Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets - FCC Authorizations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 01, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	$ 35,960,654	$ 28,632,665	$ 26,903,939
Wireless
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		12,368,647	11,453,128
DBS Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		677,409	677,409
700 MHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		711,871	711,871
MVDDS
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		24,000	24,000
AWS-4 Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		1,940,000	1,940,000
H Block Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		1,671,506	1,671,506
600 MHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		6,211,154	6,211,154
28 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		2,883	2,883
24 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		11,772	11,772
37 Ghz, 39 Ghz and 47 Ghz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		202,533	202,533
AWS-3 Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		9,890,389	9,890,389
AWS-3 Licenses | Northstar Manager And Northstar Spectrum
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		5,618,930	5,618,930
AWS-3 Licenses | SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		4,271,459	4,271,459
3550-3650 MHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		912,939
3.7-3.98 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		2,580
3.45-3.55 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	$ 7,327,989
Capitalized interest on FCC authorizations [Member]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations		$ 6,373,629	$ 5,560,422