Long-Term Debt and Revolving Promissory Note (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011 Predecessor	Dec. 31, 2010 Predecessor	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Capital lease and other obligations	Dec. 31, 2011 Capital lease and other obligations	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating rate notes due 2013	Dec. 17, 2012 Floating rate notes due 2013	Apr. 02, 2012 7.0% Notes due April 2052 Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 7.0% Notes due April 2052 Qwest Corporation	Jun. 25, 2012 7.0% Notes due July 2052 Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 7.0% Notes due July 2052 Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 Revolving promissory note CenturyLink, Inc. affiliate	Apr. 18, 2012 Revolving promissory note CenturyLink, Inc. affiliate	Oct. 31, 2011 6.75% Notes due 2021	Oct. 04, 2011 6.75% Notes due 2021	Sep. 30, 2011 7.50% Notes due 2051	Dec. 31, 2012 7.50% Notes due 2051	Sep. 21, 2011 7.50% Notes due 2051	Jun. 08, 2011 7.375% Notes due 2051	Dec. 31, 2012 7.375% Notes due 2051	Dec. 31, 2012 Revolving credit facility CenturyLink, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving credit facility CenturyLink, Inc.	Jan. 31, 2011 Revolving credit facility CenturyLink, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Letters of credit CenturyLink, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2011 Letters of credit CenturyLink, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Credit Facility CenturyLink, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Credit Facility CenturyLink, Inc. Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Credit Facility CenturyLink, Inc. Maximum	Apr. 30, 2012 8.375% Notes due 2016	Apr. 18, 2012 8.375% Notes due 2016	Apr. 30, 2012 7.625% Notes due 2015	Apr. 18, 2012 7.625% Notes due 2015	Apr. 18, 2012 7.625% Notes due 2015 and 8.375% Notes due 2016 CenturyLink, Inc. affiliate	Jul. 31, 2012 7.5% Notes due 2023	Jul. 20, 2012 7.5% Notes due 2023	Oct. 31, 2011 8.875% Notes due 2012	Jun. 30, 2011 7.875% Notes due 2011
Long-term debt
Interest rate (as a percent)							3.558%	8.375%					7.00%		7.00%					6.75%			7.50%	7.375%											8.375%		7.625%			7.50%	8.875%	7.875%
Unamortized premiums, net	$ 320	$ 127
Total long-term debt	8,325	7,625			7,386	7,829			112	176																820	277		120	129
Less current maturities	(64)	(804)
Long-term debt, excluding current maturities	8,261	6,821
Amount outstanding											750
Maximum borrowing capacity																		1,000										2,000	400						811		400
Maximum capacity of the letter of credit arrangement																													160
Period to reset interest rates											3 months
Interest rate as of remeasurement date (as a percent)												3.558%
Principal amount of notes issued													525		400				950		575			661														580
Net proceeds from issuance of debt													508		387				927		557			642
Redemption price as a percentage of principal amount of notes plus accrued interest														100.00%		100.00%						100.00%			100.00%
Interest rate margin (as a percent)																				0.50%												0.50%	2.50%
Amount outstanding																	701
Variable interest rate base																															LIBOR
Amount of notes redeemed																																							484		1,500	825
Interest expense (income) - affiliates	(1)	24
Principal amount of notes for which tender offers are received and accepted																																		575		308
Percentage of principal amount of notes for which tender offer was received and accepted																																		71.00%		77.00%
Amount for which cash tender offer is received and accepted																																		722		369
Net loss on early retirement of debt	8	47																																		46					6
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)																	6.706%
Maturities of long-term debt (excluding unamortized premiums, discounts, and other)
2013		804
2014		634
2015		112
2016		236
2017		500
2018 and thereafter		5,212
Total long-term debt		7,498
Amount of gross interest expense, net of capitalized interest and interest expense ( income) -affiliates
Gross interest expense	305	461	153	627
Capitalized interest	(5)	(18)	(3)	(12)
Total interest expense	$ 300	$ 443	$ 150	$ 615