Capital distribution to the related party in connection with purchases of strategic investments, net of tax.

No definition available.

Name:	ddbs_CapitalDistributionToRelatedPartyInConnectionPurchaseOfStrategicInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of cash transferred in exchange for shares of a series of preferred tracking stock issued under the agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_CashInExchangeOfSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount for commitments to related parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_CommitmentsToRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to the contribution from related party for initial settlement under the related party transactions agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_ContributionFromRelatedPartyForInitialSettlement
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fair value of liabilities transferred in noncash investing or financing activities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_LiabilitiesTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the historical cost of tracking stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsHistoricalCostOfTrackingStock
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of economic interest held in the Hughes Retail Group.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsPercentageOfEconomicInterestHeld
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the prohibited transfer period of preferred tracking stock issued during the period by the related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsPreferredTrackingStockProhibitedTransferPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the difference between the historical cost basis of the Tracking Stock received and the net carrying value of the satellites included in the Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsTrackingStockCapitalTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount for accounts payable to related parties. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

Expenses recognized resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionExpensesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ddbs_TransactionAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_EchoStarMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_NagraStarLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_EchoStarAndHughesSatelliteSystemsCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_HughesSatelliteSystemsCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_PMCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ddbs_DishInvestorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Related Party Transactions - Narrative Part 5 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Feb. 20, 2014	Feb. 20, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of economic interest in the Hughes Retail Group		80.00%
EchoStar \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transactions Historical Cost of Tracking Stock		$ 229,000
NagraStar
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Purchases from NagraStar				$ 19,102	$ 22,498
Amounts payable to NagraStar				19,867	19,362
Commitments to NagraStar				$ 1,402	$ 1,532
EchoStar and HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Liabilities Transferred	$ 59,000	59,000
Cash in exchange for shares of series of preferred tracking stock issued	11,000	11,000
Capital transaction		356,000
Cash in Exchange of Shares Issued	$ 11,000	11,000
Capital Distribution to Related Party in Connection Purchase of Strategic Investments		51,000
Tracking stock prohibited transfer period	1 year
HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transactions Historical Cost of Tracking Stock		$ 87,000
PMC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Contribution from related party			$ 5,000
DISH Investors \| EchoStar and HSSC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Tracking stock prohibited transfer period		1 year