Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
Cash paid for income taxes to EchoStar, net of (refunds)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
NOL for federal income tax purposes	395,000
NOL benefit for state income tax purposes	250,000
Tax benefit related to credit carryforwards	164,000
Current (benefit) provision:
Federal	(18,835)	(29,307)	(23,571)
State	21,865	29,254	59,690
Foreign	2,831	3,301	(7,118)
Total current (benefit) provision	5,861	3,248	29,001
Deferred (benefit) provision:
Federal	(34,566)	(293,666)	615,323
State	(74,106)	(152,725)	85,045
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	92,421	71,481	2,367
Total deferred (benefit) provision	(16,251)	(374,910)	702,735
Total (benefit) provision	(10,390)	(371,662)	731,736
Income (loss) before income taxes	73,083	$ 1,500,084	$ (3,104,643)
Portion of Income (loss) before income taxes related to foreign operations	$ 1,000
Reconciliation of amounts computed by applying the statutory Federal tax rate to income before taxes
Statutory rate (as a percent)	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
State income taxes, net of federal benefit (as a percent)	70.50%	5.00%	3.10%
Rates different than statutory	(3.90%)	(0.10%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	(126.40%)	(4.80%)
Tax credits	60.40%	2.70%	0.50%
Impairments		(0.70%)
Other, net (as a percent)	(7.40%)	1.70%
Total (benefit) provision for income taxes (as a percent)	14.20%	24.80%	23.60%
Deferred tax assets:
NOL, credit and other carryforwards	$ 1,588,431	$ 1,054,749
Accrued and prepaid expenses	925,727	866,277
Stock-based compensation	22,720	20,934
Unrealized (gains) losses on available for sale and other investments		198,587
Discount on convertible notes and convertible note hedge transaction, net	696	46,636
Deferred revenue	10,076	13,197
Total deferred tax assets	2,547,650	2,200,380
Valuation allowance	(225,342)	(153,453)
Deferred tax asset after valuation allowance	2,322,308	2,046,927
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation	(1,655,277)	(1,554,517)
Unrealized (gains) losses on available for sale and other investments	(9,061)
FCC authorizations and other intangible amortization	(7,664,074)	(3,869,784)
Bases differences in partnerships and cost method investments	(1,306,386)	(1,179,888)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(10,634,798)	(6,604,189)
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	(8,312,490)	(4,557,262)
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance as of beginning of period	436,128	431,640	$ 388,837
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	242,054	3,601	35,180
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years	23,401	9,292	14,723
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years	(23,177)	(7,219)	(7,100)
Reductions based on tax positions related to settlements with taxing authorities		(834)
Reductions based on tax positions related to the lapse of the statute of limitations	(310)	(352)
Balance as of end of period	$ 678,096	$ 436,128	$ 431,640