Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities
Current marketable investment securities	$ 5,508,737	$ 3,631,637
Restricted marketable investment securities	72,800	51,366
Noncurrent marketable investment securities - ARS and other	126,856	106,172
Total marketable investment securities	5,708,393	3,789,175
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	22,354	83,044
Other investment securities - cost method	15,104	12,879
Total other investment securities	15,104	12,879
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents and other investment securities	5,745,851	3,885,098
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities
Current marketable investment securities	149,920	130,306
Current marketable investment securities - strategic
Marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities
Current marketable investment securities	1,377,727	1,261,015
Current marketable investment securities - other
Marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities
Current marketable investment securities	$ 3,981,090	$ 2,240,316

Marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalent and other investment securities.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as trading securities nor held-to-maturity securities and intended be sold or mature one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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- Definition

Amount, after adjustment, of cost-method investment. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, dividends received in excess of earnings after date of investment that are considered a return of investment and other than temporary impairments.

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- Definition

Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity, (2) trading securities, and (3) securities available-for-sale.

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Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity and (2) securities available-for-sale that will be held for the long-term.

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Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity, (2) trading securities, and (3) securities available-for-sale which are intended to be held for greater than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer and that are pledged to one or more secured parties who have the right to buy, sell, or re-pledge the collateral.

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- Definition

Other investments not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

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- Definition

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

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