Property and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 5,688,678	$ 5,856,745
Accumulated depreciation	(3,760,498)	(3,673,084)
Property and equipment, net	$ 1,928,180	2,183,661
Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	40 years
Equipment leased to customers
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 2,016,965	2,323,100
Equipment leased to customers \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Equipment leased to customers \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	5 years
EchoStar XV
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 277,658	277,658
Depreciable Life	15 years
EchoStar XVIII
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 411,255	411,255
Depreciable Life	15 years
D1
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 55,000	55,000
T1
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 100,000	100,000
Depreciable Life	14 years 3 months
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 499,819	499,819
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	10 years
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	15 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 1,923,585	1,779,109
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	10 years
Buildings and improvements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 290,650	293,571
Buildings and improvements \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	4 years
Buildings and improvements \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	40 years
Land
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 13,186	14,057
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 100,560	$ 103,176

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

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