Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details)			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 11, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2009 item	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Spectrum Investments
Litigation expense (Note 11)						$ 295,695,000	$ 21,148,000	$ 20,900,000
Unrecognized tax benefits			$ 201,693,000			201,162,000	201,693,000	203,053,000		$ 208,328,000
Total rent expense for operating leases						$ 473,000,000	$ 431,000,000	$ 479,000,000
Other accrued expenses
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs	$ 1,200
Claim amount	$ 1,200
Maximum
Spectrum Investments
Term of programming contracts						10 years
Minimum
Spectrum Investments
Term of programming contracts						1 year
LBAC
Spectrum Investments
Business days allowed to terminate existing agreements						3 days
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company
Spectrum Investments
Bidding credit		25.00%
Bidding credit value		$ 3,300,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company | Maximum
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs		11,000
Claim amount		11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company | Minimum
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs		5,500
Claim amount		$ 5,500
Satellite transponder guarantees
Spectrum Investments
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted						$ 127,000,000
Technology Development Licensing
Spectrum Investments
Number of reexamination petitions pending before patent and trademark office | item					2
Telemarketing Litigation [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Loss Contingency Accrual									$ 280,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation [Member] | Other accrued expenses
Spectrum Investments
Loss Contingency Accrual						$ 280,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services						5 years
Do Not Call Litigation [Member] | DISH Network L.L.C.
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs						$ 270,000,000
Federal Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value						900,000,000
State Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value						23,500,000,000
Claim amount						270,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation [Member] | Maximum
Spectrum Investments
Claim amount from state plaintiff			$ 1,000,000,000
Claim amount from federal plaintiff				$ 900,000,000
CALIFORNIA | Do Not Call Litigation [Member] | DISH Network L.L.C.
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs						100,000,000
Claim amount						100,000,000
OHIO | Do Not Call Litigation [Member] | DISH Network L.L.C.
Spectrum Investments
Aggregate amount to the federal and state plaintiffs						10,000,000
Claim amount						$ 10,000,000