Long-Term Debt (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Long-Term Debt

Schedule of interest on long-term debt

		Annual
	Semi-Annual	Debt Service
	Payment Dates	Requirements
		(In thousands)
7% Senior Notes due 2013	April 1 and October 1	$	35,000
6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2014	April 1 and October 1	$	66,250
7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2015	May 31 and November 30	$	58,125
7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2016	February 1 and August 1	$	106,875
7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2019	March 1 and September 1	$	110,250
6 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021	June 1 and December 1	$	135,000

Schedule of carrying and fair values of the entity's debt facilities

	As of December 31,
	2011				2010
	Carrying  Value		Fair Value		Carrying  Value		Fair Value
	(In thousands)
6 3/8% Senior Notes due 2011 (1)	$	—	$	—	$	1,000,000	$	1,032,500
7 % Senior Notes due 2013	500,000		535,000		500,000		532,815
6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2014	1,000,000		1,060,000		1,000,000		1,032,500
7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2015	750,000		817,500		750,000		798,750
7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2016	1,500,000		1,593,750		1,500,000		1,548,600
7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2019	1,400,000		1,589,000		1,400,000		1,463,000
6 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021	2,000,000		2,140,000		—		—
Mortgages and other notes payable	71,871		71,871		77,965		77,965
Subtotal	7,221,871		$	7,807,121	6,227,965		$	6,486,130
Capital lease obligations (2)	271,908		NA		286,971		NA
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations (including current portion)	$	7,493,779			$	6,514,936

(1)During September 2011, we repurchased $85 million of our 6 3/8% Senior Notes due 2011 in open market transactions at amounts close to par plus accrued interest.  On October 3, 2011, we redeemed the remaining $915 million principal balance of our 6 3/8% Senior Notes due 2011.

(2)Disclosure regarding fair value of capital leases is not required.

Schedule of other long term debt and capital lease obligations

	As of December 31,
	2011			2010
	(In thousands)
Satellites and other capital lease obligations	$	271,908		$	286,971
8% note payable for EchoStar VII satellite vendor financing, payable over 13 years from launch	6,286			7,577
6% note payable for EchoStar X satellite vendor financing, payable over 15 years from launch	9,968			10,862
6% note payable for EchoStar XI satellite vendor financing, payable over 15 years from launch	15,106			15,951
6% note payable for EchoStar XIV satellite vendor financing, payable over 15 years from launch	21,055			22,000
6% note payable for EchoStar XV satellite vendor financing, payable over 15 years from launch	17,227			18,000
Mortgages and other unsecured notes payable due in installments through 2017 with interest rates ranging from approximately 2% to 13%	2,229			3,575
Total	343,779			364,936
Less current portion	(35,645		)	(30,895		)
Other long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current portion	$	308,134		$	334,041

Future minimum lease payments under capital lease obligations

For the Years Ended December 31,
2012	$	84,715
2013	77,893
2014	76,296
2015	75,970
2016	75,970
Thereafter	314,269
Total minimum lease payments	705,113
Less: Amount representing lease of the orbital location and estimated executory costs (primarily insurance and maintenance) including profit thereon, included in total minimum lease payments	(323,382		)
Net minimum lease payments	381,731
Less: Amount representing interest	(109,823		)
Present value of net minimum lease payments	271,908
Less: Current portion	(29,202		)
Long-term portion of capital lease obligations	$	242,706