Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Debt - Narrative (Details)

v3.20.4
Debt - Narrative (Details)
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Aug. 20, 2020
USD ($)
Apr. 01, 2020
USD ($)
Nov. 26, 2019
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Jul. 31, 2019
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Aug. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
Dec. 31, 2020
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2019
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Feb. 04, 2020
USD ($)
Dec. 06, 2019
USD ($)
Aug. 21, 2014
USD ($)
Long-term debt                            
Debt, Current               $ 1,750,000,000 $ 1,557,000,000          
Fair value of the swap instruments               17,000,000 1,000,000 $ 38,000,000        
Repayments of Long-term Debt               2,079,000,000 3,274,000,000 4,395,000,000        
Loss on extinguishment of debt               (40,000,000) 1,000,000 (24,000,000)        
Senior Debentures                            
Long-term debt                            
Aggregate unamortized discount and issuance costs               $ 5,000,000 $ 4,000,000          
8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               8.50%            
8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               8.25%            
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)   4.00%           4.00%            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               $ 1,000            
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 | Adjusted face amount per debenture                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               $ 917            
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 | Sprint Corporation                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio               3.2265            
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 | Lumen Technologies                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio               0.7860            
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 | T-Mobile US, Inc.                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio   0.3309                        
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 | Lumen Technologies                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio   0.7860                        
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)   3.75%           3.75%            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator   $ 1,000           $ 1,000            
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 | Adjusted face amount per debenture                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               $ 940            
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 | Sprint Corporation                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio               2.3578            
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 | T-Mobile US, Inc.                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio   0.2419                        
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 | Lumen Technologies                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio   0.5746           0.5746            
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               3.50%            
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)                 0.75%          
1.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               1.75%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount             $ 750,000,000              
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator             $ 1,000              
1.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046 | Charter                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio             2.9317              
Exchange Price of Shares Attributable to Debentures | $ / shares             $ 341.10              
Exchangeable Senior Debentures                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt, Current               $ 1,750,000,000            
QVC 4.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2027                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               4.75%            
QVC | Interest Rate Swap                            
Long-term debt                            
Derivative, Notional Amount       $ 250,000,000 $ 125,000,000         $ 250,000,000 $ 125,000,000      
Derivative, Term of Contract       13 months 3 years           3 years      
Derivative, Fixed Interest Rate       1.05%           1.05%        
QVC | July 2019 Swap                            
Long-term debt                            
Derivative Liability               $ 3,000,000            
QVC | Maximum | July 2019 Swap                            
Long-term debt                            
Derivative Liability                 $ 1,000,000          
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                 2,950,000,000          
Remaining borrowing capacity               $ 2,930,000,000            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | Alternate Base Rate                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis               alternate base rate            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | Alternate Base Rate | Minimum                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate               0.25%            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | Alternate Base Rate | Maximum                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate               0.75%            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | LIBOR                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis               LIBOR            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | LIBOR | Minimum                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate               1.25%            
QVC | Amendment No. 4 QVC Bank Credit Facility | LIBOR | Maximum                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate               1.75%            
QVC | Uncommitted Incremental Revolving Loan Commitments or Incremental Term Loans                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                 1,500,000,000          
QVC | Portion of Credit Facility Available to QVC or zulily                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                 400,000,000          
QVC | Portion of Credit Facility Available to QVC or zulily | Maximum                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity       $ 50,000,000           $ 50,000,000        
QVC | Portion of Credit Facility Available Only to QVC                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                 2,550,000,000          
QVC | Credit Facility Portion Available to Zulily And Letters Of Credit                            
Long-term debt                            
Remaining borrowing capacity               $ 400,000,000            
line of credit               $ 23,000,000            
QVC | 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               3.50%            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               $ 1,000            
QVC | 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 | Adjusted face amount per debenture                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               497            
QVC | 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 | Motorola Solutions                            
Long-term debt                            
principal payment of the debentures               25,000,000 58,000,000          
Payments for settlement of fraction notes               49,000,000 $ 99,000,000          
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator               $ 1,000            
Debt instrument, conversion ratio               5.2598            
QVC | QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2022                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent) 5.125%             5.125% 5.125%          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount               $ 500,000,000            
Repayments of Long-term Debt $ 500,000,000                          
Loss on extinguishment of debt               $ (42,000,000)            
QVC | QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               4.375%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount               $ 750,000,000            
QVC | QVC 4.85% Senior Secured Notes Due 2024                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               4.85%            
QVC | QVC 4.45% Senior Secured Notes Due 2025                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               4.45%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                           $ 600,000,000
Debt issuance price as percent of par                           99.860
QVC | QVC 5.45% Senior Secured Notes Due 2034                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               5.45%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                           $ 400,000,000
Debt issuance price as percent of par                           99.784
QVC | QVC 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               5.95%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount               $ 300,000,000            
QVC | QVC 6.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2067                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)           6.375%   6.375%            
Debt instrument, term           5 years                
Debt Instrument, Face Amount           $ 225,000,000                
QVC | QVC 6.25% Senior Secured Notes Due 2068                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)     6.25%         6.25%            
Debt instrument, term     5 years                      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount     $ 435,000,000                   $ 500,000,000  
QVC | QVC 4.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2027                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)                       4.75%    
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                       $ 575,000,000    
QVC | QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2028                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent) 4.375%             4.375%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 500,000,000                          
QVC | Standby Letters of Credit                            
Long-term debt                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                 $ 450,000,000          
QVC | Promissory note                            
Long-term debt                            
Interest rate (as a percent)               0.48%            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount               $ 1,800,000,000            
QVC | Underwriters | QVC 6.25% Senior Secured Notes Due 2068                            
Long-term debt                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount     $ 65,000,000                      
T-Mobile US, Inc. | Sprint Corporation | 4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029                            
Long-term debt                            
Acquisition, conversion ratio of shares   0.10256                        
Debt instrument conversion ratio denominator   $ 1,000