Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 segment subscriber	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2008	Mar. 09, 2012 Sprint Settlement Agreement	Mar. 09, 2012 TerreStar Networks, Inc. ("TerreStar")	Mar. 09, 2012 DBSD North America (ICO)	Mar. 31, 2012 DISH Network	Mar. 31, 2011 DISH Network	Dec. 31, 2011 DISH Network	Mar. 31, 2012 Blockbuster	Dec. 31, 2011 Blockbuster	Mar. 31, 2012 Blockbuster United Kingdom	Mar. 31, 2012 Blockbuster Mexico	Mar. 31, 2012 Blockbuster Denmark	Mar. 31, 2012 Eliminations	Dec. 31, 2011 Eliminations	Mar. 31, 2012 Wireless Spectrum	Dec. 31, 2008 Wireless Spectrum	Mar. 31, 2012 Wireless Spectrum Sprint Settlement Agreement	Mar. 31, 2012 Wireless Spectrum TerreStar Networks, Inc. ("TerreStar")	Mar. 31, 2012 Wireless Spectrum DBSD North America (ICO)
Segment Reporting
Number of primary operating business units	3
Number of DISH Network subscribers	14,071,000
Segment information
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses				$ 712,000,000															$ 712,000,000
Payments to acquire wireless spectrum assets	2,860,000,000
Purchase price					114,000,000	1,382,000,000	1,364,000,000													114,000,000	1,382,000,000	1,364,000,000
Total assets	12,409,512,000		11,470,231,000					8,822,873,000		11,104,003,000	450,804,000	453,661,000				(723,070,000)	(87,433,000)	3,858,905,000
Total revenue	3,581,869,000	3,224,131,000	3,224,131,000					3,252,922,000	3,224,131,000	3,224,131,000	333,991,000		71,000,000	41,000,000	13,000,000	(5,077,000)		33,000
Total operating income (loss)	$ 572,411,000	$ 983,353,000	$ 983,353,000					$ 566,545,000	$ 983,353,000	$ 983,353,000	$ 13,957,000							$ (8,091,000)