v3.26.1
Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets  
Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets

8.Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets

Property and equipment consisted of the following:

Depreciable

As of

Life

June 30,

December 31,

  ​ ​ ​

(In Years)

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

(In thousands)

Equipment leased to customers

2

-

4

$

88,640

$

964,013

Satellites

5

-

15

1,767,925

2,104,134

Satellites acquired under finance lease agreements (1)

8

-

15

204,251

77,116

Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other

1

-

20

246,688

971,824

Hybrid MNO

3

-

15

88,992

89,604

Software and computer equipment

1

-

8

676,058

1,341,690

Buildings and improvements

1

-

40

131,987

419,719

Land

-

30,915

42,980

Construction in progress

-

182,996

514,662

Total property and equipment

3,418,452

6,525,742

Accumulated depreciation

(1,658,131)

(4,282,227)

Property and equipment, net (2)

$

1,760,321

$

2,243,515

(1)This increase is primarily related to the Nimiq 5 satellite. Our prior operating lease was modified in June 2026 and is currently accounted for as a finance lease.
(2)The June 30, 2026 decreases primarily resulted from the Deconsolidated Subsidiaries. See Note 3 for further information.

Depreciation and amortization expense consisted of the following:

For the Three Months Ended 

For the Six Months Ended 

June 30,

June 30,

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

(In thousands)

Equipment leased to customers (1)

$

34,654

$

57,810

$

70,250

$

121,022

Satellites (1)

36,208

64,283

69,215

130,263

Buildings, furniture, fixtures, equipment and other (1)

16,159

32,098

32,019

61,271

Hybrid MNO/5G Network equipment (1)

15,088

216,782

29,790

424,914

Software and computer equipment (1)

55,257

108,187

109,533

216,160

Intangible assets and other amortization expense

13,177

13,895

26,337

27,758

Total depreciation and amortization

$

170,543

$

493,055

$

337,144

$

981,388

(1)This change primarily resulted from the non-cash impairment of long-lived assets during the third and fourth quarters of 2025. For further information on our impairments, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

Cost of sales and operating expense categories included in our accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) do not include depreciation and amortization expense related to satellites, equipment leased to customers, or our 5G Network equipment and software, and amortization of development costs of externally marketed software.

Activity relating to our asset retirement obligations, included in “Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, was as follows:

For the Three Months Ended 

For the Six Months Ended 

June 30,

June 30,

 

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

2026

2025

(In thousands)

Balance, beginning of period

$

446,748

$

338,506

$

448,752

$

327,031

Liabilities incurred

1,188

4,885

Liabilities settled

(151)

(13,472)

Accretion expense

11,407

8,026

22,724

15,804

Deconsolidated Subsidiaries

(457,906)

(457,906)

Balance, end of period

$

98

$

347,720

$

98

$

347,720

The corresponding assets, net of accumulated depreciation, related to asset retirement obligations were previously impaired, resulting in a net book value of zero as of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025.

Satellites – Pay-TV Segment

Substantially all of our Pay-TV segment was deconsolidated as of June 30, 2026. The DISH DBS Deconsolidated Entities lease capacity on our satellite fleet to maintain their Pay-TV operations.

The deconsolidated Pay-TV segment utilizes nine satellites in geosynchronous orbit approximately 22,300 miles above the equator, six of which we own and depreciate over their estimated useful life and two of which the DISH DBS Deconsolidated Entities own. We also lease one satellite from a third party, Nimiq 5, which is accounted for as a finance lease. Through May 2026, our Nimiq 5 satellite was accounted for as operating lease. However, we modified the Nimiq 5 lease effective June 2026, and it is currently accounted for as a finance lease and is depreciated over its economic life.

As of June 30, 2026, our satellite fleet consisted of the following:

Degree

Lease

Launch

Orbital

Termination 

Satellites

  ​ ​ ​

Date

  ​ ​ ​

Location

  ​ ​ ​

Date

Owned:

EchoStar X

February 2006

110

N/A

EchoStar XI

July 2008

110

N/A

EchoStar XIV

March 2010

119

N/A

EchoStar XVI

November 2012

61.5

N/A

EchoStar XXIII

March 2017

110

N/A

EchoStar XXV (1)

March 2026

110

N/A

Under Construction:

EchoStar XXVI

2028

119

N/A

Leased from Other Third-Party:

Nimiq 5 (2)

September 2009

72.7

October 2034

Owned by DISH DBS Deconsolidated Entities:

EchoStar XV

July 2010

119

N/A

EchoStar XVIII

June 2016

61.5

N/A

(1)The EchoStar XXV satellite commenced commercial operations in June 2026.
(2)In May 2026, we modified the Nimiq 5 lease term to October 2034.

Satellites Under Construction

EchoStar XXVI. On May 15, 2025, we entered into a contract with Lanteris Space LLC for the construction of EchoStar XXVI, a DBS satellite that is capable of providing service to the CONUS and is intended to be used at the 119 degree orbital location. During the third quarter of 2025, we entered into an agreement with SpaceX for launch services for this satellite, which is expected to be launched during 2028.

Satellites – Broadband and Satellite Services Segment

Our Broadband and Satellite Services segment currently utilizes seven satellites in geosynchronous orbit approximately 22,300 miles above the equator, four of which we own and depreciate over their estimated useful life. We also lease three satellites from third parties, which are accounted for as finance leases and are depreciated over their economic life.

As of June 30, 2026, our Broadband and Satellite Services segment satellite fleet consisted of the following:

Degree

Lease

Launch

Orbital

Termination 

Satellites

  ​ ​ ​

Date

  ​ ​ ​

Location

  ​ ​ ​

Date

Owned:

EchoStar XVII

July 2012

107

N/A

EchoStar XIX

December 2016

97.1

N/A

EchoStar XXI

June 2017

10.25

N/A

EchoStar XXIV

July 2023

95.2

N/A

Leased from Other Third-Party:

Eutelsat 65 West A

March 2016

65

July 2031

Telesat T19V

July 2018

63

August 2033

EchoStar 105/SES-11

October 2017

105

November 2031