Represents value of bidding credit.

No definition available.

Name:	dish_BiddingCredit
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of states region in which wireline voice and broadband services are offered.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_NumberOfStatesInWhichWirelineVoiceAndBroadbandServicesAreOffered
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of subscribers for broadband services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_NumberOfSubscribersForBroadbandServices
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of subscribers of DISH branded pay TV services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_NumberOfSubscribersForPayTVServices
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of bidding credit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_PercentageOfBiddingCredit
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents percentage of bidding credit which is not eligible to receive if the draft order got approval.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_PercentageOfBiddingCreditNotEligible
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying amount of total investment into Variable Interest Entity included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_VariableInterestEntityInvestmentTotal
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow to acquire asset without physical form usually arising from contractual or other legal rights, excluding goodwill.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5A

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=SL6759159-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryDoesNotHoldMajorityVotingInterestDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dish_WirelessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dish_Aws3AuctionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=dish_NorthstarWirelessOrNorthstarSpectrumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dish_NorthstarLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=dish_SNRWirelessOrSNRWirelessHoldcoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dish_SNRLicensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Organization and Business Activities (Details) $ in Millions			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	90 Months Ended
	Jul. 22, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 29, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) segment item	Dec. 31, 2008 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) item	Mar. 02, 2015 USD ($)
Organization and Business Activities
Number of primary business segments \| segment			2
Number of DISH branded pay TV services subscribers \| item			13,932,000		13,932,000
Number of subscribers for broadband services under the dishNET brand \| item			595,000		595,000
Number of state region in which wireline voice and broadband services are offered \| item			14
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets					$ 5,000
Wireless
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets		$ 1,672		$ 712	5,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
Variable Interest Entity
Total investments			$ 9,778		9,778
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco \| AWS 3 Auction Member
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit			25.00%
Variable Interest Entity
Total investments			$ 9,778		$ 9,778	$ 9,778
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit			25.00%
Variable Interest Entity
Ownership percentage			85.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum \| Northstar Licenses Member
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit			25.00%
Percentage of bidding credit not eligible to receive if the draft order got approval	25.00%
Bidding credit value	$ 1,961
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Variable Interest Entity
Ownership percentage			85.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco \| SNR Licenses Member
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit			25.00%
Percentage of bidding credit not eligible to receive if the draft order got approval	25.00%
Bidding credit value	$ 1,370