Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 segment item	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting
Number of primary operating business units	3
Number of DISH Network subscribers	14,092,000
Segment information
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses			$ 712,000,000
Payments to acquire wireless spectrum assets	2,860,000,000
Total assets	17,654,399,000			17,379,608,000
Total revenue	3,555,224,000	3,581,869,000
Operating income (loss)	452,253,000	572,411,000
United States
Segment information
Total revenue	3,490,475,000	3,457,835,000
United Kingdom
Segment information
Total revenue	10,883,000	70,711,000
Mexico
Segment information
Total revenue	45,329,000	41,306,000
Other
Segment information
Total revenue	8,537,000	12,017,000
DISH
Segment information
Total assets	13,946,338,000			13,568,087,000
Total revenue	3,379,043,000	3,252,922,000
Operating income (loss)	469,632,000	566,545,000
Blockbuster
Segment information
Total assets	278,710,000			357,267,000
Total revenue	180,324,000	333,991,000
Operating income (loss)	623,000	13,957,000
Wireless
Segment information
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses			712,000,000
Total assets	4,087,404,000			4,062,383,000
Total revenue	650,000	33,000
Operating income (loss)	(18,002,000)	(8,091,000)
Eliminations
Segment information
Total assets	(658,053,000)			(608,129,000)
Total revenue	$ (4,793,000)	$ (5,077,000)