Property and Equipment - Schedule of Property Plant and Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 6,444,645	$ 6,355,140
Accumulated depreciation	(3,081,241)	(2,940,232)
Property and equipment, net	3,363,404	3,414,908
Land
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	33,579	33,606
Buildings and improvements
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 174,262	174,227
Buildings and improvements \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	1 year
Buildings and improvements \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	40 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 826,622	812,566
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	1 year
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	12 years
Customer premises equipment
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 1,210,850	1,159,977
Customer premises equipment \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Customer premises equipment \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	4 years
Satellites - owned
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 2,816,629	2,816,628
Satellites - owned \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	2 years
Satellites - owned \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	15 years
Satellites - acquired under finance leases
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 1,050,360
Satellites - acquired under finance leases
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment		1,051,110
Satellites - acquired under finance leases \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	10 years
Satellites - acquired under finance leases \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Depreciable Life	15 years
Construction in progress
Property and equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 332,343	$ 307,026

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

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Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

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