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Employee Benefit Benefits and Stock-Based Compensation - Restricted Stock and Units (Details) (Restricted Stock Units and Shares, USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
year
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Restricted Stock Units and Shares
     
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award      
Restrictions on transfer lapse, minimum (in years) 1lvlt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLapseOfTransferRestrictionsMinimum
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
   
Restrictions on transfer lapse, maximum (in years) 4lvlt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLapseOfTransferRestrictionsMaximum
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
   
Fair value of units and shares awarded $ 96lvlt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 34lvlt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 69lvlt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Unamortized compensation expense 85us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
   
Weighted average period over which unamortized compensation cost will be recognized (in years) 3 years 2 months 5 days    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number of Shares      
Nonvested, Beginning balance (in shares) 2,924,350us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
3,636,976us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
2,030,783us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Stock and units granted (in shares) 2,255,883us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
1,617,592us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
2,869,584us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Lapse of restrictions (in shares) (1,151,830)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
(1,841,757)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
(1,048,757)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Stock and units forfeited (in shares) (241,785)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
(488,461)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
(214,634)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Nonvested, Ending balance (in shares) 3,786,618us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
2,924,350us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
3,636,976us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures      
Nonvested, Beginning balance, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in dollars per share) $ 22.77us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 24.71us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 26.25us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Stock and units granted, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in dollars per share) $ 42.36us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 21.26us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 24.13us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Lapse of restrictions, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in dollars per share) $ 22.94us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 25.19us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 26.06us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Stock and units forfeited, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in dollars per share) $ 28.90us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 23.10us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 24.92us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Nonvested, Ending balance, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in dollars per share) $ 33.91us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 22.77us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 24.71us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
Total fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units whose restriction lapsed $ 27us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 46us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember
$ 27us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= lvlt_RestrictedStockUnitsAndSharesMember