Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies

Summary of Wireless Spectrum Licenses

			Build-Out Deadlines
				Final
	Carrying Amount		Interim	Accelerated License Areas	Extension License Areas	Expiration Date
	(In thousands)
Owned:
DBS Licenses (1)	$	677,409
600 MHz Licenses		6,192,575		December 31, 2024 (3)	June 14, 2025 (5)	June 2029
3.45–3.55 GHz Licenses		7,329,093	May 4, 2026 (6)		May 4, 2030 (6)	May 2037
1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz and 2155-2180 MHz (2)		972				March 2026
AWS-3		5,557,828		December 31, 2024 (4)	October 2025 (7)	October 2025 (7)
Subtotal owned		19,757,877
Noncontrolling Investments:
SNR		4,271,459		December 31, 2024 (4)	October 2025 (7)	October 2025 (7)
Capitalized Interest (8)		6,563,550
Total Regulatory authorizations, net	$	30,592,886
Leased from EchoStar (9):
700 MHz Licenses (2)		701,803		December 31, 2024 (10)	June 14, 2025 (11)	June 2033
AWS-4 Licenses (2)		1,928,688		December 31, 2024 (10)	June 14, 2025 (11)	June 2033
H Block Licenses (2)		1,671,506		December 31, 2024 (10)	June 14, 2025 (12)	June 2033
MVDDS Licenses (1)		24,000				July, August, September 2034
LMDS Licenses (1)		—				September 2028
28 GHz Licenses		2,883			October 2, 2029 (13)	October 2029
24 GHz Licenses		11,772			December 11, 2029 (13)	December 2029
37 GHz, 39 GHz and 47 GHz Licenses		202,392			June 4, 2030 (13)	June 2030
3550-3650 MHz Licenses		912,200			March 12, 2031 (13)	March 2031
3.7-3.98 GHz Licenses		2,969	July 23, 2029 (13)		July 23, 2033 (13)	July 2036
Total Leased from EchoStar	$	5,458,213

(1) The build-out deadlines for these licenses have been met.

(2) The interim build-out deadlines for these licenses are in the past.

(3) For certain of these license areas, we must offer 5G broadband service to at least 85% of the population in each Partial Economic Area (which is a service area established by the FCC), and for certain other licenses we must offer 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the population in each Partial Economic Area by this date. These licenses are set forth in Appendices B and E of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(4) For certain of these license areas, we must provide reliable signal coverage and offer service for certain accelerated licenses to at least 85% of the population of each license area and for certain other accelerated licenses to at least 80% of the population of each license area by this date. These accelerated licenses are set forth in Appendices C and F of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(5) For the 600 MHz licenses set forth in Appendix G-2 of our September 2024 FCC extension request, if, by December 31, 2024, we satisfy the accelerated buildout obligations described in footnotes 3, 4 and 11 herein, the final deadline for us to offer 5G broadband service to at least 75% of the population in each Partial Economic Area (which is a service area established by the FCC) with respect to these licenses shall be extended to December 14, 2026. The final deadline shall be further extended to June 14, 2028, if: by December 31, 2024, we are offering 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the U.S. population and, as of June 14, 2025 (as defined in our September 2024 FCC extension request): (a) we have offered a low-cost 5G broadband plan and device to consumers nationwide; (b) we have deployed at least 24,000 5G sites; (c) we have upgraded our deployed 5G sites to 3GPP Release 17; and (d) we have provisioned at least 75% of new subscribers with an EchoStar-certified 5G device on our MNO network if the subscriber is within the accelerated markets as set forth in Appendices A-F of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(6) There are a variety of build-out options and associated build-out metrics associated with these licenses. If the interim build-out requirement is not met, the final build-out requirement may be accelerated by one year from May 2030 to May 2029.

(7) For the AWS-3 licenses set forth in Appendix G-3 of our September 2024 FCC extension request, if, by December 31, 2024, we satisfy the accelerated buildout obligations described in footnotes 3, 4 and 11 herein, the final deadline for us to offer 5G broadband service to at least 75% of the population in each license area with respect to these licenses shall be extended to December 14, 2026. The final deadline shall be further extended to June 14, 2028, if: by December 31, 2024, we are offering 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the U.S. population and, as of June 14, 2025 (as defined in our September 2024 FCC extension request): (a) we have offered a low-cost 5G broadband plan and device to consumers nationwide; (b) we have deployed at least 24,000 5G sites; (c) we have upgraded our deployed 5G sites to 3GPP Release 17; and (d) we have provisioned at least 75% of new subscribers with an EchoStar-certified 5G device on our MNO network if the subscriber is within the accelerated markets as set forth in Appendices A-F of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(8) See Note 2 for further information.

(9) See Note 1 for further information on the Sale and Transfer of Assets to EchoStar and see Note 12 for Related Party Transactions with EchoStar.

(10) For certain of these license areas, we must offer 5G broadband service to at least 85% of the population in each Economic Area (which is a service area established by the FCC), and for certain other licenses we must offer 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the population in each Economic Area by this date. These licenses are set forth in Appendices A and D of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(11) For the 700 MHz and AWS-4 licenses set forth in Appendix G-1 of our September 2024 FCC extension request, if, by December 31, 2024, we satisfy the accelerated buildout obligations described in footnotes 3, 4 and 11 herein, the final deadline for us to offer 5G broadband service to at least 70% of the population in each Economic Area (which is a service area established by the FCC) with respect to these licenses shall be extended to December 14, 2026. The final deadline shall be further extended to June 14, 2028, if: by December 31, 2024, we are offering 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the U.S. population and, as of June 14, 2025 (as defined in our September 2024 FCC extension request): (a) we have offered a low-cost 5G broadband plan and device to consumers nationwide; (b) we have deployed at least 24,000 5G sites; (c) we have upgraded our deployed 5G sites to 3GPP Release 17; and (d) we have provisioned at least 75% of new subscribers with an EchoStar-certified 5G device on our MNO network if the subscriber is within the accelerated markets as set forth in Appendices A-F of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(12) For the H-Block licenses set forth in Appendix G-1 of our September 2024 FCC extension request, if, by December 31, 2024, we satisfy the accelerated buildout obligations described in footnotes 3, 4 and 11 herein, the final deadline for us to offer 5G broadband service to at least 75% of the population in each Economic Area (which is a service area established by the FCC) with respect to these licenses shall be extended to December 14, 2026. The final deadline shall be further extended to June 14, 2028, if: by December 31, 2024, we are offering 5G broadband service to at least 80% of the U.S. population and, as of June 14, 2025 (as defined in our September 2024 FCC extension request): (a) we have offered a low-cost 5G broadband plan and device to consumers nationwide; (b) we have deployed at least 24,000 5G sites; (c) we have upgraded our deployed 5G sites to 3GPP Release 17; and (d) we have provisioned at least 75% of new subscribers with an EchoStar-certified 5G device on our MNO network if the subscriber is within the accelerated markets as set forth in Appendices A-F of our September 2024 FCC extension request.

(13) There are a variety of build-out options and associated build-out metrics associated with these licenses.