Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 6,965,949	$ 7,261,038
Accumulated depreciation		(4,783,616)	(4,554,856)
Property and equipment, net		2,182,333	2,706,182
Impairment of long-lived assets		356,418
Non-cash impairment charge	$ 253,000	$ 227,000
Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		2 years
Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		40 years
Wireless
Property and equipment
Impairment of long-lived assets		$ 227,000
Equipment leased to customers
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 1,736,660	1,861,668
Equipment leased to customers | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		2 years
Equipment leased to customers | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		5 years
D1
Property and equipment
Property and equipment, net		$ 55,000
Impairment of long-lived assets		55,000
T1
Property and equipment
Accumulated depreciation		(18,000)
Property and equipment, net		$ 48,000
Depreciable Life		14 years 3 months
Impairment of long-lived assets		$ 48,120
D1 and T1
Property and equipment
Estimated fair value		0
Satellites
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 1,734,024	1,855,096
Satellites | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		2 years
Satellites | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		15 years
Satellites acquired under finance lease agreements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 888,940	888,940
Satellites acquired under finance lease agreements | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		10 years
Satellites acquired under finance lease agreements | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		15 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 2,091,271	2,010,094
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		2 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		20 years
Buildings and improvements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 370,941	349,347
Buildings and improvements | Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		5 years
Buildings and improvements | Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life		40 years
Land
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		$ 17,810	17,810
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		126,303	278,083
Construction in progress | Software
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		43,555	51,493
Construction in progress | Wireless
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		72,817	207,814
Construction in progress | Other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		9,931	$ 18,776
Property Plant And Equipment Net
Property and equipment
Impairment of long-lived assets		$ 330,000