Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 4 1/4% Senior Notes due 2018 DISH DBS	Apr. 05, 2013 4 1/4% Senior Notes due 2018 DISH DBS	Mar. 31, 2013 5 1/8% Senior Notes due 2020 DISH DBS	Apr. 05, 2013 5 1/8% Senior Notes due 2020 DISH DBS	Mar. 31, 2013 7 % Senior Notes due 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 7 % Senior Notes due 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2014	Mar. 31, 2013 7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2015	Dec. 31, 2012 7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2015	Mar. 31, 2013 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2016	Mar. 31, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Notes due 2017	Dec. 31, 2012 4 5/8% Senior Notes due 2017	Mar. 31, 2013 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2019	Dec. 31, 2012 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2019	Mar. 31, 2013 6 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021	Mar. 31, 2013 5 7/8% Senior Notes due 2022	Dec. 31, 2012 5 7/8% Senior Notes due 2022	Mar. 31, 2013 5% Senior Notes due 2023	Dec. 31, 2012 5% Senior Notes due 2023	Mar. 31, 2013 Mortgages and other notes payable	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgages and other notes payable
Long-term debt
Interest rate (as a percent)			4.25%		5.125%		7.00%		6.625%		7.75%		7.125%		4.625%		7.875%		6.75%		5.875%		5.00%
Aggregate principal amount				$ 1,200,000,000		$ 1,100,000,000
Term of debt instrument			5 years		7 years
Debt instrument issuance as a percentage of the face amount				100.00%		100.00%
Percentage of principal amount at which the entity may redeem some or all of the notes at any time (as a percent)			100.00%		100.00%
Maximum percentage of the aggregate principal amount of notes redeemable before April 1, 2016 with net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings or capital contributions			35.00%
Maximum percentage of the aggregate principal amount of notes redeemable before May 1, 2016 with net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings or capital contributions					35.00%
Percentage of principal amount at which notes may be required to be repurchased in event of change of control			101.00%		101.00%
Carrying Value	11,638,446,000	11,638,955,000					500,000,000	500,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000	750,000,000	750,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000	900,000,000	900,000,000	1,400,000,000	1,400,000,000	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000	88,446,000	88,955,000
Fair Value	12,554,681,000	12,806,555,000					513,350,000	521,875,000	1,063,750,000	1,078,500,000	815,385,000	844,725,000	1,668,750,000	1,683,750,000	933,750,000	940,500,000	1,664,250,000	1,669,500,000	2,220,000,000	2,280,000,000	2,102,000,000	2,150,000,000	1,485,000	1,548,750,000	88,446,000	88,955,000
Capital lease obligations	241,187,000	249,145,000
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations (including current portion)	11,879,633,000	11,888,100,000
Principal balance reclassified to Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations							$ 500,000,000