
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheB2016TermLoanMember
   
Tranche B III Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent)     4.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheBIiiTermLoanFiveHundredFiftyMillionDollarsMember
         
Debt instrument, basis floor (as percent)             1.50%lvlt_DebtInstrumentBasisFloor
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheBIiiTermLoanFiveHundredFiftyMillionDollarsMember
 
Tranche B II Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent)       4.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheBIiTermLoanSixHundredFiftyMillionDollarsMember
       
Debt instrument, basis floor (as percent)             1.50%lvlt_DebtInstrumentBasisFloor
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheBIiTermLoanSixHundredFiftyMillionDollarsMember
 
Tranche A Term Loan                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, Interest spread on debt (as percent)         2.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TrancheTermLoanMember
     
Senior Notes 11 Point 875 Percent Due 2019 [Member]                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           11.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_SeniorNotes11Point875PercentDue2019Member
11.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_SeniorNotes11Point875PercentDue2019Member
 
Senior Notes due 2019 (8.875%)                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           8.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_SeniorNotes8Point875PercentDue2019Member
   
Convertible Senior Notes due 2016 (6.5%)                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes6Point5PercentDue2016Member
6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes6Point5PercentDue2016Member
 
Not actively traded convertible notes                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Security coupon rates used for valuation, lowest interest rate           7.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageRateRangeMinimum
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleDebtSecuritiesNotActivelyTradedMember
   
Convertible Senior Notes 7 Percent Due 2015 [Member]                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           7.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes7PercentDue2015Member
7.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes7PercentDue2015Member
 
Convertible Senior Notes due 2015 Series B (7.0%)                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           7.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes7PercentDue2015SeriesBMember
7.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes7PercentDue2015SeriesBMember
 
Convertible Senior Notes due 2013 (15.0%)                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)           15.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes15PercentDue2013Member
15.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleSeniorNotes15PercentDue2013Member
 
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure | Term Loans                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Term Loans           4,600us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TermLoansMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
  $ 2,600us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_TermLoansMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure | Not actively traded convertible notes                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Convertible Notes           868us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleDebtSecuritiesNotActivelyTradedMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
  647us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lvlt_ConvertibleDebtSecuritiesNotActivelyTradedMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure | Senior Notes                
Liabilities measured on a recurring basis                
Senior Notes           6,500us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
  $ 5,700us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember