Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities - Investments Measured at Fair Value On A Recurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	$ 220,028	$ 640,191
US Treasury and agency securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	82,290	82,124
Corporate securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	125,282	349,897
Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	1,184	47,847
Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity securities	11,272	160,323
Fair value measurements on recurring basis
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	3,260,509	920,689
Subtotal	220,028	640,191
Derivative financial instruments		556,828
Total	220,028	1,197,019
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| US Treasury and agency securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	82,290	82,124
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Corporate securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	125,282	349,897
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	1,184	47,847
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity securities	11,272	160,323
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	2,681,628	82,675
Subtotal	88,832	237,651
Total	88,832	237,651
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1 \| US Treasury and agency securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	77,560	77,328
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Equity securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Equity securities	11,272	160,323
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2
Fair value of marketable securities
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	578,881	838,014
Subtotal	124,837	396,177
Derivative financial instruments		556,828
Total	124,837	953,005
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| US Treasury and agency securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	4,730	4,796
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Corporate securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	119,118	343,733
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	989	47,648
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3
Fair value of marketable securities
Subtotal	6,359	6,363
Total	6,359	6,363
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Corporate securities
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	6,164	6,164
Fair value measurements on recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Other (including restricted)
Fair value of marketable securities
Debt securities	$ 195	$ 199

Marketable debt and equity securities.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents the fair value of investments in marketable debt and equity securities. It also represents the fair values of all assets resulting from contracts that meet the criteria of being accounted for as derivative instruments, net of the effects of master netting arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor as trading.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62557-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Cash
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Cash Equivalents
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41271-113958

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41228-113958

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13495-108611

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226008-175313

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=dish_OtherDebtSecuritiesNonrestrictedAndRestrictedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: