Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details)									1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 06, 2017 USD ($)	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 12, 2019 patent	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)
Loss contingencies
Asset Impairment Charges										$ 356,418,000
Network Development Future Expenditures										10,000,000,000
Loss contingency terms
Number Of Patents | patent													2
Turner Network Sales, Inc.
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount			$ 159,000,000
Claimed interest			$ 24,000,000
Remaining claims, incremental exposure											$ 206,000,000
Payment For License Fee	$ 20,000,000
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 Spectrum And SNR Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit							25.00%
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 | Northstar Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Bidding Credit							$ 1,961,000,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
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
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services										5 years
Period barred from making outbound telemarketing calls										2 years
Number Of Telemarketing Calls | item									51,119
Litigation Per Call Damages									$ 400
Krakauer Action
Loss contingencies
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
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Damages awarded to state and federal plaintiff														$ 280,000,000
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