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Commitments and Contingencies (Details)
$ in Millions
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 84 Months Ended
Aug. 18, 2015
USD ($)
Apr. 29, 2014
USD ($)
segment
Oct. 29, 2013
Mar. 09, 2012
Mar. 09, 2012
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2016
USD ($)
item
Dec. 31, 2008
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Spectrum Investments                  
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets               $ 5,000  
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement           1 year      
Wireless                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets             $ 712    
Modified 700 MHz Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)     40.00%            
Modified 700 MHz Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)     70.00%            
H Block Licenses                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets   $ 1,672              
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement           2 years      
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | segment   176              
H Block Licenses | Minimum                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)           40.00%      
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)           75.00%      
AWS-3 Licenses [Member]                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Refund amount received           $ 400      
DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions | Wireless                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Purchase price         $ 2,860        
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      
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Ownership percentage       100.00%          
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity                 $ 10,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Percentage of bidding credit 25.00%                
Total investments           $ 10,191      
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | American III                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item           244      
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses [Member]                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement           2 years      
Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)           40.00%      
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)           75.00%      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Re-Auction payment           $ 1,892      
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Percentage of bidding credit           15.00%      
Bidding credit value $ 1,961                
Interim Payment           $ 334      
Interim payment percentage           15.00%      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Manager LLC                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Controlling interest owned by other companies           15.00%      
Equity contribution           $ 133      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Loan made           $ 69      
Ownership percentage           85.00%      
Equity contribution           $ 750      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II | Northstar Credit Agreement                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Loan made           $ 5,070      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item           261      
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Gross winning bids           $ 5,619      
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member]                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Percentage of bidding credit           25.00%      
Gross winning bids           $ 7,845      
Net winning bid           $ 5,884      
Number of licenses returned | item           84      
Nonpayment gross winning bids           $ 2,226      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco                  
Spectrum Investments                  
Re-Auction payment           1,029      
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Bidding credit value $ 1,370                
Interim Payment           182      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Credit Agreement [Member]                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Loan made           $ 3,847      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Wireless Management LLC                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Controlling interest owned by other companies           15.00%      
Equity contribution           $ 93      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Gross winning bids           4,271      
Loan made           $ 344      
Ownership percentage           85.00%      
Equity contribution           $ 524      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | AWS 3 Auction                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Gross winning bids           5,482      
Net winning bid           4,112      
Bid withdrawal payment           $ 8      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses [Member] | SNR Wireless Management LLC                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Percentage of bidding credit           15.00%      
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Nonpayment gross winning bids           $ 1,211      
Additional bid withdrawl payment           $ 3      
Prior Arrangement [Member] | Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | SNR Licenses                  
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction                  
Number of licenses returned | item           113