Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $) | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Receiver Agreement
day | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Broadcast Agreement
day | May 31, 2011
DISH Network
Certain Sports Related Programming Broadcast Agreement
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
EchoStar XVI
year | Sep. 30, 2009
DISH Network
DISH Telesat Agreement
transponder | Dec. 31, 2008
DISH Network
QuetzSat-1 Lease Agreement
transponder | Dec. 31, 2008
DISH Network
QuetzSat-1 Transponder
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
TT&C Agreement
day | Dec. 31, 2008
DISH Network
Real Estate Lease Agreement
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Santa Fe Lease Agreement
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Gilbert Lease Agreement
day | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Product Support Agreement
day | Jan. 31, 2010
DISH Network
DISHOnline.com Services Agreement
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
DISHOnline.com Services Agreement
day
option
year | Feb. 28, 2010
DISH Network
DISH Remote Access Services Agreement
year
day | Feb. 28, 2010
DISH Network
SlingService Services Agreement
year
day | Jan. 31, 2011
DISH Network
Management Services Agreement
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Management Services Agreement
day
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Professional Services Agreement
day
year | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Satellite capacity leased from Dish Network | Sep. 30, 2010
DISH Network
Satellite capacity leased from Dish Network | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Satellite capacity leased from Dish Network | Sep. 30, 2010
DISH Network
Satellite capacity leased from Dish Network | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Remanufactured Receiver Agreement | Sep. 30, 2010
DISH Network
Remanufactured Receiver Agreement | Sep. 30, 2011
DISH Network
Remanufactured Receiver Agreement
day | Sep. 30, 2010
DISH Network
Remanufactured Receiver Agreement | Dec. 31, 2009
DISH Network
EchoStar XV Launch Service | Jul. 31, 2010
DISH Network
Weather Related Programming Agreement | Oct. 31, 2010
DISH Network
Acquisition of Alta Wireless, Inc. | Oct. 02, 2010
DISH Network
Acquisition of Alta Wireless, Inc. | Oct. 31, 2010
DISH Network
Sale of South.com, L.L.C. | Sep. 30, 2009
Telesat Canada
Nimiq 5 Agreement
transponder
year | Sep. 30, 2011
Blockbuster | Sep. 30, 2011
Blockbuster | Sep. 30, 2011
Hughes Systique Corporation | Sep. 30, 2011
NagraStar | Sep. 30, 2010
NagraStar | Sep. 30, 2011
NagraStar | Sep. 30, 2010
NagraStar | Dec. 31, 2010
NagraStar | Sep. 30, 2011
Dish Mexico | Sep. 30, 2010
Dish Mexico | Sep. 30, 2011
Dish Mexico | Sep. 30, 2010
Dish Mexico | Dec. 31, 2010
Dish Mexico | Dec. 31, 2008
Dish Mexico
QuetzSat-1 Transponder
transponder | Dec. 31, 2009
Joint Venture in Taiwan | Dec. 31, 2010
Joint Venture in Taiwan | Sep. 30, 2011
Joint Venture in Taiwan | Dec. 31, 2008
QuetzSat-1 Lease Agreement
transponder
year | Oct. 31, 2010
Acquisition of Alta Wireless, Inc. | |
| Related party transactions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minimum required notice period for termination of agreement by related party (in days) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 180 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agreement term (in years) | 10 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agreement term from commencement of service date (in years) | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of DBS transponders available to receive services | 32 | 32 | 32 | 8 | 32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of DBS transponders expected to receive services | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of DBS transponders currently receiving services | 29 | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of DBS transponders expected to receive services | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Automatic renewal period (in years) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Required minimum notice for termination of agreement (in days) | 30 | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Required minimum notice for termination of individual service (in days) | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Required notice period for termination by the reporting entity (in days) | 30 | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Term of renewal option (in years) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of successive one year renewal options | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fees included in Cost of sales-services and other | $ 6,000,000 | $ 5,000,000 | $ 17,000,000 | $ 13,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of remanufactured receivers and accessories purchased from related party | 1,000,000 | 3,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount Of Remanufactured Receivers And Accessories Purchased from Related Party Less Than | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of rights assigned | 103,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded value of rights assigned | 89,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Excess of paid amount over recorded amount of rights assigned | 14,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of interest in the entity | 5,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of interest in the entity | 2,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchase of additional equity interest | 2,800,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ownership interest in related party (as a percent) | 95.00% | 49.90% | 45.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of interest in the entity by counter party | 3,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Party Transaction Revenues From Transactions With Related Party, Less Than | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Due From Related Parties, Less Than | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ownership percentage by related party (as a percent) | 26.00% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchases from NagraStar | 3,092,000 | 7,272,000 | 9,364,000 | 15,481,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amounts payable to NagraStar | 17,966,000 | 14,155,000 | 345,000 | 345,000 | 799,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments to purchase from NagraStar | 3,969,000 | 4,934,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales not related to the original contribution commitment associated with our investment: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Digital set-top boxes and related accessories | 12,499,000 | 19,498,000 | 39,044,000 | 67,030,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of satellite services | 2,130,000 | 2,130,000 | 6,390,000 | 6,390,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount receivable from Dish Mexico | 5,719,000 | 5,719,000 | 2,296,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related party joint venture | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Party Transaction, Cash Provided | 18,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of credit provided to joint venture | 18,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment of joint venture investment | 14,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of credit provided to joint venture, balance outstanding | $ 10,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||