Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations - Fair Value of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 14,674,029	$ 15,957,087
Fair Value	14,561,669	14,032,065
Unamortized debt discount on the Convertible Notes	(760,983)	(833,906)
Unamortized deferred financing costs and other debt discounts, net	(30,544)	(37,388)
Finance lease obligations	251,704	66,984
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations (including current portion)	$ 14,134,206	$ 15,152,777
7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2016
Debt Instrument
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.875%	7.875%
7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2019
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value		$ 1,317,372
Fair Value		1,343,298
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.875%
5 1/8% Senior Notes due 2020
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 1,100,000	1,100,000
Fair Value	$ 1,114,740	$ 1,089,957
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.125%	5.125%
6 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 2,000,000	$ 2,000,000
Fair Value	$ 2,110,000	$ 1,974,940
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.75%	6.75%
5 7/8% Senior Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 2,000,000	$ 2,000,000
Fair Value	$ 2,083,760	$ 1,833,140
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%	5.875%
5% Senior Notes due 2023
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 1,500,000	$ 1,500,000
Fair Value	$ 1,516,920	$ 1,247,445
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%	5.00%
5 7/8% Senior Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 2,000,000	$ 2,000,000
Fair Value	$ 1,986,120	$ 1,611,960
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%	5.875%
2 3/8% Convertible Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000
Fair Value	$ 879,380	$ 801,200
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.375%	2.375%
7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 2,000,000	$ 2,000,000
Fair Value	$ 2,039,420	$ 1,653,720
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.75%	7.75%
3 3/8% Convertible Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 3,000,000	$ 3,000,000
Fair Value	$ 2,757,300	$ 2,436,690
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.375%	3.375%
Other notes payable
Debt Instrument
Carrying Value	$ 74,029	$ 39,715
Fair Value	$ 74,029	$ 39,715

Amount of short-term and long-term debt and lease obligation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13,16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscountPremiumAndDebtIssuanceCostsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918701-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes7.125PercentDue2016Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes7.875PercentDue2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes5.125PercentDue2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes6.750PercentDue2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes5.875PercentDue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes5PercentDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes5.875PercentDue2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_ConvertibleNotes2.38Due2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_SeniorNotes7.75Due2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_ConvertibleNotes3.375PercentDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dish_OtherNotesPayableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: