Segment Reporting - Transactions with Major Customers (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue	$ 506,048	$ 481,233	$ 465,076	$ 433,151	$ 475,788	$ 460,046	$ 442,658	$ 431,974	$ 1,885,508	$ 1,810,466	$ 1,848,857
Hughes segment
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,476,131	1,389,152	1,344,945
Hughes segment | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,477,918	1,392,361	1,347,340
EchoStar Satellite Services segment
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									390,831	406,970	489,842
EchoStar Satellite Services segment | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									392,244	407,660	490,591
DISH Network
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 445,988	$ 472,282	$ 542,914
DISH Network | Revenue
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Percentage of total revenue									23.70%	26.10%	29.40%
DISH Network | Corporate and Other
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 18,522	$ 15,433	$ 14,268
DISH Network | Hughes segment | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									82,625	107,300	105,181
DISH Network | EchoStar Satellite Services segment | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									344,841	349,549	423,465
All other
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 1,439,520	$ 1,338,184	$ 1,305,943
All other | Revenue
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Percentage of total revenue									76.30%	73.90%	70.60%