Supplemental Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue:
Revenues	$ 534,855	$ 478,362	$ 1,565,346	$ 1,370,745
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	97,675	83,512	285,700	244,005
Research and development expenses	6,544	8,302	20,328	23,444
Depreciation and amortization	138,951	127,915	409,377	364,878
Total costs and expenses	440,535	409,443	1,291,584	1,188,102
Operating income	94,320	68,919	273,762	182,643
Other income (expense):
Interest income	15,697	8,321	41,362	21,248
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(65,090)	(60,783)	(193,625)	(181,996)
Gains and losses on investments, net	145	0	262	(1,575)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	992	1,948	3,722	5,298
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(3,618)	1,804	(3,764)	229
Total other expense, net	(51,874)	(48,710)	(152,043)	(156,796)
Income before income taxes	42,446	20,209	121,719	25,847
Income tax benefit (provision)	(13,526)	(8,726)	(31,725)	(4,635)
Net income (loss)	28,920	11,483	89,994	21,212
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	450	532	1,292	1,006
Net income attributable to HSS	28,470	10,951	88,702	20,206
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	28,920	11,483	89,994	21,212
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(9,460)	8,571	(39,874)	13,956
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities and other	(117)	(66)	(199)	(1,577)
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	3,298
Realized gains on available-for-sale securities	(1)	0	(4)	0
Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries, net	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9,578)	8,505	(40,077)	15,677
Comprehensive income	19,342	19,988	49,917	36,889
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(140)	532	(97)	1,006
Comprehensive income attributable to HSS	19,482	19,456	50,014	35,883
Eliminations
Revenue:
Revenues	(17,475)	(16,943)	(52,392)	(57,454)
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(703)	(610)	(1,750)	(2,083)
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	(17,475)	(16,943)	(52,392)	(57,454)
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest income	(922)	(199)	(2,720)	(597)
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	922	199	2,720	597
Gains and losses on investments, net	0		0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Total other expense, net	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Income before income taxes	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HSS	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0	0	0
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities and other	0	0	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities				0
Realized gains on available-for-sale securities	0		0
Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries, net	18,028	(17,026)	77,740	(29,656)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	18,028	(17,026)	77,740	(29,656)
Comprehensive income	(36,747)	(57,151)	(95,616)	(134,079)
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to HSS	(36,747)	(57,151)	(95,616)	(134,079)
HSS
Revenue:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest income	15,019	7,667	39,548	19,890
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(57,514)	(57,372)	(172,438)	(172,007)
Gains and losses on investments, net	0		0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net	61,476	42,830	191,915	117,767
Other, net	1	0	7	0
Total other expense, net	18,982	(6,875)	59,032	(34,350)
Income before income taxes	18,982	(6,875)	59,032	(34,350)
Income tax benefit (provision)	9,488	17,826	29,670	54,556
Net income (loss)	28,470	10,951	88,702	20,206
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HSS	28,470	10,951	88,702	20,206
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	28,470	10,951	88,702	20,206
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0	0	0
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities and other	27	(20)	186	(68)
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities				0
Realized gains on available-for-sale securities	(1)		(4)
Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries, net	(9,014)	8,525	(38,870)	15,745
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(8,988)	8,505	(38,688)	15,677
Comprehensive income	19,482	19,456	50,014	35,883
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to HSS	19,482	19,456	50,014	35,883
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	486,902	441,231	1,427,677	1,285,722
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	85,222	72,492	251,091	213,212
Research and development expenses	6,544	8,302	20,328	23,444
Depreciation and amortization	125,748	117,702	371,336	339,342
Total costs and expenses	388,946	364,295	1,145,632	1,079,439
Operating income	97,956	76,936	282,045	206,283
Other income (expense):
Interest income	930	200	2,855	633
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(7,277)	(4,282)	(20,807)	(12,301)
Gains and losses on investments, net	145		262	(1,575)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	992	1,948	3,722	5,298
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net	(6,701)	(2,705)	(18,559)	(13,344)
Other, net	(15)	(85)	9,377	(925)
Total other expense, net	(11,926)	(4,924)	(23,150)	(22,214)
Income before income taxes	86,030	72,012	258,895	184,069
Income tax benefit (provision)	(24,463)	(29,092)	(66,650)	(65,974)
Net income (loss)	61,567	42,920	192,245	118,095
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HSS	61,567	42,920	192,245	118,095
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	61,567	42,920	192,245	118,095
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0	0	0
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities and other	0	24	0	(1,464)
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities				3,298
Realized gains on available-for-sale securities	0		0
Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries, net	(9,014)	8,501	(38,870)	13,911
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9,014)	8,525	(38,870)	15,745
Comprehensive income	52,553	51,445	153,375	133,840
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to HSS	52,553	51,445	153,375	133,840
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	65,428	54,074	190,061	142,477
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,156	11,630	36,359	32,876
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	13,203	10,213	38,041	25,536
Total costs and expenses	69,064	62,091	198,344	166,117
Operating income	(3,636)	(8,017)	(8,283)	(23,640)
Other income (expense):
Interest income	670	653	1,679	1,322
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(1,221)	672	(3,100)	1,715
Gains and losses on investments, net	0		0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries, net	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(3,604)	1,889	(13,148)	1,154
Total other expense, net	(4,155)	3,214	(14,569)	4,191
Income before income taxes	(7,791)	(4,803)	(22,852)	(19,449)
Income tax benefit (provision)	1,449	2,540	5,255	6,783
Net income (loss)	(6,342)	(2,263)	(17,597)	(12,666)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	450	532	1,292	1,006
Net income attributable to HSS	(6,792)	(2,795)	(18,889)	(13,672)
Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	(6,342)	(2,263)	(17,597)	(12,666)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(9,460)	8,571	(39,874)	13,956
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities and other	(144)	(70)	(385)	(45)
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities				0
Realized gains on available-for-sale securities	0		0
Equity in other comprehensive income (loss) of subsidiaries, net	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9,604)	8,501	(40,259)	13,911
Comprehensive income	(15,946)	6,238	(57,856)	1,245
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(140)	532	(97)	1,006
Comprehensive income attributable to HSS	(15,806)	5,706	(57,759)	239
Service [Member]
Revenue:
Revenues	393,220	310,973	1,132,669	866,251
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	151,047	142,070	448,925	413,648
Service [Member] | Eliminations
Revenue:
Revenues	(9,558)	(10,181)	(28,547)	(22,610)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(8,855)	(9,624)	(26,797)	(20,635)
Service [Member] | HSS
Revenue:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	0	0	0	0
Service [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	345,466	273,821	989,449	763,554
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	123,696	116,069	365,281	339,007
Service [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	57,312	47,333	171,767	125,307
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	36,206	35,625	110,441	95,276
Product [Member]
Revenue:
Revenues	56,846	59,125	150,134	173,819
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	46,318	47,644	127,254	142,127
Product [Member] | Eliminations
Revenue:
Revenues	(7,917)	(6,762)	(23,845)	(34,844)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	(7,917)	(6,709)	(23,845)	(34,736)
Product [Member] | HSS
Revenue:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	0	0	0	0
Product [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	57,138	59,645	157,190	192,711
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	47,736	49,730	137,596	164,434
Product [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	7,625	6,242	16,789	15,952
Costs and expenses:
Cost of Goods and Services Sold	6,499	4,623	13,503	12,429
DISH Network | Service [Member]
Revenue:
Revenues	84,789	108,264	282,543	330,675
DISH Network | Service [Member] | Eliminations
Revenue:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
DISH Network | Service [Member] | HSS
Revenue:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
DISH Network | Service [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	84,298	107,765	281,038	329,457
DISH Network | Service [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue:
Revenues	$ 491	$ 499	$ 1,505	$ 1,218