Represents information pertaining to the related party transactions agreement term of renewal option exercised.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to the related party transactions renewal option term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsAgreementRenewalOptionTerm
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
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 information pertaining to the minimum notice period for termination of agreement under the related party transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to minimum notice period for termination of a specific service under related party transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

Related Party Transactions - Narrative Part 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
General and administrative expenses			$ 669,934	$ 705,935	$ 729,245
EchoStar
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
General and administrative expenses			$ 29,000	$ 14,000	$ 13,000
EchoStar \| Dish Network [Member] \| 90 Inverness Lease Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement Renewal Option Term	3 years
EchoStar \| Dish Network [Member] \| Gilbert Lease Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement Renewal Option Term	1 year
EchoStar \| Dish Network [Member] \| American Fork Occupancy License Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Term of renewal option exercised		5 years
EchoStar \| Dish Network [Member] \| Professional Services Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Minimum notice period for termination of agreement			60 days
Minimum notice period for termination of a specific service			30 days
Agreement term			1 year