Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Contract cost capitalized during the period	$ 41,000
Amortization of capitalized contract cost	3,000
Capitalized Contract Cost	52,000
Retained earnings	(13,961,535)		$ (14,168,047)
Subscriber-related revenue	3,383,222	$ 3,570,959
Subscriber-related expenses	2,139,793	2,177,930
Total subscriber acquisition costs	196,011
Operating income (loss)	508,121	588,793
Income (loss) before income taxes	268,621	370,737
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(64,813)	(129,779)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	204,192	$ 241,715
Inventory	347,638		320,899
Other current assets	122,962		189,480
Other noncurrent assets, net	248,275		236,041
Total assets	4,450,325		4,379,187
Deferred revenue and other	728,886		693,595
Deferred tax liabilities	468,221		485,099
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	205,769		207,329
Total liabilities	17,281,433		17,425,850
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(12,831,108)		(13,046,663)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	4,450,325		$ 4,379,187
Subscriber-related
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related revenue	3,347,597
Subscriber-related expenses	2,139,793
ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Retained earnings	2,000
Deferred taxes	1,000
ASU 2014-09 | DISH DBS (as would have been reported under previous standards)
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total subscriber acquisition costs	236,309
Operating income (loss)	472,324
Income (loss) before income taxes	232,824
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(56,222)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	176,986
Inventory	310,533
Other current assets	109,170
Other noncurrent assets, net	209,757
Total assets	4,360,910
Deferred revenue and other	680,805
Deferred tax liabilities	458,837
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	203,345
Total liabilities	17,221,544
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(12,860,634)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	4,360,910
ASU 2014-09 | Impact of adopting ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total subscriber acquisition costs	(40,298)
Operating income (loss)	35,797
Income (loss) before income taxes	35,797
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(8,591)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	27,206
Inventory	37,105
Other current assets	13,792
Other noncurrent assets, net	38,518
Total assets	89,415
Deferred revenue and other	48,081
Deferred tax liabilities	9,384
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	2,424
Total liabilities	59,889
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	29,526
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	89,415
ASU 2014-09 | Subscriber-related | DISH DBS (as would have been reported under previous standards)
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related revenue	3,356,525
Subscriber-related expenses	2,144,220
ASU 2014-09 | Subscriber-related | Impact of adopting ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related revenue	(8,928)
Subscriber-related expenses	$ (4,427)