CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current Assets:
Allowance for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivable (in dollars)	$ 13,543	$ 14,188
Allowance for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivable - DISH Network (in dollars)	0	0
Property and equipment, accumulated depreciation (in dollars)	$ 2,910,823	$ 2,899,353
Common stock
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	4,000,000,000	4,000,000,000
Class A common stock
Common stock
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	1,600,000,000	1,600,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	50,432,666	49,576,247
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	44,900,348	44,043,929
Class B common stock
Common stock
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	800,000,000	800,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	47,687,039	47,687,039
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	47,687,039	47,687,039
Class C common stock
Common stock
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	800,000,000	800,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Class D common stock
Common stock
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	800,000,000	800,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Preferred Stock
Preferred Stock:
Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	20,000,000	20,000,000
Hughes Retail Preferred Tracking Stock
Preferred Stock:
Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	13,000,000	13,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	6,290,499	6,290,499
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	6,290,499	6,290,499