Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 segment	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting
Number of primary operating business units			2
Segment information
Total assets	$ 21,123,431,000		$ 21,123,431,000		$ 20,356,430,000
Assets of discontinued operations					78,204,000
Total revenue	3,679,351,000	3,505,021,000	10,961,668,000	10,366,325,000
Operating income (loss)	388,509,000	420,394,000	1,289,551,000	897,222,000
Impairment of long-lived assets				437,575,000
MSS business
Segment information
Additional depreciation expense related to accelerated depreciable lives of certain assets				53,000,000
Sprint Settlement Agreement
Segment information
Legal and financial advisory fees				18,000,000
Continuing operations
Segment information
Total assets	21,123,431,000		21,123,431,000		20,278,226,000
Eliminations
Segment information
Total assets	(5,449,500,000)		(5,449,500,000)		(4,041,934,000)
Total revenue	(72,000)		(72,000)
DISH | Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	20,635,838,000		20,635,838,000		19,694,655,000
Total revenue	3,679,419,000	3,504,626,000	10,961,402,000	10,364,718,000
Operating income (loss)	402,223,000	441,843,000	1,342,413,000	1,461,682,000
Wireless
Segment information
Impairment of long-lived assets				438,000,000
Wireless | Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	5,937,093,000		5,937,093,000		4,625,505,000
Total revenue	4,000	395,000	338,000	1,607,000
Operating income (loss)	$ (13,714,000)	$ (21,449,000)	$ (52,862,000)	$ (564,460,000)