Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities - Investment in Tracking Stock (Details) - Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction $ in Millions	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($) item	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($) shares
Other investment securities:
Percentage of economic interest in the Hughes Retail Group		80.00%
EchoStar and HSSC
Other investment securities:
Number of owned satellites transferred and leased back | item	5
Liabilities Transferred	$ 59	$ 59
Cash in exchange for shares of series of preferred tracking stock issued	$ 11	11
Capital transaction		356
Capital transaction recorded in additional paid-in capital		51
Capital distribution to EchoStar, net of deferred taxes		$ 51
Tracking stock prohibited transfer period	1 year
EchoStar
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party | shares		6,290,499
Historical cost of tracking stock		$ 229
HSSC
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party | shares		81.128
Historical cost of tracking stock		$ 87