Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details)										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 04, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2018 USD ($)	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 13, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	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										$ 99,000,000	$ 273,000,000	$ 383,000,000
Impairment of long-lived assets										356,418,000
Network development future expenditures										$ 10,000,000,000
Loss contingency terms
Number Of Patents | patent															2		4
Turner Network Sales, Inc.
Loss contingency terms
Remaining claims, incremental exposure													$ 206,000,000
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
DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingencies
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded to Other Party	$ 210,000,000
Settlement amount awarded to other party	$ 210,000,000
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	5 years
Period barred from making outbound telemarketing calls										2 years
Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingencies
Damages awarded to state and federal plaintiff																$ 280,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C. | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Loss contingencies
Reduction of litigation expenses											70,000,000	70,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C. | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual											280,000,000	280,000,000
Loss Contingency Accrual, Payments											$ 210,000,000	$ 210,000,000
Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingencies
Number of telemarketing calls | item										51,119
Litigation per call damages										$ 400
Do Not Call Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount									$ 270,000,000
Krakauer Action
Loss contingencies
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded to Other Party				$ 61,000,000
Third party number of call made in case trebled damages per call					$ 1,200
Settlement amount awarded to other party				$ 61,000,000
Judicial Ruling | Krakauer Action
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount		$ 10,760,000
Clear Play Inc [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount								$ 543,000,000
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