Commitments and Contingencies (Details) $ in Thousands										1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		84 Months Ended	120 Months Ended	132 Months Ended
	Jun. 07, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 06, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	May 11, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 29, 2014 USD ($) segment	Oct. 29, 2013	Mar. 09, 2012 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2008 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Apr. 13, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												$ 22,714,023				$ 22,714,023
2019												3,878,193				3,878,193
2020												2,194,880				2,194,880
2021												2,944,523				2,944,523
2022												2,765,372				2,765,372
2023												1,961,748				1,961,748
Thereafter												8,969,307				8,969,307
Unrecognized tax benefits												385,394			$ 393,916	385,394		$ 358,023	$ 336,586
Expected expenditures for second phase of network deployment												$ 10,000,000				10,000,000
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets														$ 11,000,000	21,000,000	$ 21,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)												7.75%				7.75%
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity												$ 10,000,000				$ 10,000,000
Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Expected expenditures for wireless projects												1,000,000				1,000,000
Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Expected expenditures for wireless projects												$ 500,000				500,000
LMDS Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Number Of Markets | item												4
Wireless
Commitment and Contingencies
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets														$ 11,000,000		$ 11,000,000
Modified 700 MHz Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)								70.00%
H Block Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets							$ 1,672,000
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | segment							176
H Block Licenses | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)												75.00%
700 MHz Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets													$ 712,000
600 MHz Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item												486				486
Aggregate Bid Price																	$ 6,211,000
600 MHz Licenses | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Percent of coverage on available licensed geographic areas												75.00%
600 MHz Licenses | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Percent of coverage on available licensed geographic areas												40.00%
DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions | Wireless
Commitment and Contingencies
Purchase price									$ 2,860,000
AWS-4 Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)												70.00%
Prior Arrangement | Northstar Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Non-payment gross winning bids												$ 2,226,000				$ 2,226,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Number of licenses returned | item												84
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity												$ 10,000,000				10,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | Wireless
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity															$ 10,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS 3 Auction
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses
Commitment and 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 Spectrum And SNR Holdco | Northstar Operative Agreement | American II
Commitment and Contingencies
Debt outstanding amount			$ 6,870,000								$ 6,870,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum
Commitment and Contingencies
Interim payment percentage												15.00%
Re-Auction payment												$ 1,892,000
Overpayment Of Interim Payment												334,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Noncontrolling Interest in Variable Interest Entity												$ 10,000,000				$ 10,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Manager LLC
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Controlling interest owned by other companies												15.00%
Equity contribution						$ 133,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II
Commitment and Contingencies
Ownership percentage												85.00%
Loan made												$ 69,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Equity contribution						7,621,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction
Commitment and Contingencies
Interim Payment												$ 334,000
Interim payment percentage												15.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item												261				261
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Gross winning bids												$ 5,619,000
Bidding credit value										$ 1,961,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Non-payment gross winning bids												2,226,000				$ 2,226,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Gross winning bids												$ 7,845,000
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
Net winning bid												$ 5,884,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | SNR Licenses
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Percentage of bidding credit										25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Operative Agreement | American II
Commitment and Contingencies
Principal amount of debt			$ 500,000								$ 500,000
Loan balance maturity period	10 years	7 years
Removal of consent for unsecured financing and equipment financing	$ 25,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Operative Agreement | American II | Preferred Class A
Commitment and Contingencies
Number shares issued in conversion											6,870,493
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)											12.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Operative Agreement | American II | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Interest rate (as a percent)			12.00%								12.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Operative Agreement | American II | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Interest rate (as a percent)			6.00%								6.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Commitment and Contingencies
Interim payment percentage												15.00%
Re-Auction payment												$ 1,029,000
Overpayment Of Interim Payment												$ 182,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)	12.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)	8.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Wireless Management LLC
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Controlling interest owned by other companies												15.00%
Equity contribution						93,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American II
Commitment and Contingencies
Window of days for management to put its interest	90 days	30 days
Additional days allowed for management to put its interest	90 days
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American II | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)	12.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American II | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)	8.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III
Commitment and Contingencies
Number of wireless spectrum licenses | item												244				244
Loan made												$ 344,000
Debt outstanding amount			$ 5,065,000								$ 5,065,000
Principal amount of debt			$ 500,000								$ 500,000
Window of days for management to put its interest	90 days	30 days
Additional days allowed for management to put its interest	90 days
Additional loan to pay gross winning bids												344,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Equity contribution						5,590,000
Gross winning bids												4,271,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III | Preferred Class A
Commitment and Contingencies
Number shares issued in conversion | item											5,065,415
Preferred stock quarterly distribution (as a percent)											12.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Interest rate (as a percent)			12.00%								12.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Interest rate (as a percent)			6.00%								6.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Non-payment gross winning bids												1,211,000				$ 1,211,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Commitment and Contingencies
Interim Payment												182,000
Non-payment gross winning bids												$ 1,211,000				1,211,000
Interim payment percentage												15.00%
Additional Bid Withdrawal Payment												$ 3,000
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Gross winning bids												$ 5,482,000
Percentage of bidding credit												25.00%
Net winning bid												$ 4,112,000
Bid withdrawal payment												$ 8,000
Bidding credit value										$ 1,370,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | Prior Arrangement | SNR Licenses
Commitments relating to AWS-3 Auction
Number of licenses returned | item												113
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Operative Agreement | American III
Commitment and Contingencies
Removal of consent for unsecured financing and equipment financing	$ 25,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Operative Agreement | American III | Maximum
Commitment and Contingencies
Loan balance maturity period	10 years
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Operative Agreement | American III | Minimum
Commitment and Contingencies
Loan balance maturity period		7 years
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco Class B Interests [Member] | American III
Commitment and Contingencies
Ownership percentage												85.00%
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco Class A Interests [Member] | American III
Commitment and Contingencies
Ownership percentage												100.00%
FCC Wireless Bureau | Auction 1000
Commitment and Contingencies
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets					$ 1,500,000
Payment of remaining balance of winning bid				$ 4,711,000
Long-term debt obligations
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												$ 15,957,087				15,957,087
2019												1,322,070				1,322,070
2020												1,104,503				1,104,503
2021												2,004,626				2,004,626
2022												2,004,756				2,004,756
2023												1,504,569				1,504,569
Thereafter												8,016,563				8,016,563
Capital lease obligations [Member]
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												66,984				66,984
2019												19,922				19,922
2020												19,166				19,166
2021												20,645				20,645
2022												7,251				7,251
Interest expense on long-term debt and capital lease obligations
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												4,247,370				4,247,370
2019												889,686				889,686
2020												759,850				759,850
2021												662,942				662,942
2022												594,458				594,458
2023												438,488				438,488
Thereafter												901,946				901,946
Satellite-related obligations
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												887,386				887,386
2019												311,374				311,374
2020												236,913				236,913
2021												206,111				206,111
2022												124,668				124,668
2023												8,320				8,320
Operating lease obligations
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												162,335				162,335
2019												38,561				38,561
2020												25,482				25,482
2021												20,915				20,915
2022												16,208				16,208
2023												10,371				10,371
Thereafter												50,798				50,798
Purchase obligations
Commitment and Contingencies
Total												1,392,861				1,392,861
2019												1,296,580				1,296,580
2020												48,966				48,966
2021												29,284				29,284
2022												$ 18,031				$ 18,031
SNR Credit Agreement | SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Commitment and Contingencies
Loan made						500,000,000
SNR Credit Agreement | SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | American III
Commitment and Contingencies
Loan made			$ 500,000
Northstar Credit Agreement | Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | American II
Commitment and Contingencies
Loan made						$ 500,000,000					$ 500,000