Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details) $ in Thousands									1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				96 Months Ended	108 Months Ended
	Dec. 13, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 05, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 19, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 29, 2014 USD ($) segment	Oct. 29, 2013	Mar. 09, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2008 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses													$ 8,970,389	$ 1,343,372		$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Percent of coverage on available licensed geographic areas												90.00%
First phase auction threshold proceeds				$ 23,100,000
First Phase Auction Threshold Amount Net Proceeds				88,400,000
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement												1 year
Unrecognized tax benefits									$ 357,370			$ 357,370	$ 335,933	$ 207,675		$ 335,933	357,370	$ 151,353
Auction 1000 [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Minimum Upfront Deposit From Bidder In Forward Auction Bid												5,400,000
First Phase Auction Threshold Amount				88,400,000								$ 88,400,000
Percent of coverage on available licensed geographic areas												90.00%
First phase auction threshold proceeds				$ 23,100,000
First Phase Auction Threshold Amount Net Proceeds												$ 88,400,000
Second Phase Auction Threshold Amount Proceeds			$ 21,500,000
Second Phase Auction Threshold Amount			$ 56,500,000									56,500,000
Third phase auction threshold amount		$ 42,300,000										42,300,000
Third phase auction threshold proceed		$ 19,700,000
Fourth phase auction threshold amount	$ 12,000,000											$ 12,000,000
Fourth Phase Auction Threshold Amount Proceeds									19,600,000
Fourth phase auction amount of spectrum | item												70
Wireless
Spectrum Investments
Modified 700 MHz Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)							70.00%
H Block Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses						$ 1,672,000
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%
700 MHz Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses															$ 712,000
700 MHz Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)							40.00%
AWS 3 Auction
Spectrum Investments
Refund amount received											$ 400,000
Northstar Licenses | Prior Arrangement [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Number Of Licenses Returned | item												84
Nonpayment Gross Winning Bids									2,226,000			$ 2,226,000					2,226,000
DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions | Wireless
Spectrum Investments
Purchase price								$ 2,860,000
AWS-4 Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)												40.00%
AWS-4 Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)												70.00%
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
Spectrum Investments
Total investments									$ 10,191,000			$ 10,191,000					$ 10,191,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS 3 Auction
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
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
Reauction Payment												$ 1,892,000
Interim Payment Percentage												15.00%
Overpayment Of Interim Payment												$ 334,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Manager LLC
Spectrum Investments
Controlling interest owned by other companies												15.00%
Equity contribution					$ 133,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II
Spectrum Investments
Ownership percentage												85.00%
Equity contribution					750,000
Loan made												$ 69,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II | Northstar Credit Agreement
Spectrum Investments
Loan made					5,070,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction
Spectrum Investments
Interim Payment Percentage												15.00%
Interim Payment												$ 334,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item									261			261					261
Bidding Credit										$ 1,961,000
Gross winning bids												$ 5,619,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Nonpayment Gross Winning Bids									$ 2,226,000			$ 2,226,000					$ 2,226,000
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
Gross winning bids												$ 7,845,000
Net winning bid												5,884,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | SNR Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Percentage of bidding credit										25.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Spectrum Investments
Reauction Payment												$ 1,029,000
Interim Payment Percentage												15.00%
Overpayment Of Interim Payment												$ 182,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Credit Agreement [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Loan made					3,847,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Wireless Management LLC
Spectrum Investments
Controlling interest owned by other companies												15.00%
Equity contribution					93,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III
Spectrum Investments
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item									244			244					244
Additional loan to pay gross winning bids												$ 344,000
Gross winning bids												$ 4,271,000
Ownership percentage												85.00%
Equity contribution					$ 524,000
Loan made												$ 344,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Nonpayment Gross Winning Bids									$ 1,211,000			1,211,000					$ 1,211,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Nonpayment Gross Winning Bids									$ 1,211,000			$ 1,211,000					$ 1,211,000
Interim Payment Percentage												15.00%
Interim Payment												$ 182,000
Bidding Credit										$ 1,370,000
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
Gross winning bids												$ 5,482,000
Net winning bid												4,112,000
Bid withdrawal payment												8,000
Additional Bid Withdrawl Payment												$ 3,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses | Prior Arrangement [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Number Of Licenses Returned | item												113