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Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities - Additional Information (Details) |  | 9 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 25, 2019 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Oct. 25, 2019 USD ($) | Oct. 24, 2019 USD ($) | Oct. 17, 2019 USD ($) | Oct. 15, 2019 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) derivative_agreement | Feb. 28, 2019 USD ($) derivative_agreement
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | $ 1,100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt |  | 70,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate |  |  |  |  | 5.75% |  |  |
Repurchased face amount |  |  |  |  | $ 600,000,000 |  |  |
Interest Rate Swap | Designated as Hedging Instrument |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of instruments | derivative_agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 | 5
Interest Rate Swap | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,500,000,000 | $ 2,500,000,000
9.000% Centel Capital Corporation Notes | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate |  |  |  |  |  | 9.00% |  |
Repurchased face amount |  |  |  |  |  | $ 148,000,000 |  |
Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | 249,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior notes | 6.125% Senior Notes due 2021 | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate |  |  | 6.125% |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased face amount |  |  | $ 240,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Medium-term notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | 122,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | 400,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. | Senior notes | 4.625% Senior Notes Due 2027 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount | $ 1,000,000,000.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 4.625% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. | Senior notes | 6.125% Senior Notes due 2021 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 6.125% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased face amount | $ 240,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. | Senior notes | 5.75% Senior Notes Due 2022 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 5.75% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased face amount | $ 600,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. | Senior notes | 5.375% Senior Notes Due 2022 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt | 160,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount | $ 1,000,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 5.375% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Level 3 Financing, Inc. | Senior notes | 5.375% Senior Notes Due 2022 | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000 |  |  |  |
Stated interest rate |  |  | 5.375% |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased face amount |  |  | $ 160,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Capital Funding, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | 345,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
CenturyLink, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of debt |  | $ 340,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |

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