Segment Reporting (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting
Number of major customers									2
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue	$ 786,199	$ 764,721	$ 806,004	$ 764,780	$ 834,209	$ 863,163	$ 584,233	$ 479,826	$ 3,121,704	$ 2,761,431	$ 2,350,369
EchoStar Technologies Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									1,660,029	1,780,642	2,070,672
Hughes Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									1,158,714	676,222
EchoStar Satellite Services Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									277,985	278,125	262,022
DISH Network
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									1,543,764	1,654,929	1,938,572
Percentage of total revenue									49.50%	59.90%	82.50%
DISH Network | EchoStar Technologies Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									1,277,038	1,413,940	1,713,983
DISH Network | Hughes Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									34,017	1,854
DISH Network | EchoStar Satellite Services Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									201,300	215,741	208,201
All Other and Elimination
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									31,409	23,394	16,388
Bell TV | EchoStar Technologies Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									222,038	218,329	202,424
Percentage of total revenue									7.10%	7.90%	8.60%
All other
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Revenue									$ 1,355,902	$ 888,173	$ 209,373
Percentage of total revenue									43.40%	32.20%	8.90%