Employee Benefits - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2012 Qualified Pension Trusts	Sep. 30, 2012 Qualified Pension Trusts	Sep. 30, 2012 Qualified Pension Trusts Previously disclosed	Sep. 30, 2012 Verizon Management Pension Plan Liabilities Expected to be Purchased by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Prudential Financial Inc.	Sep. 30, 2012 Verizon Management Pension Plan Liabilities Expected to be Purchased by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Prudential Financial Inc.	Sep. 30, 2012 Verizon Management Pension Plan Liabilities Expected to be Purchased by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Prudential Financial Inc.	Oct. 17, 2012 Verizon Management Pension Plan Liabilities Expected to be Purchased by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Prudential Financial Inc. Subsequent Event Employee	Sep. 30, 2012 Non Qualified Pension Plans	Sep. 30, 2012 Non Qualified Pension Plans	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Liabilities												$ 7,500,000,000
Number of Retirees Covered Under Group Annuity Contract												41,000
Defined benefit plan contributions by employer						1,200,000,000	1,800,000,000		2,500,000,000	900,000,000	900,000,000		100,000,000	200,000,000	400,000,000	1,200,000,000
Net pre tax severance, pension and benefits charges		329,000,000		329,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate		5.50%		5.50%	5.75%
Amount paid in severance benefits over the period	100,000,000		400,000,000
Postemployment benefits liability	700,000,000		700,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, expected contributions by Employer in remaining fiscal period						1,600,000,000	1,600,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Full Year Contributions By Employer							$ 3,400,000,000	$ 1,300,000,000