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

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

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,		December 31,
	2016		2015
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities:
Current marketable investment securities - strategic	$	6,721	$	259,145
Current marketable investment securities - other		28,895		298,766
Total current marketable investment securities		35,616		557,911
Restricted marketable investment securities (1)		81,679		82,280
Total marketable investment securities		117,295		640,191
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (1)		681		94
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		8,167		11,046
Total other investment securities		324,371		327,250
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents, and other investment securities	$	442,347	$	967,535

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

Schedule of components of available-for-sale investments

	As of  December 31, 2016								As of  December 31, 2015
	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	$	81,982	$	13	$	(132)	$	(119)	$	82,124	$	2	$	(135)	$	(133)
Corporate securities		33,555		1,327		—		1,327		349,897		29,370		(480)		28,890
Other		1,758		64		(11)		53		47,847		73		(17)		56
Equity securities		—		—		—		—		160,323		68,751		(41)		68,710
Total	$	117,295	$	1,404	$	(143)	$	1,261	$	640,191	$	98,196	$	(673)	$	97,523

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

	As of
	December 31, 2016				December 31, 2015
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss		Value		Loss
	(In thousands)
Debt Securities:
Less than 12 months	$	52,011	$	(132)	$	303,194	$	(612)
12 months or more		1,537		(11)		7,512		(20)
Equity Securities:
Less than 12 months		—		—		6,133		(41)
12 months or more		—		—		—		—
Total	$	53,548	$	(143)	$	316,839	$	(673)

Schedule of fair value measurements

	As of
	December 31, 2016								December 31, 2015
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(In thousands)
Cash equivalents (including restricted)	$	5,187,900	$	147,494	$	5,040,406	$	—	$	920,689	$	82,675	$	838,014	$	—
Debt securities (including restricted):
U.S. Treasury and agency securities	$	81,982	$	81,982	$	—	$	—	$	82,124	$	77,328	$	4,796	$	—
Corporate securities		33,555		—		27,025		6,530		349,897		—		343,733		6,164
Other		1,758		—		1,567		191		47,847		—		47,648		199
Equity securities		—		—		—		—		160,323		160,323		—		—
Subtotal		117,295		81,982		28,592		6,721		640,191		237,651		396,177		6,363
Derivative financial instruments		—		—		—		—		556,828		—		556,828		—
Total	$	117,295	$	81,982	$	28,592	$	6,721	$	1,197,019	$	237,651	$	953,005	$	6,363

Schedule of changes in Level 3 instruments

	Level 3
	Investment
	Securities
	(In thousands)
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
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings		—
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		547
Purchases		—
Settlements		(189)
Issuances		—
Transfers into or out of Level 3		—
Balance as of December 31, 2016	$	6,721

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

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Other Income (Expense):	2016		2015		2014
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities - gains (losses) on sales/exchanges	$	116,550	$	119,448	$	7,649
Marketable investment securities - unrealized gains (losses) on investments accounted for using the Fair Value Option		—		—		4,727
Derivative financial instruments - net realized and/or unrealized gains (losses)		5,405		173,369		(59,015)
Marketable investment securities - other-than-temporary impairments		(2,863)		(5,567)		(13,876)
Other		(1,910)		(9,207)		(8,826)
Total	$	117,182	$	278,043	$	(69,341)