Property and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 6,681,011	$ 6,581,524
Accumulated depreciation	(2,910,542)	(2,807,985)
Property and equipment, net	3,770,469	3,773,539
Equipment leased to customers
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 3,525,007	3,639,607
Equipment leased to customers | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Equipment leased to customers | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	5 years
EchoStar XV
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 277,658	277,658
Depreciable Life	15 years
D1
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 150,000	150,000
Depreciable Life	15 years
T1
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 401,721	401,721
Depreciable Life	15 years
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 499,819	499,819
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	10 years
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	15 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 761,688	747,139
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	1 year
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	10 years
Buildings and improvements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 87,018	85,509
Buildings and improvements | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	1 year
Buildings and improvements | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	40 years
Land
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 5,504	5,504
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	972,596	774,567
Construction in progress | EchoStar XVIII, including capitalized interest
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	333,150	271,497
Construction in progress | Wireless ground equipment, including capitalized interest
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	609,560	484,668
Construction in progress | Other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 29,886	$ 18,402