Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Mar. 28, 2014 Wireless	Dec. 17, 2013 Wireless	Oct. 29, 2013 Wireless	Sep. 30, 2014 Wireless	Dec. 31, 2008 Wireless	Apr. 29, 2014 Wireless segment	Feb. 27, 2014 Wireless	Nov. 03, 2014 Wireless Subsequent event	Oct. 30, 2014 Wireless Subsequent event item	Sep. 30, 2014 Wireless Minimum	Sep. 30, 2014 Wireless UTAM Inc.	Sep. 30, 2014 Wireless Sprint	Mar. 09, 2012 DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions Wireless	Sep. 30, 2014 DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions Wireless
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses					$ 1,672,000,000	$ 712,000,000
700 MHz Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)						35.00%
700 MHz Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)						70.00%
Modified 700 MHz Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)				40.00%
Modified 700 MHz Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)				70.00%
Purchase price														2,860,000,000
AWS-4 Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)															40.00%
AWS-4 Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)															70.00%
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement	1 year				2 years										1 year
Number of wireless spectrum licenses							176
Aggregate bid price								1,564,000,000
H Block FCC license deposit	1,343,372,000	1,236,000,000	328,000,000
Clearance costs associated with H Block spectrum												13,000,000	95,000,000
H Block Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)											40.00%
H Block Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)											75.00%
Number of other applicants qualified to participate in the AWS-3 auction										69
Aggregate reserve price for licenses in the 1695-1710 MHz band									580,000,000
Aggregate reserve price for paired licenses in the 1755-1780/2155-2180 MHz bands									$ 10,066,000,000