v3.3.1.900

Property and Equipment - Schedule of PP&E (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 6,411,064 |  | $ 6,094,146
Accumulated depreciation | (2,998,074) |  | (2,899,353)
Property and equipment, net | 3,412,990 |  | 3,194,793
Accumulated depreciation on satellites acquired under capital leases | 268,100 |  | 481,500
Impairment loss related to building and equipment | 2,400 | $ 38,415 |
EchoStar Technologies Business |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Impairment loss related to building and equipment | $ 2,400 |  |
Minimum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 1 year |  |
Maximum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 40 years |  |
Land |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 41,457 |  | 42,826
Buildings and improvements |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 367,947 |  | 375,920
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 | $ 1,254,325 |  | 1,223,807
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 rental equipment |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 588,430 |  | 498,180
Customer rental equipment | Minimum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 2 years |  |
Customer rental equipment | Maximum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 4 years |  |
Satellites |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 2,381,120 |  | 2,381,120
Satellites | Minimum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 2 years |  |
Satellites | Maximum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 15 years |  |
Satellites acquired under capital leases |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 665,518 |  | 935,104
Satellites acquired under capital leases | Minimum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 10 years |  |
Satellites acquired under capital leases | Maximum |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Depreciable Life | 15 years |  |
Construction in progress |  |  |
Property and equipment |  |  |
Total property and equipment | $ 1,112,267 |  | $ 637,189

X
- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 14 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The total charge for the use of long-lived depreciable assets subject to a lease meeting the criteria for capitalization. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45014-112735 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CapitalLeasesLesseeBalanceSheetAssetsByMajorClassAccumulatedDeprecation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long lived assets held for use (including those held for disposal by means other than sale). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 958 -SubTopic 225 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28367520&loc=d3e92212-112881 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Impairment -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515133 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391110&loc=d3e2921-110230 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2420-110228 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 8 -Article 7 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=sats_EchoStarTechnologiesBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=sats_FurnitureFixturesEquipmentAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=sats_CustomerRentalEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=sats_SatellitesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_AssetsHeldUnderCapitalLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |