Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)						1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	135 Months Ended
	Jun. 05, 2017	May 22, 2017	Oct. 03, 2016	Sep. 23, 2016	Dec. 23, 2013	Feb. 11, 2016	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies
Term barred from conducting any outbound telemarketing	2 years
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets									$ 11,000,000,000
Other accrued expenses
Commitments and Contingencies
Claim amount		$ 1,200
Spectrum Investments
Commitments and Contingencies
Phase two expected expenditures							$ 10,000,000,000
Spectrum Investments | Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies
Phase one expected expenditures							1,000,000,000
Spectrum Investments | Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies
Phase one expected expenditures							500,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
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							37,000,000		37,000,000
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