XML 49 R45.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Property and Equipment (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment $ 5,065,949,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 6,072,434,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Accumulated depreciation (2,628,945,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (3,093,111,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Property and equipment, net 2,437,004,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 2,979,323,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Decrease in property and equipment as a result of the Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction 1,073,000,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentTransfersAndChanges  
Decrease in accumulated depreciation as a result of the Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction 633,000,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Minimum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 1 year  
Maximum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 40 years  
Equipment leased to customers    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 3,524,211,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentLeasedToOtherPartyMember		 3,496,994,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentLeasedToOtherPartyMember
Equipment leased to customers | Minimum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 2 years  
Equipment leased to customers | Maximum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 5 years  
EchoStar I    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment   201,607,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarIMember
Depreciable life of assets 12 years  
EchoStar VII    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment   177,000,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarVIIMember
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
EchoStar X    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment   177,192,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarXMember
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
EchoStar XI    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment   200,198,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarXIMember
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
EchoStar XIV    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment   316,541,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarXIVMember
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
EchoStar XV    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 277,658,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarXVMember		 277,658,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_EchoStarXVMember
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 499,819,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldUnderCapitalLeasesMember		 499,819,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldUnderCapitalLeasesMember
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Minimum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 10 years  
Satellites acquired under capital lease agreements | Maximum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 15 years  
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 656,273,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_FurnitureFixturesEquipmentAndOtherMember		 600,439,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= ddbs_FurnitureFixturesEquipmentAndOtherMember
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Minimum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 1 year  
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Maximum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 10 years  
Buildings and improvements    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 84,129,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember		 80,439,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Buildings and improvements | Minimum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 1 year  
Buildings and improvements | Maximum    
Property and Equipment    
Depreciable life of assets 40 years  
Land    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 5,504,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember		 5,504,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
Construction in progress    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 18,355,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember		 39,043,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Construction in progress | Computer hardware projects    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 1,399,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= ddbs_HardwareRelatedProjectsMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember		 20,216,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= ddbs_HardwareRelatedProjectsMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Construction in progress | Software projects    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment 16,353,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SoftwareAndSoftwareDevelopmentCostsMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember		 15,017,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SoftwareAndSoftwareDevelopmentCostsMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Construction in progress | Other    
Property and Equipment    
Total property and equipment $ 603,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember		 $ 3,810,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ ddbs_ConstructionInProgressByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember