Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)			6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Remanufactured Receiver Agreement	Jan. 31, 2012 EchoStar Professional Services Agreement	Jan. 31, 2012 EchoStar Management Services Agreement	Jan. 31, 2011 EchoStar Management Services Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Management Services Agreement	Dec. 31, 2008 EchoStar Real Estate Lease Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Broadcast Agreement	May 31, 2010 EchoStar Certain Sports Related Programming Broadcast Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar EchoStar XVI	Dec. 31, 2009 EchoStar Nimiq 5 Agreement	Dec. 31, 2009 EchoStar DISH Telesat Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar QuetzSat-1 Lease Agreement	Dec. 31, 2008 EchoStar QuetzSat-1 Lease Agreement	Dec. 31, 2008 EchoStar QuetzSat-1 Transponder Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar TT and C Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Receiver Agreement	Jun. 30, 2010 EchoStar Receiver Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Receiver Agreement	Jun. 30, 2010 EchoStar Receiver Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Product Support Agreement	Jan. 31, 2010 EchoStar DISH Online.com Services Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar DISH Online.com Services Agreement	Feb. 28, 2010 EchoStar DISH Remote Access Services Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar DISH Remote Access Services Agreement	Feb. 28, 2010 EchoStar Sling Service Services Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar Sling Service Services Agreement	Mar. 31, 2010 EchoStar EchoStar XV Launch Service	Dec. 31, 2009 EchoStar EchoStar XV Launch Service	Jun. 30, 2010 EchoStar Weather Related Programming Agreement	Oct. 31, 2010 EchoStar Acquisition of South.com, L.L.C	Jun. 30, 2011 EchoStar International Programming Rights Agreement	Jun. 30, 2010 EchoStar International Programming Rights Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 Blockbuster, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2011 NagraStar	Jun. 30, 2010 NagraStar	Jun. 30, 2011 NagraStar	Jun. 30, 2010 NagraStar	Dec. 31, 2010 NagraStar	Dec. 31, 2007 NagraStar	Jan. 31, 2012 Santa Fe Lease Agreement	Jun. 30, 2011 Gilbert Lease Agreement
Related Party Transactions
Minimum required notice period for termination of agreement by related party (in days)			60				30
Automatic renewal period (in years)				1	1	1																		1		1		1														1
Required minimum notice for termination of agreement (in days)				60
Required minimum notice for termination of individual service (in days)				30																																							30
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity (in days)							180		60								60			60		60		120		120		120
Agreement term (in years)								7		10		15	10	10									2		5		5
Agreement term (in years) from commencement of service date											$ 10					$ 10
Number of DBS transponders available to receive services												32			32
Number of DBS transponders currently receiving services												25
Number of DBS transponders expected to receive services												7			24
Set-top boxes and other equipment purchased from EchoStar																		$ 270,629,000	$ 382,839,000	$ 542,755,000	$ 768,687,000
Term of renewal option (in years)																							1		1		1															1
Number of successive one year renewal options																							3
Fair value of rights assigned																														103,000,000
Recorded value of rights assigned																													89,000,000
Excess of paid amount over recorded amount of rights assigned																													14,000,000
Amount paid for related party transaction																															5,000,000	5,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000
Ownership interest in related party (as a percent)																																									50.00%
Purchases (including fees):																																				19,716,000	19,636,000	40,445,000	39,709,000
Related party transaction expenses from transactions with related party, less than																																			1,000,000
Amounts payable to NagraStar	272,434,000	238,997,000																																		6,876,000		6,876,000		13,272,000
Due to related parties, less than																																			$ 1,000,000