Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities

Schedule of marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities

	As of December 31,
	2015		2014
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities:
Current marketable investment securities - strategic	$	259,145	$	711,213
Current marketable investment securities - other		298,766		1,420,532
Total current marketable investment securities		557,911		2,131,745
Restricted marketable investment securities (1)		82,280		76,970
Total marketable investment securities		640,191		2,208,715
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (1)		94		10,014
Other investment securities:
Investment in EchoStar preferred tracking stock - cost method		228,795		228,795
Investment in HSSC preferred tracking stock - cost method		87,409		87,409
Other investment securities - cost method		11,046		11,046
Total other investment securities		327,250		327,250
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents, and other investment securities	$	967,535	$	2,545,979

(1) Restricted marketable investment securities and restricted cash and cash equivalents are included in “Restricted cash and marketable investment securities” on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Schedule of components of available-for-sale investments

	As of December 31,
	2015								2014
	Marketable								Marketable
	Investment		Unrealized						Investment		Unrealized
	Securities		Gains		Losses		Net		Securities		Gains		Losses		Net
	(In thousands)
Debt securities (including restricted):
U. S. Treasury and agency securities	$	82,124	$	2	$	(135)	$	(133)	$	58,254	$	7	$	(11)		(4)
Commercial paper		—		—		—		—		68,556		—		—		—
Corporate securities		349,897		29,370		(480)		28,890		1,496,044		72,918		(153)		72,765
Other		47,847		73		(17)		56		192,607		1,293		—		1,293
Equity securities		160,323		68,751		(41)		68,710		393,254		106,971		(4,346)		102,625
Total	$	640,191	$	98,196	$	(673)	$	97,523	$	2,208,715	$	181,189	$	(4,510)	$	176,679

Schedule of available-for-sale securities in continuous unrealized loss position by length of time and their fair value

	As of December 31,
	2015				2014
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss		Value		Loss
	(In thousands)
Debt Securities:
Less than 12 months	$	303,194	$	(612)	$	280,738	$	(105)
12 months or more		7,512		(20)		135,853		(59)
Equity Securities:
Less than 12 months		6,133		(41)		15,338		(4,346)
12 months or more		—		—		—		—
Total	$	316,839	$	(673)	$	431,929	$	(4,510)

Schedule of fair value measurements

	As of December 31,
	2015								2014
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(In thousands)
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	$	920,689	$	82,675	$	838,014	$	—	$	7,009,897	$	274,123	$	6,735,774	$	—
Debt securities (including restricted):
U. S. Treasury and agency securities	$	82,124	$	77,328	$	4,796	$	—	$	58,254	$	42,710	$	15,544	$	—
Commercial paper		—		—		—		—		68,556		—		68,556		—
Corporate securities		349,897		—		343,733		6,164		1,496,044		—		1,488,340		7,704
Other		47,847		—		47,648		199		192,607		—		58,171		134,436
Equity securities		160,323		160,323		—		—		393,254		393,254		—		—
Subtotal		640,191		237,651		396,177		6,363		2,208,715		435,964		1,630,611		142,140
Derivative financial instruments		556,828		—		556,828		—		383,460		—		383,460		—
Total	$	1,197,019	$	237,651	$	953,005	$	6,363	$	2,592,175	$	435,964	$	2,014,071	$	142,140

Schedule of changes in Level 3 instruments

	Level 3
	Investment
	Securities
	(In thousands)
Balance as of December 31, 2013	$	146,020
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings		(6,522)
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		8,321
Purchases		—
Settlements		(5,679)
Issuances		—
Transfers into or out of Level 3		—
Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	142,140
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings		1,089
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(2,289)
Purchases		—
Settlements		(134,577)
Issuances		—
Transfers into or out of Level 3		—
Balance as of December 31, 2015	$	6,363

Schedule of gains and losses on sales and changes in carrying values of investments

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Other Income (Expense):	2015		2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities - gains (losses) on sales/exchanges	$	119,448	$	7,649	$	157,444
Marketable investment securities - unrealized gains (losses) on investments accounted for using the Fair Value Option		—		4,727		26,371
Derivative financial instruments - net realized and/or unrealized gains (losses)		173,369		(59,015)		205,779
Marketable investment securities - other-than-temporary impairments		(5,567)		(13,876)		(1,919)
Other		(9,207)		(8,826)		(2,819)
Total	$	278,043	$	(69,341)	$	384,856