Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment (Details 3) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Debt securities	$ 2,243,493,000	$ 1,431,745,000
Total marketable investment securities	2,427,052,000	1,606,915,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains	92,039,000	95,418,000
Unrealized Losses	(103,251,000)	(82,985,000)
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net	(11,212,000)	12,433,000
Investment in DBSD North America		1,297,614,000
Contractual maturities of restricted and non-restricted marketable investment securities
Debt security with contractual maturities of one year or less	1,197,000,000
Debt securities with contractual maturities greater than one year	929,000,000
Accumulated net unrealized gains (losses)
Accumulated net unrealized gains, net of tax, in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(11,212,000)	91,182,000
DBSD North America (ICO)
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains		78,749,000
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net		78,749,000
Investment in DBSD North America		839,009,000
DBSD North America (ICO) | 7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Investment in DBSD North America		839,000,000
Interest rate on convertible senior secured notes	7.50%
Marketable Securities
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Total marketable investment securities (including DBSD North America)	2,427,052,000	2,445,924,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains	92,039,000	174,167,000
Unrealized Losses	(103,251,000)	(82,985,000)
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net	(11,212,000)	91,182,000
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Debt securities	49,303,000	160,555,000
ARS and MBS, noncurrent
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Debt securities	45,781,000	46,657,000
ARS fair value election	57,858,000	62,670,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains	1,212,000	848,000
Unrealized Losses	(12,703,000)	(14,486,000)
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net	(11,491,000)	(13,638,000)
ARS fair value election
Components of our available-for-sale investments
ARS fair value election	57,858,000	62,670,000
Other (including restricted)
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Debt securities	1,973,467,000	994,021,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains	1,038,000	5,526,000
Unrealized Losses	(3,001,000)	(6,565,000)
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net	(1,963,000)	(1,039,000)
Equity securities
Components of our available-for-sale investments
Equity securities	300,643,000	343,012,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Marketable Investment Securities
Unrealized Gains	89,789,000	89,044,000
Unrealized Losses	(87,547,000)	(61,934,000)
Unrealized Gains Losses, Net	$ 2,242,000	$ 27,110,000