Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details)							3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2018 USD ($)	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 12, 2019 patent	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 10, 2016 patent
Loss contingencies
Total rent expense for operating leases									$ 273,000,000	$ 383,000,000	$ 407,000,000
Network Development Future Expenditures									10,000,000,000
Litigation Expense											$ 295,695,000
Aggregate bids totaled									7,560,000,000
Loss contingency terms
Number Of Patents | patent															2		4
ClearPlay
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount									543,000,000
Minimum
Loss contingencies
Wireless Projects Future Expenditures									250,000,000
Maximum
Loss contingencies
Wireless Projects Future Expenditures									$ 500,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingencies
Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)									40.00%
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)									75.00%
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement									2 years
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit									25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit				25.00%
Recovery amount				$ 10,000,000,000
Bidding Credit				3,300,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Minimum | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount				5,500
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Maximum | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount				$ 11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit					25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Bidding Credit					$ 1,961,000,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit									25.00%
Bidding Credit					$ 1,370,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services						5 years
Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingencies
Number Of Telemarketing Calls | item									51,119
Litigation Per Call Damages									$ 400
Krakauer Action
Loss contingencies
Litigation Expense							$ 41,000,000	$ 20,000,000
Third party number of call made in case trebled damages per call			$ 1,200
Settlement amount awarded to other party		$ 61,000,000
Krakauer Action | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual										61,000,000
Litigation With Turner Network Sales Inc
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount	$ 159,000,000
Claimed interest	$ 24,000,000
License fee payment														$ 20,000,000
Remaining claims, incremental exposure													$ 118,000,000
Incremental exposure interest													$ 30,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Damages awarded to state and federal plaintiff																$ 280,000,000
Litigation Expense							$ 255,000,000					$ 25,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual									$ 280,000,000	$ 280,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount						$ 270,000,000