Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Other Investment Securities (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	$ 2,926,247	$ 2,481,022
Debt security	2,737,692	2,299,705
Debt security	121,512	119,121
Investment in DBSD North America	1,274,374	102,591
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,411,188	1,334,081
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,411,188	1,334,081
Equity securities \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	292,605	195,022
Equity securities \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	292,605	195,022
Other (including restricted) \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,100,942	832,798
Other (including restricted) \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	11,699	21,835
Other (including restricted) \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,088,238	810,883
Other (including restricted) \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,005	80
ARS and MBS, noncurrent \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	121,512	119,121
ARS and MBS, noncurrent \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	5,245	6,031
ARS and MBS, noncurrent \| Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	116,267	113,090
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	2,926,247	2,481,022
Investment in DBSD North America	839,009	55,823
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	3,765,256	2,536,845
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	304,304	216,857
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	304,304	216,857
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	2,504,671	2,150,995
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	2,504,671	2,150,995
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	117,272	113,170
Investment in DBSD North America	839,009	55,823
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	956,281	168,993
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,411,188	1,334,081
ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	122,000
Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	1,100,942	832,798
Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	292,605	195,022
7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009
Fair value of marketable securities
Investment in DBSD North America	$ 839,000

For an unclassified balance sheet, this item represents investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

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+ Details

- Definition

Investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized neither as trading securities nor held-to-maturity securities and which are intended be sold or mature within one year from the balance sheet date or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer. Such securities are reported at fair value; unrealized gains (losses) related to Available-for-sale Securities are excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity (other comprehensive income), unless the Available-for-sale security is designated as a hedge or is determined to have had an other than temporary decline in fair value below its amortized cost basis. All or a portion of the unrealized holding gain (loss) of an Available-for-sale security that is designated as being hedged in a fair value hedge is recognized in earnings during the period of the hedge, as are other than temporary declines in fair value below the cost basis for investments in equity securities and debt securities that an entity intends to sell or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell before the recovery of its amortized cost basis. Other than temporary declines in fair value below the cost basis for debt securities categorized as Available-for-sale that an entity does not intend to sell and for which it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before the recovery of its amortized cost basis are bifurcated into credit losses and losses related to all other factors. Other than temporary declines in fair value below cost basis related to credit losses are recognized in earnings, and losses related to all other factors are recognized in other comprehensive income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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+ Details

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, this item represents equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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+ Details

- Definition

Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity, (2) trading securities, and (3) securities available-for-sale.

+ References+ Details