Organization and Business Activities	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization and Business Activities
Organization and Business Activities	1.Organization and Business Activities Principal Business DISH Network Corporation is a holding company. Its subsidiaries (which together with DISH Network Corporation are referred to as “DISH Network,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and/or “our,” unless otherwise required by the context) operate two primary business segments. Pay-TV and Broadband We offer pay-TV services under the DISH® brand and the Sling® brand (collectively “Pay-TV” services). The DISH branded pay-TV service consists of, among other things, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses authorizing us to use direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) and Fixed Satellite Service (“FSS”) spectrum, our owned and leased satellites, receiver systems, broadcast operations, customer service facilities, a leased fiber optic network, in-home service and call center operations, and certain other assets utilized in our operations. The Sling branded pay-TV services consist of, among other things, live, linear streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“Sling TV”). Prior to 2015, we launched our Sling International video programming service (formerly known as DishWorld), which historically represented a small percentage of our Pay-TV subscribers. In February and June 2015, we launched our Sling domestic and Sling Latino services, respectively. In addition to our original Sling domestic service that could only be streamed on one device at a time (single-stream service), in April 2016, we launched a live beta multi-stream Sling domestic service, which includes, among other things, the ability to stream on up to three devices simultaneously. In June 2016, our multi-stream Sling domestic service transitioned from its introductory beta period and was re-branded as Sling Blue. Meanwhile, we re-branded our original single-stream Sling domestic service as Sling Orange. All Sling branded pay-TV subscribers are included in our Pay-TV subscriber count. As of March 31, 2017, we had 13.528 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States. In addition, we have marketed broadband services under the dishNET™ brand, which had 0.555 million subscribers in the United States as of March 31, 2017. Our dishNET satellite broadband service has utilized advanced technology and high-powered satellites launched by Hughes Communications, Inc. (“Hughes”) and ViaSat, Inc. (“ViaSat”) to provide broadband coverage nationwide, primarily targeting rural residents that are underserved, or unserved, by wireline broadband. We also offer wireline broadband services under the dishNET brand as a competitive local exchange carrier to consumers in certain areas in 34 states and wireline voice services in certain areas of 14 of these states located in the western United States. We have primarily bundled our dishNET branded services with our DISH branded pay-TV service. Recently, satellite capacity constraints have limited our ability to expand satellite broadband services in certain geographic areas. However, new satellite launches by Hughes, including EchoStar XIX which was launched on December 18, 2016, and ViaSat are expected to provide additional capacity starting in 2017. During the first quarter 2017, we decided to transition our wholesale arrangement with Hughes to an authorized representative arrangement and entered into a master service agreement (the “MSA”) with Hughes Network Systems, LLC (“HNS”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hughes, pursuant to which we will, among other things: (i) have the right, but not the obligation, to market, promote and solicit orders for the Hughes broadband satellite service and related equipment; and (ii) install Hughes service equipment with respect to activations generated by us. While broadband subscriber activations generated by us under the MSA are not included in our Broadband subscriber count, under the MSA, HNS will make certain payments to us for each Hughes service activation generated and installation performed by us, and we will not have to incur subscriber acquisition costs for these subscribers. See Note 12 for further information. As a result of the MSA with Hughes, we are no longer marketing dishNET satellite broadband services provided on a wholesale basis by Hughes, and our Broadband subscriber count related to the Hughes service will decline through customer attrition. As a result of the completion of the Share Exchange, described below, we also design, develop and distribute receiver systems and provide digital broadcast operations, including satellite uplinking/downlinking, transmission and other services to third-party pay-TV providers. Recent Developments On February 28, 2017, we and EchoStar and certain of our respective subsidiaries completed the transactions contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement (the “Share Exchange Agreement”) that was previously entered into on January 31, 2017 (the “Share Exchange”). Pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement, among other things, EchoStar transferred to us certain assets and liabilities of the EchoStar technologies and EchoStar broadcasting businesses, consisting primarily of the businesses that design, develop and distribute digital set-top boxes, provide satellite uplinking services and develop and support streaming video technology, as well as certain investments in joint ventures, spectrum licenses, real estate properties and EchoStar’s ten percent non-voting interest in Sling TV Holding L.L.C. (the “Transferred Businesses”), and in exchange, we transferred to EchoStar the 6,290,499 shares of preferred tracking stock issued by EchoStar (the “EchoStar Tracking Stock”) and 81.128 shares of preferred tracking stock issued by Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of EchoStar (“HSSC”) (the “HSSC Tracking Stock,” and together with the EchoStar Tracking Stock, collectively, the “Tracking Stock”), that tracked the residential retail satellite broadband business of HNS. In connection with the Share Exchange, we and EchoStar and certain of their subsidiaries entered into certain agreements covering, among other things, tax matters, employee matters, intellectual property matters and the provision of transitional services. See Note 2 and Note 12 for further information. Wireless DISH Network Spectrum We have invested over $5.0 billion since 2008 to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses and related assets. These wireless spectrum licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements. As we consider our options for the commercialization of our wireless spectrum, we may incur significant additional expenses and may have to make significant investments related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and wireless network infrastructure, as well as the acquisition of additional wireless spectrum. Auction 1000. The broadcast incentive auction in the 600 MHz frequency range (“Auction 1000”) began on March 29, 2016 and concluded on March 30, 2017. On April 13, 2017, the FCC announced that ParkerB.com Wireless L.L.C. (“ParkerB.com”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DISH Network, was the winning bidder for 486 wireless spectrum licenses (the “600 MHz Licenses”) with aggregate winning bids totaling approximately $6.2 billion. On April 27, 2017, ParkerB.com filed an application with the FCC to acquire the 600 MHz Licenses and the FCC’s prohibition on certain communications related to Auction 1000 expired. On July 1, 2016, we paid $1.5 billion to the FCC as a deposit for Auction 1000. The remaining balance of our winning bids of approximately $4.7 billion is due May 11, 2017. We expect to pay the remaining balance from existing cash and marketable investment securities balances. Issuance of the 600 MHz Licenses to ParkerB.com depends, among other things, upon the FCC’s review and approval of the application filed by ParkerB.com. Objections to the application filed by ParkerB.com must be submitted to the FCC within ten days following the release by the FCC of the public notice listing the applications that have been found by the FCC to be acceptable for filing. We cannot predict the timing or the outcome of the FCC’s review of the application filed by ParkerB.com. See Note 10 for further information. DISH Network Non-Controlling Investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities Related to AWS-3 Wireless Spectrum Licenses Through our wholly-owned subsidiaries American AWS-3 Wireless II L.L.C. (“American II”) and American AWS-3 Wireless III L.L.C. (“American III”), we have made over $10.0 billion in certain non-controlling investments in Northstar Spectrum, LLC (“Northstar Spectrum”), the parent company of Northstar Wireless, LLC (“Northstar Wireless,” and collectively with Northstar Spectrum, the “Northstar Entities”), and in SNR Wireless HoldCo, LLC (“SNR HoldCo”), the parent company of SNR Wireless LicenseCo, LLC (“SNR Wireless,” and collectively with SNR HoldCo, the “SNR Entities”), respectively. On October 27, 2015, the FCC granted certain AWS-3 wireless spectrum licenses (the “AWS-3 Licenses”) to Northstar Wireless and to SNR Wireless, respectively, which are recorded in “FCC authorizations” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Under the applicable accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”), Northstar Spectrum and SNR HoldCo are considered variable interest entities and, based on the characteristics of the structure of these entities and in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance, we have consolidated these entities into our financial statements beginning in the fourth quarter 2014. See Note 2 for further information. The AWS-3 Licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements. We may need to make significant additional loans to the Northstar Entities and to the SNR Entities, or they may need to partner with others, so that the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities may commercialize, build-out and integrate these AWS-3 Licenses, comply with regulations applicable to such AWS-3 Licenses, and make any potential payments related to the re-auction of AWS-3 licenses retained by the FCC. Depending upon the nature and scope of such commercialization, build-out, integration efforts, regulatory compliance, and potential re-auction payments, any such loans or partnerships could vary significantly. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain a profitable return on our non-controlling investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities. See Note 10 for further information.

1.Organization and Business Activities

Principal Business

DISH Network Corporation is a holding company. Its subsidiaries (which together with DISH Network Corporation are referred to as “DISH Network,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and/or “our,” unless otherwise required by the context) operate two primary business segments.

Pay-TV and Broadband

We offer pay-TV services under the DISH® brand and the Sling® brand (collectively “Pay-TV” services). The DISH branded pay-TV service consists of, among other things, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses authorizing us to use direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) and Fixed Satellite Service (“FSS”) spectrum, our owned and leased satellites, receiver systems, broadcast operations, customer service facilities, a leased fiber optic network, in-home service and call center operations, and certain other assets utilized in our operations. The Sling branded pay-TV services consist of, among other things, live, linear streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“Sling TV”). Prior to 2015, we launched our Sling International video programming service (formerly known as DishWorld), which historically represented a small percentage of our Pay-TV subscribers. In February and June 2015, we launched our Sling domestic and Sling Latino services, respectively. In addition to our original Sling domestic service that could only be streamed on one device at a time (single-stream service), in April 2016, we launched a live beta multi-stream Sling domestic service, which includes, among other things, the ability to stream on up to three devices simultaneously. In June 2016, our multi-stream Sling domestic service transitioned from its introductory beta period and was re-branded as Sling Blue. Meanwhile, we re-branded our original single-stream Sling domestic service as Sling Orange. All Sling branded pay-TV subscribers are included in our Pay-TV subscriber count. As of March 31, 2017, we had 13.528 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States.

In addition, we have marketed broadband services under the dishNET™ brand, which had 0.555 million subscribers in the United States as of March 31, 2017. Our dishNET satellite broadband service has utilized advanced technology and high-powered satellites launched by Hughes Communications, Inc. (“Hughes”) and ViaSat, Inc. (“ViaSat”) to provide broadband coverage nationwide, primarily targeting rural residents that are underserved, or unserved, by wireline broadband. We also offer wireline broadband services under the dishNET brand as a competitive local exchange carrier to consumers in certain areas in 34 states and wireline voice services in certain areas of 14 of these states located in the western United States. We have primarily bundled our dishNET branded services with our DISH branded pay-TV service. Recently, satellite capacity constraints have limited our ability to expand satellite broadband services in certain geographic areas. However, new satellite launches by Hughes, including EchoStar XIX which was launched on December 18, 2016, and ViaSat are expected to provide additional capacity starting in 2017. During the first quarter 2017, we decided to transition our wholesale arrangement with Hughes to an authorized representative arrangement and entered into a master service agreement (the “MSA”) with Hughes Network Systems, LLC (“HNS”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hughes, pursuant to which we will, among other things: (i) have the right, but not the obligation, to market, promote and solicit orders for the Hughes broadband satellite service and related equipment; and (ii) install Hughes service equipment with respect to activations generated by us. While broadband subscriber activations generated by us under the MSA are not included in our Broadband subscriber count, under the MSA, HNS will make certain payments to us for each Hughes service activation generated and installation performed by us, and we will not have to incur subscriber acquisition costs for these subscribers. See Note 12 for further information. As a result of the MSA with Hughes, we are no longer marketing dishNET satellite broadband services provided on a wholesale basis by Hughes, and our Broadband subscriber count related to the Hughes service will decline through customer attrition.

As a result of the completion of the Share Exchange, described below, we also design, develop and distribute receiver systems and provide digital broadcast operations, including satellite uplinking/downlinking, transmission and other services to third-party pay-TV providers.

Recent Developments

On February 28, 2017, we and EchoStar and certain of our respective subsidiaries completed the transactions contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement (the “Share Exchange Agreement”) that was previously entered into on January 31, 2017 (the “Share Exchange”). Pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement, among other things, EchoStar transferred to us certain assets and liabilities of the EchoStar technologies and EchoStar broadcasting businesses, consisting primarily of the businesses that design, develop and distribute digital set-top boxes, provide satellite uplinking services and develop and support streaming video technology, as well as certain investments in joint ventures, spectrum licenses, real estate properties and EchoStar’s ten percent non-voting interest in Sling TV Holding L.L.C. (the “Transferred Businesses”), and in exchange, we transferred to EchoStar the 6,290,499 shares of preferred tracking stock issued by EchoStar (the “EchoStar Tracking Stock”) and 81.128 shares of preferred tracking stock issued by Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of EchoStar (“HSSC”) (the “HSSC Tracking Stock,” and together with the EchoStar Tracking Stock, collectively, the “Tracking Stock”), that tracked the residential retail satellite broadband business of HNS. In connection with the Share Exchange, we and EchoStar and certain of their subsidiaries entered into certain agreements covering, among other things, tax matters, employee matters, intellectual property matters and the provision of transitional services. See Note 2 and Note 12 for further information.

Wireless

DISH Network Spectrum

We have invested over $5.0 billion since 2008 to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses and related assets. These wireless spectrum licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements. As we consider our options for the commercialization of our wireless spectrum, we may incur significant additional expenses and may have to make significant investments related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and wireless network infrastructure, as well as the acquisition of additional wireless spectrum.

Auction 1000. The broadcast incentive auction in the 600 MHz frequency range (“Auction 1000”) began on March 29, 2016 and concluded on March 30, 2017. On April 13, 2017, the FCC announced that ParkerB.com Wireless L.L.C. (“ParkerB.com”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DISH Network, was the winning bidder for 486 wireless spectrum licenses (the “600 MHz Licenses”) with aggregate winning bids totaling approximately $6.2 billion. On April 27, 2017, ParkerB.com filed an application with the FCC to acquire the 600 MHz Licenses and the FCC’s prohibition on certain communications related to Auction 1000 expired. On July 1, 2016, we paid $1.5 billion to the FCC as a deposit for Auction 1000. The remaining balance of our winning bids of approximately $4.7 billion is due May 11, 2017. We expect to pay the remaining balance from existing cash and marketable investment securities balances. Issuance of the 600 MHz Licenses to ParkerB.com depends, among other things, upon the FCC’s review and approval of the application filed by ParkerB.com. Objections to the application filed by ParkerB.com must be submitted to the FCC within ten days following the release by the FCC of the public notice listing the applications that have been found by the FCC to be acceptable for filing. We cannot predict the timing or the outcome of the FCC’s review of the application filed by ParkerB.com.

See Note 10 for further information.

DISH Network Non-Controlling Investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities Related to AWS-3 Wireless Spectrum Licenses

Through our wholly-owned subsidiaries American AWS-3 Wireless II L.L.C. (“American II”) and American AWS-3 Wireless III L.L.C. (“American III”), we have made over $10.0 billion in certain non-controlling investments in Northstar Spectrum, LLC (“Northstar Spectrum”), the parent company of Northstar Wireless, LLC (“Northstar Wireless,” and collectively with Northstar Spectrum, the “Northstar Entities”), and in SNR Wireless HoldCo, LLC (“SNR HoldCo”), the parent company of SNR Wireless LicenseCo, LLC (“SNR Wireless,” and collectively with SNR HoldCo, the “SNR Entities”), respectively. On October 27, 2015, the FCC granted certain AWS-3 wireless spectrum licenses (the “AWS-3 Licenses”) to Northstar Wireless and to SNR Wireless, respectively, which are recorded in “FCC authorizations” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Under the applicable accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”), Northstar Spectrum and SNR HoldCo are considered variable interest entities and, based on the characteristics of the structure of these entities and in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance, we have consolidated these entities into our financial statements beginning in the fourth quarter 2014. See Note 2 for further information.

The AWS-3 Licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements. We may need to make significant additional loans to the Northstar Entities and to the SNR Entities, or they may need to partner with others, so that the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities may commercialize, build-out and integrate these AWS-3 Licenses, comply with regulations applicable to such AWS-3 Licenses, and make any potential payments related to the re-auction of AWS-3 licenses retained by the FCC. Depending upon the nature and scope of such commercialization, build-out, integration efforts, regulatory compliance, and potential re-auction payments, any such loans or partnerships could vary significantly. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain a profitable return on our non-controlling investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities. See Note 10 for further information.