Aggregate bid price.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Represents non-voting interest of non-controlling parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Number Of States In Which Wireline Broadband Services Offered

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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- Definition

Represents the number of states region in which wireline voice and broadband services are offered.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dish_
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- Definition

Represents the number of subscribers for broadband services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Represents the number of subscribers of DISH branded pay TV services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dish_
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- Definition

Represent the amount of payment for remaining balance of the winning bid price.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the preferred tracking stock issued during the period by related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dish_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The number of wireless spectrum licenses acquired by the winning bidder.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Portion of equity (net assets) in a variable interest entity (VIE) not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the parent entity. That is, this is the portion of equity in a VIE that is attributable to the noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The cash outflow to acquire asset without physical form usually arising from contractual or other legal rights, excluding goodwill.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Organization and Business Activities (Details) $ in Millions				3 Months Ended	84 Months Ended	111 Months Ended
	May 11, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2017 shares	Jul. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) segment state item	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) item	Apr. 13, 2017 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Spectrum Investments
Number of primary operating business units \| segment				2
Number of Pay-TV subscribers \| item				13,528,000		13,528,000
Number of subscribers for broadband services under the dishNET brand \| item				555,000		555,000
Number of states in which wireline broadband services offered \| state				34
Number of state region in which wireline voice and broadband services are offered \| state				14
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets					$ 5,000.0	$ 5,000.0
EchoStar \| Sling TV Holding L.L.C.
Spectrum Investments
Non voting interest		10.00%
EchoStar \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Spectrum Investments
Related Party Transactions Preferred Tracking Stock Issued by Related Party \| shares		6,290,499
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party \| shares		6,290,499
HSSC \| Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction \| DISH Investors
Spectrum Investments
Related Party Transactions Preferred Tracking Stock Issued by Related Party \| shares		81.128
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party \| shares		81.128
Auction 1000 [Member] \| FCC Wireless Bureau [Member]
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain wireless licenses and related assets			$ 1,500.0
Auction 1000 [Member] \| FCC Wireless Bureau [Member] \| Subsequent event
Spectrum Investments
Payment Of Winning Bid Remaining Balance	$ 4,700.0
Auction 1000 [Member] \| ParkerB.com \| Subsequent event
Spectrum Investments
Wireless Spectrum Licenses \| item							486
Aggregate Bid Price							$ 6,200.0
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco
Spectrum Investments
Total debt and equity investments in subsidaries				$ 10.0		$ 10.0		$ 10,000.0
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum \| Northstar Licenses
Spectrum Investments
Wireless Spectrum Licenses \| item				261		261