Capital distribution to the related party in connection with purchases of strategic investments, net of tax.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Capital Distribution To Related Party Net Of Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the amount of cash transferred in exchange for shares of a series of preferred tracking stock issued under the agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_CashInExchangeOfSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value of liabilities transferred in noncash investing or financing activities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_LiabilitiesTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the historical cost of tracking stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the number of owned satellites transferred and leased back in connection with the transaction involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the percentage of economic interest held.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the preferred tracking stock issued during the period by related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_RelatedPartyTransactionsPreferredTrackingStockIssuedByRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the prohibited transfer period of preferred tracking stock issued during the period by related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_RelatedPartyTransactionsPreferredTrackingStockProhibitedTransferPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the difference between the historical cost basis of the Tracking Stock received and the net carrying value of the satellites included in the Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the maturity period of unsecured debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dish_UnsecuredDebtTermOfMaturity
Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=dish_TransactionAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=dish_DishInvestorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=dish_EchoStarAndHughesSatelliteSystemsCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=dish_EchoStarMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=dish_HughesSatelliteSystemsCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions			9 Months Ended
	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($) item shares	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016
Commercial paper \| Maximum
Other investment securities:
Debt term of Maturity			365 days
Corporate securities \| Maximum
Other investment securities:
Debt term of Maturity			18 months
Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Percentage of economic interest in the Hughes Retail Group	80.00%
EchoStar and HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Other investment securities:
Number of owned satellites transferred and leased back \| item	5
Transfer of liabilities and other	$ 59	$ 59
Capital transaction		356
Cash in exchange for shares of series of preferred tracking stock issued	$ 11	11
Capital transaction recorded in additional paid-in capital		51
Capital distribution to EchoStar, net of deferred taxes		51
EchoStar and HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Tracking stock prohibited transfer period	1 year
EchoStar \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party \| shares	6,290,499
Historical cost of tracking stock		229
HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party \| shares	81.128
Historical cost of tracking stock		$ 87