Events Associated with the Amalgamation of Global Crossing (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Oct. 19, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Oct. 04, 2011	Oct. 03, 2011	Oct. 31, 2011 Senior Secured Term Loan Tranche B II Term Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes due 2019 (8.125%)	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes due 2019 (8.125%)	Oct. 04, 2011 Common stock	Oct. 31, 2011 Common stock	Nov. 30, 2011 Global Crossing	Oct. 04, 2011 Global Crossing	Oct. 04, 2011 Global Crossing 2% Cumulative convertible preferred stock
Acquisition
Amalgamation stock exchange ratio (in shares)										16
Preferred stock dividend rate (as a percent)														2.00%
Additional principal amount of debt issued							$ 650,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of 8.125% Senior Notes due 2019 in June and July 2011								1,200,000,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (as a percent)								8.125%	8.125%
Shares issued in Amalgamation transaction (in shares)											88,530,000
Reverse stock split ratio (in shares)	15
Amount of outstanding debt redeemed and refinanced												1,360,000,000
Closing stock price						$ 21.15
Estimated total Amalgamation transaction consideration			3,400,000,000
Cash Paid for Employee Income and Payroll Tax Witholdings	81,000,000
Final Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash					226,000,000
Property, Plant, and Equipment					3,098,000,000
Goodwill					1,123,000,000
Identifiable Intangibles					106,000,000
Other Assets					651,000,000
Total Assets					5,204,000,000
Long-term Debt					(1,554,000,000)
Other Liabilities					(1,688,000,000)
Total Liabilities					(3,242,000,000)
Total Estimated Consideration					1,962,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Reduction Due to Un Amortizable Deferred Revenue													77,000,000
Pro Forma Financial Information [Abstract]
Total Revenue			6,335,000,000	6,111,000,000
Net Loss			(727,000,000)	(825,000,000)
Net Loss per share (in dollars per share)			$ (3.56)	$ (4.14)
Acquisition related costs incurred		49,000,000
Acquisition related integration costs		$ 81,000,000	$ 32,000,000