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 information pertaining to the related party transactions agreement term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsAgreementTerm
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ddbs_RoviLicenseAgreementMember
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		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 20, 2014	Feb. 20, 2014	Aug. 19, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of economic interest in the Hughes Retail Group	80.00%
Rovi License Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement term			10 years
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					$ 17,526	$ 21,707	$ 55,410	$ 68,729
Amounts payable to NagraStar					17,364	19,362	17,364	19,362
Commitments to NagraStar					$ 682	$ 1,532	$ 682	$ 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