Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details)					1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 22, 2017 $ / item	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2009 item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)
Loss contingencies
Total rent expense for operating leases									$ 407,000,000	$ 409,000,000	$ 479,000,000
Attorneys' fees									295,695,000	21,148,000	$ 20,900,000
Satellite transponder guarantees
Loss contingencies
Guarantees for payments									$ 127,000,000
Technology Development Licensing
Loss contingencies
Number of reexamination petitions pending before patent and trademark office | item							2
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingencies
Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)									40.00%
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)									75.00%
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement									2 years
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit									25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit		25.00%
Recovery amount		$ 10,000,000,000
Bidding Credit		$ 3,300,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Minimum | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount			$ 5,500
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Maximum | Vermont National Telephone Company [Member]
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount			$ 11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit						25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Bidding Credit						$ 1,961,000,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit									25.00%
Bidding Credit						$ 1,370,000,000
Lightsquared Harbinger Capital Partners LLC
Loss contingencies
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 | Maximum | OHIO
Loss contingencies
Claim amount from state plaintiff					10,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum | CALIFORNIA
Loss contingencies
Claim amount from state plaintiff					100,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum | Illinois And North Carolina [Member]
Loss contingencies
Claim amount from state plaintiff					$ 1,000,000,000
Krakauer Action
Loss contingencies
Attorneys' fees								$ 20,000,000	$ 41,000,000
Third party Number Of Calls Made In Case Trebled Damages Per Call | $ / item	1,200
Krakauer Action | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual									61,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Damages awarded to state and federal plaintiff												$ 280,000,000
Attorneys' fees									255,000,000	$ 25,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual									280,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingencies
Claim amount from state plaintiff									23,500,000,000
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount				$ 270,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Do Not Call Litigation | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Claim amount from federal plaintiff									$ 900,000,000