Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 segment	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting
Number of primary operating business units			2
Segment information
Total assets	$ 20,768,696,000		$ 20,768,696,000		$ 20,356,430,000
Assets of discontinued operations					78,204,000
Total revenue	3,688,119,000	3,485,774,000	7,282,317,000	6,861,304,000
Operating income (loss)	454,744,000	25,211,000	901,042,000	476,828,000
Impairment of long-lived assets		437,575,000		437,575,000
MSS business
Segment information
Additional depreciation expense related to accelerated depreciable lives of certain assets		53,000,000		53,000,000
Sprint Settlement Agreement
Segment information
Legal and financial advisory fees		18,000,000		18,000,000
Continuing operations
Segment information
Total assets	20,768,696,000		20,768,696,000		20,278,226,000
Operating segment
Segment information
Operating income (loss)	454,744,000	25,211,000	901,042,000	476,828,000
Eliminations
Segment information
Total assets	(5,375,817,000)		(5,375,817,000)		(4,041,934,000)
DISH | Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	20,142,814,000		20,142,814,000		19,694,655,000
Total revenue	3,687,951,000	3,485,212,000	7,281,983,000	6,860,092,000
Operating income (loss)	470,260,000	550,220,000	940,190,000	1,019,839,000
Wireless
Segment information
Impairment of long-lived assets		438,000,000		438,000,000
Wireless | Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	6,001,699,000		6,001,699,000		4,625,505,000
Total revenue	168,000	562,000	334,000	1,212,000
Operating income (loss)	$ (15,516,000)	$ (525,009,000)	$ (39,148,000)	$ (543,011,000)