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Long-Term Debt and Revolving Promissory Note Long-Term Debt and Revolving Promissory Note (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 31, 2016 | Sep. 21, 2015 | Feb. 20, 2015 | Sep. 29, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Oct. 13, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Jun. 15, 2015 | Oct. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, gross |  |  |  |  | $ 7,346 |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of gross interest expense, net of capitalized interest and interest expense - affiliates |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross interest expense |  |  |  |  | 491 | $ 481 | $ 467 |  |  |  |
Capitalized interest |  |  |  |  | (18) | (17) | (17) |  |  |  |
Total interest expense |  |  |  |  | 473 | 464 | 450 |  |  |  |
Interest expense-affiliates, net |  |  |  |  | 53 | 40 | $ 64 |  |  |  |
Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, gross |  |  |  |  | 7,229 | 7,311 |  |  |  |  |
Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, gross |  |  |  |  | $ 100 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 6.625% Notes due 2055 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount of debt instrument |  | $ 400 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10 |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  | 6.625% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net proceeds from issuance of debt |  | $ 386 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 6.625% Notes due 2055 | Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Redemption price of debt instrument (as a percent) |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 6.875 % Notes due 2054 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount of debt instrument |  |  |  | $ 500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  | 6.875% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net proceeds from issuance of debt |  |  |  | $ 483 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 6.875 % Notes due 2054 | Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Redemption price of debt instrument (as a percent) |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 7.50%Notes due 2014 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7.50%
Repurchased face amount of Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 600
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 7.200% Notes due 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7.20% |  |  |
Repurchased face amount of Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 250 |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 6.875% Noted due 2033 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6.875% |  |  |
Repurchased face amount of Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 150 |  |  |
Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 7.625% Noted due 2015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7.625% |
Repurchased face amount of Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 92 |
Qwest Corporation | Term loan | Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, gross |  |  | $ 100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount of debt instrument |  |  | $ 100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent event | Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 7.00% Notes due 2056 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Face amount of debt instrument | $ 235 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) | 7.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net proceeds from issuance of debt | $ 227 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent event | Qwest Corporation | Senior notes | 7.00% Notes due 2056 | Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Redemption price of debt instrument (as a percent) | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  | 6.125% |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Qwest Corporation | Term loan | Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate margin (as a percent) |  |  | 1.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Base Rate | Qwest Corporation | Term loan | Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate margin (as a percent) |  |  | 0.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Senior notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent) |  |  |  |  | 8.375% |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Qwest Corporation | Term loan | Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate margin (as a percent) |  |  | 2.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Base Rate | Qwest Corporation | Term loan | Term loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate margin (as a percent) |  |  | 1.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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