v3.25.3
Revenue Recognition
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Revenue Recognition  
Revenue Recognition

12.Revenue Recognition

Contract Balances

Our allowance for credit losses for trade accounts receivable were as follows:

    

Pay-TV

Wireless

Broadband and Satellite Services

Total

(In thousands)

Balance, December 31, 2024

    

$

42,575

$

28,739

$

11,314

$

82,628

Current period provision for expected credit losses

36,900

24,291

11,578

72,769

Write-offs charged against allowance

(26,395)

(26,713)

(11,003)

(64,111)

Foreign currency translation

98

98

Balance, September 30, 2025

$

53,080

$

26,317

$

11,987

$

91,384

    

Pay-TV

Wireless

Broadband and Satellite Services

Total

(In thousands)

Balance, December 31, 2023

    

$

35,320

$

18,671

$

20,399

$

74,390

Current period provision for expected credit losses

51,609

47,542

21,107

120,258

Write-offs charged against allowance

(36,775)

(49,303)

(25,880)

(111,958)

Foreign currency translation

(263)

(263)

Balance, September 30, 2024

$

50,154

$

16,910

$

15,363

$

82,427

Contract assets arise when we recognize revenue for providing a service in advance of billing our customers. Our contract assets typically relate to our long-term contracts where we recognize revenue using the cost-based input method and the revenue recognized exceeds the amount billed to the customer.

Our contract assets also include receivables related to sales-type leases recognized over the lease term as the customer is billed. Contract assets are amortized as the customer is billed for services. Contract assets are recorded in “Trade accounts receivable, net” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table summarizes our contract asset balances:

As of

September 30,

December 31,

    

2025

    

2024

(In thousands)

Contract assets

$

154,861

$

108,092

Contract liabilities arise when we bill our customers and receive consideration in advance of providing the service. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when the service has been provided to the customer. Contract liabilities are recorded in “Deferred revenue and other” and “Long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table summarizes our contract liability balances:

As of

September 30,

December 31,

    

2025

    

2024

(In thousands)

Contract liabilities

$

624,217

$

649,054

Our beginning of period contract liability recorded as customer contract revenue during 2025 was $604 million.

Performance Obligations

Pay-TV and Wireless Segments

We apply a practical expedient and do not disclose the value of the remaining performance obligations for contracts that are less than one year in duration, which represent a substantial majority of our revenue. As such, the amount of revenue related to unsatisfied performance obligations is not necessarily indicative of our future revenue.

Broadband and Satellite Services Segment

As of September 30, 2025, the remaining performance obligations for our customer contracts was approximately $1.5 billion. Performance obligations expected to be satisfied within one year and greater than one year are 29% and 71%, respectively. This amount and percentages exclude leasing arrangements and agreements with consumer customers.

Contract Acquisition Costs

The following table presents the activity in our contract acquisition costs, net:

For the Three Months Ended 

For the Nine Months Ended 

September 30,

September 30,

2025

    

2024

    

2025

    

2024

(In thousands)

Balance, beginning of period

$

282,247

$

307,345

$

289,200

$

352,114

Additions

71,654

67,086

196,770

202,328

Amortization expense

(77,702)

(75,438)

(210,544)

(254,541)

Foreign currency translation

172

43

945

(865)

Balance, end of period

$

276,371

$

299,036

$

276,371

$

299,036