Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Current marketable investment securities	$ 3,748,839	$ 4,117,326
Restricted marketable investment securities	74,194	63,902
Total marketable investment securities	3,823,033	4,181,228
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	6,490	18,878
Total marketable investment securities and restricted cash and cash equivalents	4,159,273	4,205,502
EchoStar
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Other investment securities - cost method	228,795
HSSC
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Other investment securities - cost method	87,409
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Current marketable investment securities	20,538	105,854
Settlement period	5 days
Current marketable investment securities - other
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Current marketable investment securities	3,728,301	4,011,472
Other investment securities - cost method	$ 13,546	$ 5,396

Represents the amount of marketable investment securities and restricted cash and cash equivalents.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Settlement period of security.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as trading securities nor held-to-maturity securities and intended be sold or mature one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

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- Definition

Amount, after adjustment, of cost-method investment. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, dividends received in excess of earnings after date of investment that are considered a return of investment and other than temporary impairments.

+ References

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- Definition

Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity, (2) trading securities, and (3) securities available-for-sale.

+ References

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Total debt and equity financial instruments including: (1) securities held-to-maturity, (2) trading securities, and (3) securities available-for-sale which are intended to be held for greater than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer and that are pledged to one or more secured parties who have the right to buy, sell, or re-pledge the collateral.

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- Definition

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

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