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Employee Benefit Benefits and Stock-Based Compensation - Defined Contribution (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
year
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Annual Contribution Per Employee $ 17,500us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeeAmount      
Defined Contribution Plan, Vesting Period (in years) 3lvlt_DefinedContributionPlanVestingPeriod      
Defined Contribution Plan, Vesting Percentage After Vesting Period 100.00%lvlt_DefinedContributionPlanVestingPercentageAfterVestingPeriod      
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized 23,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 24,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 23,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized  
After January 1, 2012        
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Annual Contribution Per Employee, Percentage 100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
/ lvlt_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardByDateAxis
= lvlt_AfterJanuary12012Member
     
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percentage 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
/ lvlt_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardByDateAxis
= lvlt_AfterJanuary12012Member
     
tw telecom 401(K) Plan [Member]        
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Annual Contribution Per Employee, Percentage 100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
/ lvlt_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardByDateAxis
= lvlt_Twtelecom401KPlanMember
     
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percentage 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
/ lvlt_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardByDateAxis
= lvlt_Twtelecom401KPlanMember
     
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized       2,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ lvlt_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardByDateAxis
= lvlt_Twtelecom401KPlanMember
All Other Defined Contribution        
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized 6,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lvlt_AllOtherDefinedContributionMember
5,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lvlt_AllOtherDefinedContributionMember
7,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lvlt_AllOtherDefinedContributionMember
 
Network Related Expenses [Member]        
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized 4,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= lvlt_NetworkRelatedExpensesMember
4,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= lvlt_NetworkRelatedExpensesMember
4,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= lvlt_NetworkRelatedExpensesMember
 
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]        
Schedule of Defined Contribution Plans Disclosures        
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized $ 19,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
$ 20,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
$ 19,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember