Represents information pertaining to the related party transactions automatic renewal period.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to the maximum number of one year renewal options under the related party transactions agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsAgreementMaximumNumberOfOneYearRenewalOptions
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents information pertaining to the maximum number of three year renewal options under related party transactions agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsAgreementMaximumNumberOfThreeYearRenewalOptions
Namespace Prefix:	ddbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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 required notice period for termination of agreement by the reporting entity under the related party transactions agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionsAgreementTerminationNoticeRequiredByReportingEntity
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

The aggregate costs related to goods produced and sold and services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. This excludes costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered and other revenue generating activities.

+ 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 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
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_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ddbs_OneHundredInvernessLeaseAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	ddbs_RelatedPartyTransactionPrimaryRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_MajorityShareholderMember
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:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ddbs_HughesNetworkSystemsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

Related Party Transactions - Narrative Part 1 (Details) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2017 item	Aug. 31, 2017 item	Jan. 31, 2012 item	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Total subscriber acquisition costs \| $				$ 183,262	$ 379,273
100 Inverness Lease Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity	180 days
EchoStar \| El Paso Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of consecutive three year renewal options			4
Agreement Renewal Option Term			3 years
EchoStar \| Professional Services Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement term						1 year
Automatic renewal period					1 year
Minimum notice period for termination of agreement						60 days
EchoStar \| 90 Inverness Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of consecutive three year renewal options	4
Agreement Renewal Option Term	3 years
EchoStar \| Cheyenne Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of successive one year renewal options	13
Agreement Renewal Option Term	1 year
EchoStar \| Gilbert Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of successive one year renewal options	13
Agreement Renewal Option Term	1 year
EchoStar \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity	180 days
HNS \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements [Member] \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of consecutive three year renewal options		4
Agreement Renewal Option Term		3 years