Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 subscriber	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 segment subscriber	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2008	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Sprint Settlement Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 United States	Sep. 30, 2012 United States	Sep. 30, 2013 United States	Sep. 30, 2012 United States	Sep. 30, 2012 United Kingdom	Sep. 30, 2013 United Kingdom	Sep. 30, 2012 United Kingdom	Sep. 30, 2013 Mexico	Sep. 30, 2012 Mexico	Sep. 30, 2013 Mexico	Sep. 30, 2012 Mexico	Sep. 30, 2013 Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Other	Sep. 30, 2013 Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Other	Sep. 30, 2013 DISH	Sep. 30, 2012 DISH	Sep. 30, 2013 DISH	Sep. 30, 2012 DISH	Dec. 31, 2012 DISH	Sep. 30, 2013 Blockbuster	Sep. 30, 2012 Blockbuster	Sep. 30, 2013 Blockbuster	Sep. 30, 2012 Blockbuster	Dec. 31, 2012 Blockbuster	Sep. 30, 2013 Wireless	Sep. 30, 2012 Wireless	Sep. 30, 2013 Wireless	Sep. 30, 2012 Wireless	Dec. 31, 2008 Wireless	Dec. 31, 2012 Wireless	Sep. 30, 2013 Eliminations	Sep. 30, 2012 Eliminations	Sep. 30, 2013 Eliminations	Sep. 30, 2012 Eliminations	Dec. 31, 2012 Eliminations	Jun. 30, 2013 MSS business TerreStar Networks, Inc. ("TerreStar")	Sep. 30, 2013 MSS business TerreStar Networks, Inc. ("TerreStar")
Segment Reporting
Number of primary operating business units			3
Number of DISH Network subscribers	14,049,000		14,049,000
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
Total assets	20,345,240,000		20,345,240,000				17,379,608,000																	19,677,640,000		19,677,640,000		16,144,977,000	227,126,000		227,126,000		357,267,000	4,889,632,000		4,889,632,000			5,066,616,000	(4,449,158,000)		(4,449,158,000)		(4,189,252,000)
Total revenue	3,601,577,000	3,523,347,000	10,762,934,000	10,676,982,000					3,562,670,000	3,406,088,000	10,615,673,000	10,316,080,000	66,744,000	10,883,000	206,978,000	38,129,000	37,507,000	117,715,000	114,196,000	778,000	13,008,000	18,663,000	39,728,000	3,507,473,000	3,298,869,000	10,375,785,000	9,875,890,000		96,665,000	230,885,000	397,597,000	818,188,000		395,000	305,000	1,607,000	634,000			(2,956,000)	(6,712,000)	(12,055,000)	(17,730,000)
Operating income (loss)	397,421,000	(273,029,000)	870,347,000	767,734,000																				442,368,000	(241,674,000)	1,462,716,000	824,244,000		(23,498,000)	(11,919,000)	(27,909,000)	(11,295,000)		(21,449,000)	(19,436,000)	(564,460,000)	(45,215,000)
Impairment of long-lived assets			437,575,000																																	438,000,000
Additional depreciation expense related to accelerated depreciable lives of certain assets																																													53,000,000	53,000,000
Legal and financial advisory fees								$ 18,000,000