v3.3.1.900

Segment Reporting - Transactions with Major Customers (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) item
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Number of major customers | item									1	1	1
Total revenue	$ 790,587	$ 760,879	$ 793,595	$ 798,653	$ 843,887	$ 895,840	$ 879,828	$ 826,023	$ 3,143,714	$ 3,445,578	$ 3,282,452
Hughes Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,344,945	1,325,887	1,215,783
Hughes Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,347,340	1,327,718	1,218,126
EchoStar Technologies Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,297,510	1,626,826	1,730,433
EchoStar Technologies Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,298,198	1,627,366	1,730,845
EchoStar Satellite Services Business
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									489,842	481,579	326,828
EchoStar Satellite Services Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									490,591	484,455	330,177
DISH Network
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 1,681,485	$ 1,974,591	$ 1,931,635
DISH Network | Revenue
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Percentage of total revenue									53.50%	57.30%	58.80%
DISH Network | All Other and Eliminations
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 11,404	$ 11,244	$ 9,687
DISH Network | Hughes Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									105,181	112,692	113,869
DISH Network | EchoStar Technologies Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									1,141,435	1,443,419	1,560,905
DISH Network | EchoStar Satellite Services Business | Operating segments
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									423,465	407,236	247,174
All other
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Total revenue									$ 1,462,229	$ 1,470,987	$ 1,350,817
All other | Revenue
Sales to each customer and its percentage of total revenue
Percentage of total revenue									46.50%	42.70%	41.20%

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No definition available.

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6351-108592

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
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