Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 465,666	$ 454,382
Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	394,053	385,337
Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	14,304	17,331
Total services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	408,357	402,668
Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	24,839	25,960
Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	31,557	25,066
Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	913	688
Total equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	57,309	51,714
North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	389,807	376,734
South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	34,048	27,003
All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	41,811	50,645
Hughes
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	458,482	445,337
ESS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,367	3,852
Operating Segments | Hughes
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	458,482	445,337
Operating Segments | Hughes | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	390,000	380,783
Operating Segments | Hughes | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	11,173	12,840
Operating Segments | Hughes | Total services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	401,173	393,623
Operating Segments | Hughes | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	24,839	25,960
Operating Segments | Hughes | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	31,557	25,066
Operating Segments | Hughes | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	913	688
Operating Segments | Hughes | Total equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	57,309	51,714
Operating Segments | Hughes | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	382,715	367,829
Operating Segments | Hughes | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	33,956	26,863
Operating Segments | Hughes | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	41,811	50,645
Operating Segments | ESS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,652	4,033
Operating Segments | ESS | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,765	2,817
Operating Segments | ESS | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,887	1,216
Operating Segments | ESS | Total services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,652	4,033
Operating Segments | ESS | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Total equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,652	4,033
Operating Segments | ESS | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,532	5,012
Corporate and Other | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,288	1,737
Corporate and Other | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,244	3,275
Corporate and Other | Total services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,532	5,012
Corporate and Other | Equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Corporate and Other | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Corporate and Other | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Corporate and Other | Total equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Corporate and Other | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,440	4,872
Corporate and Other | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	92	140
Corporate and Other | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 0	$ 0