Commitments and Contingencies - Part 4 (Details)			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Jul. 31, 2009 item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss contingencies
General and administrative expenses					$ 783,224,000	$ 777,507,000	$ 815,745,000
Satellite transponder guarantees
Loss contingencies
Guarantees for payments			$ 190,000,000		$ 190,000,000
Technology Development Licensing
Loss contingency terms
Number of reexamination petitions pending before patent and trademark office | item				2
Lightsquared Harbinger Capital Partners LLC
Loss contingency terms
Business days allowed to terminate existing agreements					3 days
LightSquared transaction shareholder derivative actions
Loss contingencies
Number of shareholders who filed lawsuits | item					5
Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingencies
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services					5 years
Number Of Telemarketing Calls | item			51,119
Litigation Per Call Damages			$ 400
Do Not Call Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingencies
Claim amount		$ 270,000,000
Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value From State Plaintiff					$ 23,500,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum | DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingencies
Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value From Federal Plaintiff					$ 900,000,000
OHIO | Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value From State Plaintiff			10,000,000
CALIFORNIA | Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value From State Plaintiff			100,000,000
Illinois And North Carolina [Member] | Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value From State Plaintiff			$ 1,000,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member]
Loss contingencies
Percentage Of Bidding Credit					25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member] | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingencies
Loss Contingency Recovery Amount	$ 10,000,000,000
Percentage Of Bidding Credit	25.00%
Bidding Credit	$ 3,300,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member] | Maximum | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingencies
Claim amount	11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses [Member] | Minimum | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingencies
Claim amount	$ 5,500