Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets - FCC Authorizations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	$ 26,903,939	$ 25,779,503
Wireless
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	11,453,128	11,250,595
DBS Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	677,409	677,409
700 MHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	711,871	711,871
MVDDS Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	24,000	24,000
AWS-4 Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	1,940,000	1,940,000
H Block Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	1,671,506	1,671,506
600 MHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	6,211,154	6,211,154
28 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	2,883	2,883
24 GHz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	11,772	11,772
37 Ghz, 39 Ghz and 47 Ghz Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	202,533
AWS-3 Licenses
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	9,890,389	9,890,389
AWS-3 Licenses | Northstar Manager And Northstar Spectrum
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	5,618,930	5,618,930
AWS-3 Licenses | SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	4,271,459	4,271,459
Capitalized interest on FCC authorizations [Member]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
FCC authorizations	$ 5,560,422	$ 4,638,519