Supplemental Data - Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Supplemental Data - Statements of Cash Flows
Cash paid for interest	$ 231,152	$ 260,429
Cash received for interest	2,392	2,287
Cash paid for income taxes	1,126	824
Cash paid for income taxes to DISH Network	78,417	$ 137,324
Capitalized interest	277
Assets financed under capital lease obligations	$ 142

Cash paid for income taxes to parent.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The increase during the period in capital lease obligations due to entering into new capital leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period for interest that is capitalized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of cash paid, after deduction of cash paid for capitalized interest, for interest. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Interest received on loans and other debt instruments during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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