Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets - Property and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 5,722,645	$ 6,034,629
Accumulated depreciation	(3,165,263)	(3,110,449)
Property and equipment, net	2,557,382	2,924,180
Construction in progress	68,187	$ 382,464
Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		1 year
Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		40 years
EchoStar XVIII, including capitalized interest [Member]
Property and equipment
Construction in progress		$ 346,417
Other
Property and equipment
Construction in progress	68,187	36,047
Equipment leased to customers
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 3,104,669	3,549,701
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
EchoStar XVIII
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 411,255
Depreciable Life	15 years
D1
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 55,000	55,000
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	$ 805,526	775,834
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	$ 93,605	86,928
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	$ 5,205	5,504
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 68,187	$ 382,464

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14)
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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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-Section S99
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(13))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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