Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Inventory	$ 290,733	$ 321,008
Other current assets	289,800	329,394
Other noncurrent assets, net	446,077	393,426
Total assets	30,587,012	29,773,766
Deferred revenue and other	655,312	709,074
Deferred tax liabilities	2,474,907	2,019,538
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	470,932	470,487
Total liabilities	21,532,755	22,452,470
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	8,594,189	6,937,906	$ 4,611,323	$ 2,694,161
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	30,587,012	$ 29,773,766
ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Deferred tax liabilities	1,000
DISH Network (as would have been reported under previous standard)
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Inventory	261,196
Other current assets	240,471
Other noncurrent assets, net	326,496
Total assets	30,388,565
Deferred revenue and other	616,943
Deferred tax liabilities	2,435,988
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	468,279
Total liabilities	21,452,814
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	8,475,683
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	30,388,565
Impact of adoption ASU 2014-09 | ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Inventory	29,537
Other current assets	49,329
Other noncurrent assets, net	119,581
Total assets	198,447
Deferred revenue and other	38,369
Deferred tax liabilities	38,919
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	2,653
Total liabilities	79,941
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	118,506
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	$ 198,447