| Property and equipment, net | 
        
   
   
   
             Property and equipment, net, consists of the following:
    
   
   
   
   
       |   | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
    
   
       |   | 
         | 
       June 30, | 
         | 
         | 
       December 31, | 
         | 
    
   
       |   | 
         | 
       2011 | 
         | 
         | 
       2010 | 
         | 
    
   
   
   
       | 
    Satellite system
    
 | 
         | 
       $ | 
       1,943,537 | 
         | 
         | 
       $ | 
       1,943,537 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Terrestrial repeater network
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       109,819 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       109,582 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Leasehold improvements
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       43,352 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       43,567 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Broadcast studio equipment
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       52,106 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       51,985 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Capitalized software and hardware
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       171,222 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       163,689 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Satellite telemetry, tracking and control facilities
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       58,221 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       57,665 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       63,735 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       63,265 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Land
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       38,411 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       38,411 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Building
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       56,887 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       56,685 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Construction in progress
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       351,611 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       297,771 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
     
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Total property and equipment
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       2,888,901 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       2,826,157 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Accumulated depreciation and amortization
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       (1,166,228 | 
       ) | 
         | 
         | 
       (1,064,883 | 
       ) | 
    
   
       | 
     
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Property and equipment, net
    
 | 
         | 
       $ | 
       1,722,673 | 
         | 
         | 
       $ | 
       1,761,274 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
     
    
 | 
         | 
             | 
         | 
         | 
             | 
         | 
    
   
    
    
    
    
 | 
      
      
        | Construction In Progress | 
        
   
   
   
             Construction in progress consists of the following:
    
   
   
   
   
       |   | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
    
   
       |   | 
         | 
       June 30, | 
         | 
         | 
       December 31, | 
         | 
    
   
       |   | 
         | 
       2011 | 
         | 
         | 
       2010 | 
         | 
    
   
   
   
       | 
    Satellite system
    
 | 
         | 
       $ | 
       313,446 | 
         | 
         | 
       $ | 
       262,744 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Terrestrial repeater network
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       18,753 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       19,239 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Other
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
       19,412 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
       15,788 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
     
    
 | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
    Construction in progress
    
 | 
         | 
       $ | 
       351,611 | 
         | 
         | 
       $ | 
       297,771 | 
         | 
    
   
       | 
     
    
 | 
         | 
             | 
         | 
         | 
             | 
         | 
    
   
    
    
    
    
 |