Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	$ 6,557,226,000	$ 7,323,286,000
Accumulated depreciation	(2,754,424,000)	(3,225,575,000)
Property and equipment, net	3,802,802,000	4,097,711,000
Decrease in property and equipment	1,073,000,000
Decrease in accumulated depreciation	633,000,000
Equipment leased to customers
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	3,640,723,000	3,596,310,000
Equipment leased to customers | Minimum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	2 years
Equipment leased to customers | Maximum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	5 years
EchoStar I
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment		201,607,000
Depreciable Life	12 years
EchoStar VII
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment		177,000,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
EchoStar X
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment		177,192,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
EchoStar XI
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment		200,198,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
EchoStar XIV
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment		316,541,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
EchoStar XV
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	277,658,000	277,658,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
D1
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	150,000,000	150,000,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
T1
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	401,721,000	401,721,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	499,819,000	499,819,000
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Minimum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	10 years
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Maximum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	15 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	752,035,000	720,570,000
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Minimum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	1 year
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Maximum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	10 years
Buildings and improvements
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	84,638,000	83,531,000
Buildings and improvements | Minimum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	1 year
Buildings and improvements | Maximum
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Depreciable Life	40 years
Land
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	5,504,000	5,692,000
Construction in progress
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	745,128,000	515,447,000
Construction in progress | Wireless ground equipment and build-out, including capitalized interest
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	449,387,000	289,732,000
Construction in progress | Pay-TV Satellites, including capitalized interest
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	236,688,000	143,839,000
Construction in progress | T2 satellite
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	40,000,000	40,000,000
Construction in progress | Other
Property and Equipment and FCC Authorizations
Total property and equipment	$ 19,053,000	$ 41,876,000