Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)					1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			132 Months Ended
	Jun. 05, 2017	May 22, 2017	Oct. 03, 2016	Sep. 23, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Feb. 11, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies
Term barred from conducting any outbound telemarketing	2 years
Phase two expected expenditures							$ 10,000,000,000
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses										$ 11,000,000,000
Litigation expense (Note 11)								$ 295,695,000	$ 21,148,000
Unrecognized tax benefits					$ 201,693,000		194,136,000	201,162,000	201,693,000	194,136,000	$ 203,053,000
Total rent expense for operating leases							449,000,000	473,000,000	$ 431,000,000
Other accrued expenses
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount		$ 1,200
Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies
Phase one expected expenditures							$ 1,000,000,000
Term of programming contracts							10 years
Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies
Phase one expected expenditures							$ 500,000,000
Term of programming contracts							1 year
LBAC
Commitments and Contingencies
Business days allowed to terminate existing agreements							3 days
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
Commitments and Contingencies
Non-controlling investments							$ 10,000,000,000			10,000,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | DISH Network L.L.C.
Commitments and Contingencies
Non-controlling investments							10,000,000,000			10,000,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company
Commitments and Contingencies
Bidding credit credits				25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount				$ 11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS 3 Auction | Vermont National Telephone Company | Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount				$ 5,500
Satellite transponder guarantees
Commitments and Contingencies
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted							53,000,000			53,000,000
Krakauer Action | Other accrued expenses
Commitments and Contingencies
Loss Contingency Accrual							$ 61,000,000	61,000,000		61,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation
Commitments and Contingencies
Demonstration requirements period	5 years
Loss Contingency Accrual	$ 280,000,000
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services			5 years				5 years
Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Commitments and Contingencies
Federal Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value							$ 900,000,000
State Loss Contingency Damages Sought Value							23,500,000,000
Claim amount							270,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation | Other accrued expenses
Commitments and Contingencies
Loss Contingency Accrual							280,000,000	$ 280,000,000		$ 280,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount from state plaintiff					$ 1,000,000,000
Claim amount from federal plaintiff						$ 900,000,000
CALIFORNIA | Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount							100,000,000
OHIO | Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount							$ 10,000,000