Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	$ 1,529,716	$ 1,606,915
Debt security	1,334,546	1,431,745
Debt security	118,470	109,327
Investment in DBSD North America		1,297,614
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	185,005	160,555
Debt security	185,005	160,555
ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	118,000
Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	858,719	994,021
Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	367,522	343,012
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	1,146,565	397,777
Debt and equity security	1,529,716	1,606,915
Investment in DBSD North America		839,009
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	1,529,716	2,445,924
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total \| Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	185,005	160,555
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total \| ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	118,470	109,327
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total \| Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	858,719	994,021
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Total \| Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	367,522	343,012
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	46,748	46,371
Debt and equity security	367,522	343,012
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	367,522	343,012
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity security	367,522	343,012
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	1,099,817	351,406
Debt and equity security	1,047,133	1,157,988
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	1,047,133	1,157,988
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	185,005	160,555
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	3,409	3,412
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	858,719	994,021
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt and equity security	115,061	105,915
Investment in DBSD North America		839,009
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	115,061	944,924
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3 \| ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt security	$ 115,061	$ 105,915

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

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+ Details

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

+ References

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+ Details

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the Company may deposit additional funds at any time and also effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

+ References+ 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