Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Contract cost capitalized during the period	$ 49,000		$ 90,000
Amortization of capitalized contract cost	5,000		8,000
Capitalized Contract Cost	96,000		96,000
Retained earnings	(13,675,844)		(13,675,844)		$ (14,168,047)
Subscriber-related revenue	3,393,307	$ 3,543,812	6,776,529	$ 7,114,771
Subscriber-related expenses	2,119,812	2,183,057	4,259,605	4,360,987
Total subscriber acquisition costs	183,262		379,273
Operating income (loss)	549,502	219,720	1,057,623	808,513
Income (loss) before income taxes	379,039	3,663	647,660	374,400
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(91,497)	(97,120)	(156,310)	(226,899)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	285,691	$ (95,656)	489,883	$ 146,059
Inventory	329,395		329,395		320,899
Other current assets	128,206		128,206		189,480
Other noncurrent assets, net	272,776		272,776		236,041
Total assets	3,776,770		3,776,770		4,379,187
Deferred revenue and other	696,307		696,307		693,595
Deferred tax liabilities	473,227		473,227		485,099
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	195,914		195,914		207,329
Total liabilities	16,311,460		16,311,460		17,425,850
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(12,534,690)		(12,534,690)		(13,046,663)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	3,776,770		3,776,770		$ 4,379,187
Subscriber-related
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related revenue	3,352,354		6,699,951
Subscriber-related expenses	2,119,812		4,259,605
ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Retained earnings	2,000		2,000
Deferred taxes	1,000		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	227,221		463,530
Operating income (loss)	505,432		977,756
Income (loss) before income taxes	334,969		567,793
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(80,425)		(136,647)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	252,693		429,679
Inventory	292,871		292,871
Other current assets	102,099		102,099
Other noncurrent assets, net	202,698		202,698
Total assets	3,644,061		3,644,061
Deferred revenue and other	648,896		648,896
Deferred tax liabilities	452,772		452,772
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	193,596		193,596
Total liabilities	16,241,276		16,241,276
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(12,597,215)		(12,597,215)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	3,644,061		3,644,061
ASU 2014-09 | Impact of adopting ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total subscriber acquisition costs	(43,959)		(84,257)
Operating income (loss)	44,070		79,867
Income (loss) before income taxes	44,070		79,867
Income tax (provision) benefit, net	(11,072)		(19,663)
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH DBS	32,998		60,204
Inventory	36,524		36,524
Other current assets	26,107		26,107
Other noncurrent assets, net	70,078		70,078
Total assets	132,709		132,709
Deferred revenue and other	47,411		47,411
Deferred tax liabilities	20,455		20,455
Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	2,318		2,318
Total liabilities	70,184		70,184
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	62,525		62,525
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	132,709		132,709
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	3,355,068		6,711,593
Subscriber-related expenses	2,122,637		4,266,857
ASU 2014-09 | Subscriber-related | Impact of adopting ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscriber-related revenue	(2,714)		(11,642)
Subscriber-related expenses	$ (2,825)		$ (7,252)