v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Mar. 19, 2013
Foreign income before taxes   $ 385,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign $ 524,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign $ 434,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign  
Liability for uncertain tax positions, noncurrent   1,200,000,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsNoncurrent      
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate   603,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate      
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes accrued   452,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued 780,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued    
Change In Income Tax Expense Related To Effectively Settled Uncertain Tax Positions 724,000,000cmcsa_ChangeInIncomeTaxExpenseRelatedToEffectivelySettledUncertainTaxPositions        
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity, Other   299,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther 244,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther 164,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther  
Deferred income taxes, total   32,959,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent 31,935,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent    
Franchise Rights [Member]          
Net deferred tax liability, franchise rights   23,000,000,000cmcsa_DeferredTaxLiabilityFranchiseRights
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_FranchiseRightsMember
     
Uncertain Tax Positions Indemnified By GE [Member]          
Liability for uncertain tax positions, noncurrent   243,000,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmcsa_UncertainTaxPositionsIndemnifiedByGeMember
     
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest on income taxes accrued   44,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmcsa_UncertainTaxPositionsIndemnifiedByGeMember
42,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmcsa_UncertainTaxPositionsIndemnifiedByGeMember
   
Redemption Transaction [Member]          
Deferred income taxes, total         1,600,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmcsa_RedemptionTransactionMember
Other Acquisitions [Member]          
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Deferred Income Taxes Asset Liability Net1   26,000,000cmcsa_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationDeferredIncomeTaxesAssetLiabilityNet1
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cmcsa_OtherAcquisitionsMember
     
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]          
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity, Other   127,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther
/ cmcsa_TaxAdjustmentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
     
Domestic Tax Authority          
Operating loss carryforwards   127,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ cmcsa_TaxAdjustmentsAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
     
Operating loss carryforwards expiration dates   Dec. 31, 2034      
Foreign Tax Authority          
Operating loss carryforwards   $ 331,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ cmcsa_TaxAdjustmentsAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
     
Operating loss carryforwards expiration dates   Dec. 31, 2024