Segment Reporting - Revenue and Operating Income by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Segment Reporting
Total revenue	$ 4,162,596	$ 4,108,874	$ 4,356,462	$ 4,387,666	$ 4,533,017	$ 4,581,914	$ 4,698,483	$ 4,820,832	$ 17,015,598	$ 18,634,246	$ 19,818,678
Depreciation and amortization									1,597,923	1,174,895	1,213,946
Operating income (loss)	(852,126)	(31,349)	252,228	353,338	427,514	472,349	738,535	594,440	(277,909)	2,232,838	3,422,404
Interest income									207,374	93,240	33,903
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									(90,357)	(79,217)	(111,151)
Other, net (Note 6)									(1,770,792)	1,088,441	4,716
Income tax (provision) benefit, net									296,860	(798,410)	(828,437)
Net income (loss)	$ (2,021,624)	$ (118,737)	$ 232,692	$ 272,845	$ 1,001,446	$ 448,110	$ 550,094	$ 537,242	(1,634,824)	2,536,892	2,521,435
Pay-TV
Segment Reporting
Total revenue									11,571,159	12,505,392	12,928,707
Depreciation and amortization									381,292	428,471	538,836
Operating income (loss)									2,699,810	2,933,898	3,075,579
Interest income									2,604,599	1,872,645	1,346,502
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									(1,290,099)	(1,036,829)	(819,510)
Other, net (Note 6)									74,114	1,264	(2,917)
Income tax (provision) benefit, net									(578,739)	(911,955)	(853,363)
Net income (loss)									3,509,685	2,859,023	2,746,291
Retail Wireless
Segment Reporting
Total revenue									3,692,372	4,135,129	4,897,205
Depreciation and amortization									221,968	177,914	176,833
Operating income (loss)									(643,184)	(77,264)	343,785
Interest income									27	5	6
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									(64,565)	(49,123)	(1,309)
Other, net (Note 6)									(1,793,387)	1,012,147	26,695
Income tax (provision) benefit, net									201,091	(219,720)	(95,982)
Net income (loss)									(2,300,018)	666,045	273,195
5G Network Deployment
Segment Reporting
Total revenue									91,928	65,768	73,889
Depreciation and amortization									620,685	131,566	23,005
Operating income (loss)									(1,881,369)	(810,968)	(216,330)
Interest income									3,041
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									(1,186,468)	(766,703)	(530,525)
Other, net (Note 6)									(22,603)	25,571	(3,221)
Income tax (provision) benefit, net									749,311	399,939	186,534
Net income (loss)									(2,338,088)	(1,152,161)	(563,542)
Broadband and Satellite Services
Segment Reporting
Total revenue									1,755,559	1,998,093	1,985,720
Depreciation and amortization									419,262	462,748	496,361
Operating income (loss)									(458,609)	181,615	209,042
Interest income									105,730	50,900	22,801
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									(55,670)	(57,169)	(95,512)
Other, net (Note 6)									(29,287)	49,846	(15,951)
Income tax (provision) benefit, net									(74,803)	(66,674)	(65,626)
Net income (loss)									(512,639)	158,518	54,754
All Other & Eliminations
Segment Reporting
Total revenue									(95,420)	(70,136)	(66,843)
Depreciation and amortization									(45,284)	(25,804)	(21,089)
Operating income (loss)									5,443	5,557	10,328
Interest income									(2,506,023)	(1,830,310)	(1,335,406)
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized									2,506,445	1,830,607	1,335,705
Other, net (Note 6)									371	(387)	110
Net income (loss)									$ 6,236	$ 5,467	$ 10,737