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Canadian ATG Spectrum License
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]  
Canadian ATG Spectrum License

17. Canadian ATG Spectrum License

On July 17, 2012, Industry Canada issued to our Canadian subsidiary a subordinate license that allows us to use the Canadian ATG spectrum of which SkySurf Canada Communications Inc. (“SkySurf”) is the primary licensee. On July 24, 2012 we entered into a subordinate license agreement (the “License Agreement”) with SkySurf and on August 14, 2012 the agreement commenced. The License Agreement provides for our exclusive rights to use SkySurf’s ATG spectrum licenses in Canada. The License Agreement has an initial term of ten years commencing on August 14, 2012 and, provided that the primary spectrum license agreement issued by Industry Canada to SkySurf remains in effect, is renewable at our option for an additional ten-year term following the initial expiration and thereafter for a further five-year term. We made a one-time payment of C$3.3 million, which was equivalent to approximately U.S. $3.3 million (“one-time payment”). The renewal of the primary spectrum license will depend upon the satisfaction by Gogo and SkySurf of certain conditions set forth in the license, including, without limitation, a network build-out requirement. The term of the License Agreement, including the initial ten-year term and any renewals, is contingent on the effectiveness and renewal of the primary spectrum license issued by Industry Canada to SkySurf on June 30, 2009, which expires on June 29, 2019. We are to pay SkySurf C$0.1 million, which is equivalent to U.S. $0.1 million, monthly during the initial ten-year term of the License Agreement. Additionally, we are to make variable monthly payments based on the number of cell sites in Canada and the number of Canadian-domiciled commercial aircraft on which we provide our service.

As the License Agreement is for our exclusive use of a license, which is considered a right to use an intangible asset and thus not property, plant, or equipment, the agreement is not considered a lease for accounting purposes. As such, we recorded the SkySurf one-time payment as an asset in our consolidated balance sheet at the time of payment. As of December 31, 2013 and 2012 the one-time payment had balances of $0.1 million and $0.1 million included in prepaid expenses and other current assets, respectively, and $2.7 million and $3.1 million included in other non-current assets, respectively, in our consolidated balance sheet. The one-time payment is being amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated term of the agreement of 25-years, which includes estimated renewal periods.

 

Amortization expense for the one-time payment for each of the next five years and thereafter is estimated to be as follows (in thousands):

 

Years ending December 31,    Canadian ATG
Spectrum
Amortization
 

2014

   $ 122   

2015

   $ 122   

2016

   $ 122   

2017

   $ 122   

2018

   $ 122   

Thereafter

   $ 2,261   

Amortization expense totaled $0.1 million and an amount less than $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

The monthly payments are expensed as incurred and totaled approximately $1.0 million and $0.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.