Property and Equipment

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

5.     Property and Equipment

Depreciation and Amortization Expense

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of the following:

	For the Three Months
	Ended March 31,
	2012		2011
	(In thousands)
Equipment leased to customers	$	152,443	$	182,987
Satellites	32,087		32,091
Buildings, furniture, fixtures, equipment and other	12,765		13,048
Total depreciation and amortization	$	197,295	$	228,126

Cost of sales and operating expense categories included in our accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) do not include depreciation expense related to satellites or equipment leased to customers.

DBS Satellites

We currently utilize 13 DBS satellites in geostationary orbit approximately 22,300 miles above the equator, six of which we own and depreciate over the useful life of each satellite.  We currently utilize capacity on five DBS satellites from EchoStar, which are accounted for as operating leases. See Note 10 for further discussion of our satellite leases with EchoStar.  We also lease two DBS satellites from third parties, which are accounted for as capital leases and are depreciated over the shorter of the economic life or the term of the satellite agreement.

Satellite Anomalies

Operation of our pay-TV service requires that we have adequate DBS satellite transmission capacity for the programming we offer.  Moreover, current competitive conditions require that we continue to expand our offering of new programming, particularly by expanding local high definition (“HD”) coverage and offering more HD national channels.  While we generally have had in-orbit DBS satellite capacity sufficient to transmit our existing channels and some backup capacity to recover the transmission of certain critical programming, our backup capacity is limited.

In the event of a failure or loss of any of our satellites, we may need to acquire or lease additional satellite capacity or relocate one of our other satellites and use it as a replacement for the failed or lost satellite.  Such a failure could result in a prolonged loss of critical programming or a significant delay in our plans to expand programming as necessary to remain competitive and thus may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Prior to 2012, certain of our satellites have experienced anomalies, some of which have had a significant adverse impact on their remaining useful life and/or commercial operation.  There can be no assurance that future anomalies will not further impact the remaining useful life and/or commercial operation of any of the satellites in our fleet.  See “Long-Lived DBS Satellite Assets” below for further discussion of evaluation of impairment.  There can be no assurance that we can recover critical transmission capacity in the event one or more of our in-orbit satellites were to fail.  We do not anticipate carrying insurance for any of the in-orbit satellites that we use, and we will bear the risk associated with any in-orbit satellite failures.  Recent developments with respect to certain of our satellites are discussed below.

Owned Satellites

EchoStar I.  EchoStar I was designed to meet a minimum 12 year useful life. During first quarter 2012, we determined that EchoStar I experienced a communications receiver anomaly.  While this anomaly did not impact commercial operation of the satellite, there can be no assurance that future anomalies will not impact its future commercial operation.  EchoStar I was fully depreciated during 2007.

EchoStar XI.  EchoStar XI was designed to meet a minimum 12-year useful life.  During first quarter 2012, we determined that EchoStar XI experienced solar array anomalies that reduced the total power available for use by the spacecraft.  While these anomalies did not reduce the estimated useful life of the satellite to less than 12 years or impact commercial operation of the satellite, there can be no assurance that future anomalies will not reduce its useful life or impact its commercial operation.

EchoStar XIV.  EchoStar XIV was designed to meet a minimum 15-year useful life.  During third quarter 2011 and first quarter 2012, we determined that EchoStar XIV experienced solar array anomalies that reduced the total power available for use by the spacecraft.  While these anomalies did not reduce the estimated useful life of the satellite to less than 15 years or impact commercial operation of the satellite, there can be no assurance that future anomalies will not reduce its useful life or impact its commercial operation.

Leased Satellites

EchoStar VI.  Prior to 2012, EchoStar VI experienced solar array anomalies which impacted the commercial operation of the satellite.  EchoStar VI also previously experienced the loss of traveling wave tube amplifiers (“TWTAs”).  During first quarter 2012, EchoStar determined that EchoStar VI experienced the loss of two additional TWTAs increasing the total number of TWTAs lost to five.  While the recent loss of TWTAs did not impact commercial operation of the satellite, there can be no assurance that future anomalies will not impact its commercial operation.

Long-Lived DBS Satellite Assets.  We evaluate our DISH branded pay-TV DBS satellite fleet for impairment as one asset group and test for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recoverable.  While certain of the anomalies discussed above, and previously disclosed, may be considered to represent a significant adverse change in the physical condition of an individual satellite, based on the redundancy designed within each satellite and considering the asset grouping, these anomalies are not considered to be significant events that would require evaluation for impairment recognition.  Unless and until a specific satellite is abandoned or otherwise determined to have no service potential, the net carrying amount related to the satellite would not be written off.

FCC Authorizations

We currently do not have any satellites positioned at the 148 degree orbital location as a result of the retirement of EchoStar V.  While we have requested the necessary approval from the FCC for the continued use of this orbital location, there can be no assurance that the FCC will determine that our proposed future use of this orbital location complies fully with all licensing requirements.  If the FCC decides to revoke this license, we may be required to write-off its $68 million carrying value.  We cannot predict the outcome or the timing of the FCC’s decision and any associated write-off as a result of the FCC’s decision.