Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 3,460,845	$ 3,643,632	$ 6,919,332	$ 7,323,993
Subscriber-related expenses	2,159,427	2,242,775	4,344,378	4,485,962
Total subscriber acquisition costs	183,262	275,460	379,273	565,494
Operating income (loss)	572,660	252,103	1,102,166	859,423
Income (loss) before income taxes	601,846	241,448	1,102,904	838,635
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(141,560)	(182,686)	(257,297)	(389,798)
Net income (loss) attributable) to DISH Network	$ 438,717	$ 40,116	$ 806,277	$ 415,831
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to DISH Network	$ 0.83	$ 0.09	$ 1.53	$ 0.86
Subscriber-related revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 3,419,760		$ 6,842,464
ASU 2014-09 | DISH Network (as would have been reported under previous standard)
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related expenses	2,162,252		4,351,630
Total subscriber acquisition costs	227,221		463,530
Operating income (loss)	528,590		1,022,299
Income (loss) before income taxes	557,776		1,023,037
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(130,488)		(237,634)
Net income (loss) attributable) to DISH Network	$ 405,719		$ 746,073
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to DISH Network	$ 0.77		$ 1.42
ASU 2014-09 | DISH Network (as would have been reported under previous standard) | Subscriber-related revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 3,422,474		$ 6,854,106
ASU 2014-09 | Impact of adoption ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related expenses	(2,825)		(7,252)
Total subscriber acquisition costs	(43,959)		(84,257)
Operating income (loss)	44,070		79,867
Income (loss) before income taxes	44,070		79,867
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(11,072)		(19,663)
Net income (loss) attributable) to DISH Network	$ 32,998		$ 60,204
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to DISH Network	$ 0.06		$ 0.11
ASU 2014-09 | Impact of adoption ASU 2014-09 | Subscriber-related revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenues	$ (2,714)		$ (11,642)