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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense for debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6036836-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
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

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ddbs_SubscriberRelatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ddbs_Nimiq5AgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=ddbs_HughesBroadbandMasterServicesAgreementMember
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:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
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 2 (Details) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2017 item	Sep. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2017 item	Jan. 31, 2012 item	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Subscriber acquisition costs					$ 1,933,823	$ 1,976,436
Depreciation and amortization (Note 6)					135,085	155,115
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized					182,340	195,645
Revenues					3,167,782	3,138,000
Subscriber-related
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenues					$ 3,130,900	3,097,936
100 Inverness Lease Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity	180 days
Nimiq 5 Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement Renewal Option Term					1 year
Depreciation and amortization (Note 6)					$ 9,000
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized					4,000
Hughes Broadband Master Services Agreement [Member] \| Subscriber-related
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenues					$ 4,000	$ 6,000
EchoStar \| El Paso Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of consecutive three year renewal options \| item				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 \| item	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 \| item	12
Agreement Renewal Option Term	1 year
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity	180 days
EchoStar \| Gilbert Lease Agreement \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of successive one year renewal options \| item	12
Agreement Renewal Option Term	1 year
EchoStar \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity	180 days
HNS \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Agreement Renewal Option Term		1 year	3 years
HNS \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements \| Dish Network \| Minimum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity		90 days
HNS \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements \| Dish Network \| Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity		120 days
HNS \| Collocation And Antenna Space Agreements \| Dish Network
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of consecutive three year renewal options \| item			4