Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84161108&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of structure or a modification to a structure under construction. Includes recently completed structures or modifications to structures that have not been placed into service.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, from an acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Average remaining renewal period of wireless license portfolio.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vz_AverageRemainingRenewalPeriodOfWirelessLicensePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	vz_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=vz_YahooIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=vz_XOHoldingsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=vz_WirelineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=vz_WirelessLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=vz_AdvancedWirelessServicesSpectrumLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Wireless Licenses, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 01, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 13, 2017
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		$ 1,324
Yahoo! Inc.
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Other intangible assets			$ 2,586
XO Holdings
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)	$ 400
Other intangible assets	$ 200
Wireline
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		432
Wireline \| XO Holdings
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		400
Wireline \| XO Holdings \| Customer Lists
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Other intangible assets		200
Corporate and Other \| Yahoo! Inc.
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		900
Other intangible assets		2,600
Wireless Licenses
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		76
Wireless licenses under development		$ 10,000
Average remaining renewal period of wireless license portfolio (in years)		5 years 7 months 6 days
Advanced Wireless Services Spectrum Licenses
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisitions (Note 2)		$ 1,000