Intelsat (INTEQ) 20-F 8 Mar 16 2015 FY Annual report (foreign) Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015shares
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	20-F
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2015
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	I
Entity Registrant Name	INTELSAT S.A.
Entity Central Index Key	1,525,773
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	107,631,194

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 171,541	$ 123,147
Receivables, net of allowance of $35,174 in 2014 and $37,178 in 2015	232,775	220,458
Deferred income taxes		76,315
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,784	35,945
Total current assets	440,100	455,865
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	5,988,317	5,880,264
Goodwill	2,620,627	6,780,827
Non-amortizable intangible assets	2,452,900	2,458,100
Amortizable intangible assets, net	440,330	500,545
Other assets	311,316	250,833
Total assets	12,253,590	16,326,434
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	164,381	151,793
Taxes payable	11,742	8,974
Employee related liabilities	35,361	44,815
Accrued interest payable	161,493	161,495
Current portion of long-term debt		49,000
Deferred satellite performance incentives	19,411	20,957
Deferred revenue	108,779	117,401
Other current liabilities	63,275	72,629
Total current liabilities	564,442	627,064
Long-term debt, net of current portion	14,611,379	14,619,221
Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion	162,177	163,360
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	1,010,242	967,318
Deferred income taxes	160,802	211,680
Accrued retirement benefits	195,385	262,906
Other long-term liabilities	$ 169,516	$ 217,452
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 15 and 16)
Shareholders' deficit:
Common shares; nominal value $0.01 per share	$ 1,076	$ 1,067
5.75% Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred shares; nominal value $0.01 per share; aggregate liquidation preference of $172,500 ($50 per share)	35	35
Paid-in capital	2,133,891	2,117,898
Accumulated deficit	(6,706,128)	(2,782,741)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(78,439)	(112,527)
Total Intelsat S.A. shareholders' deficit	(4,649,565)	(776,268)
Noncontrolling interest	29,212	33,701
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	$ 12,253,590	$ 16,326,434

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Receivables, allowance	$ 37,178	$ 35,174
Common shares, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred shares, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred shares, aggregate liquidation preference	$ 172,500	$ 172,500
Preferred shares, aggregate liquidation preference, per share	$ 50	$ 50

Consolidated Statements of Oper

Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 571,259	$ 580,847	$ 598,109	$ 602,306	$ 619,122	$ 608,625	$ 615,749	$ 628,890	$ 2,352,521	$ 2,472,386	$ 2,603,623
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									328,501	348,348	375,769
Selling, general and administrative									199,412	197,407	288,467
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles	4,200,000								4,165,400
Depreciation and amortization									687,729	679,351	736,567
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries											(9,618)
Total operating expenses									5,381,042	1,225,106	1,391,185
Income (loss) from operations	(3,897,122)	284,999	290,842	292,762	292,707	310,811	315,060	328,700	(3,028,521)	1,247,280	1,212,438
Interest (income) expense, net									890,279	944,787	1,122,261
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt					(40,400)				7,061	(40,423)	(368,089)
Other income (expense), net									(6,201)	(2,593)	(4,918)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,917,940)	259,477	(282,830)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									1,513	22,971	(30,837)
Net income (loss)	(4,115,321)	78,967	61,236	55,665	17,220	68,620	67,771	82,896	(3,919,453)	236,506	(251,993)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									(3,934)	(3,974)	(3,687)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat	(4,116,306)	77,982	60,220	54,717	16,194	67,624	66,768	81,946	(3,923,387)	232,532	(255,680)
Cumulative preferred dividends									(9,919)	(9,917)	(10,196)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (4,116,306)	$ 77,982	$ 50,301	$ 54,717	$ 16,194	$ 67,624	$ 56,851	$ 81,946	$ (3,933,306)	$ 222,615	$ (265,876)
Net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A.:
Basic	$ (38.29)	$ 0.73	$ 0.47	$ 0.51	$ 0.15	$ 0.63	$ 0.53	$ 0.77	$ (36.68)	$ 2.09	$ (2.70)
Diluted	$ (38.29)	$ 0.66	$ 0.47	$ 0.47	$ 0.14	$ 0.58	$ 0.53	$ 0.70	$ (36.68)	$ 1.99	$ (2.70)

Consolidated Statements of Comp

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income (loss)	$ (3,919,453)	$ 236,506	$ (251,993)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Reclassification adjustment for amortization of unrecognized prior service credits included in net periodic pension costs and other, net of tax	(248)	(109)	(107)
Reclassification adjustment for amortization of unrecognized actuarial loss included in net periodic pension costs, net of tax	5,244	6,510	12,320
Actuarial gain (loss) arising during the year, net of tax	22,943	(58,403)	45,070
Curtailment gain, net of tax of $3.8 million	6,510
Unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax	(21)	258	629
Reclassification adjustment for realized loss (gain) on investments, net of tax	(340)	(390)	123
Other comprehensive income (loss)	34,088	(52,134)	58,035
Comprehensive income (loss)	(3,885,365)	184,372	(193,958)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,934)	(3,974)	(3,687)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.	$ (3,889,299)	$ 180,398	$ (197,645)

Consolidated Statements of Com6

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Parenthetical) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Curtailment gain, net of tax	$ 3.8

Consolidated Statements of Chan

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Deficit - USD ($) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions		Total	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Intelsat S.A. Shareholders' Deficit [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	[1]			$ 832	$ 1,519,429	$ (2,759,593)	$ (118,428)	$ (1,357,760)	$ 45,670
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012	[1]			83.2
Net Income (loss)		$ (255,680)				(255,680)		(255,680)	3,687
Initial public offering, net of costs			$ 35	$ 222	542,539			542,796
Initial public offering, net of costs (in Shares)			3.5	22.2
Change in classification of certain equity awards					18,899			18,899
Share-based compensation				$ 6	28,547			28,553
Share-based compensation (in Shares)				0.6
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests									(8,671)
Declaration of preferred stock dividend					(10,196)			(10,196)
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment, net of tax							57,283	57,283
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		629					752	752
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013			$ 35	$ 1,060	2,099,218	(3,015,273)	(60,393)	(975,353)	40,686
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013			3.5	106
Net Income (loss)		232,532				232,532		232,532	3,974
Share-based compensation		26,389		$ 7	26,382			26,389
Share-based compensation (in Shares)				0.7
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests		(8,744)							(8,744)
Declaration of preferred stock dividend		(9,917)			(9,917)			(9,917)
Acquisition of non-controlling interests					2,215			2,215	(2,215)
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment, net of tax							(52,002)	(52,002)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		258					(132)	(132)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014		(776,268)	$ 35	$ 1,067	2,117,898	(2,782,741)	(112,527)	(776,268)	33,701
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014			3.5	106.7
Net Income (loss)		(3,923,387)				(3,923,387)		(3,923,387)	3,934
Share-based compensation		25,921		$ 9	25,912			25,921
Share-based compensation (in Shares)				0.9
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests		(8,423)							(8,423)
Declaration of preferred stock dividend		(9,919)			(9,919)			(9,919)
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment, net of tax							27,939	27,939
Curtailment gain, net of tax of $3.8 million		6,510					6,510	6,510
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		(21)					(361)	(361)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ (4,649,565)	$ 35	$ 1,076	$ 2,133,891	$ (6,706,128)	$ (78,439)	$ (4,649,565)	$ 29,212
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015			3.5	107.6
[1]	Common shares and paid-in capital amounts reflect the retroactive impact of the former Class A and Class B share reclassification into common shares and the share splits related to our Initial Public Offering. See Note 4-Net Income (Loss) per Share for further discussion.

Consolidated Statements of Cha8

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Deficit (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Curtailment gain, net of tax	$ 3.8
Intelsat S.A. Shareholders' Deficit [Member]
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment, tax	16.5	$ (30.3)	$ 34.9
Curtailment gain, net of tax	3.8
Other comprehensive income (loss), tax	$ (0.2)	$ 0.1	$ (0.4)

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ (3,919,453)	$ 236,506	$ (251,993)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles	4,165,400
Depreciation and amortization	687,729	679,351	736,567
Provision for doubtful accounts	7,432	2,306	29,599
Foreign currency transaction loss	11,374	6,560	6,003
Loss on disposal of assets	16	927	338
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries			(9,618)
Share-based compensation	25,768	22,494	25,289
Deferred income taxes	(9,348)	(12,646)	(65,347)
Amortization of discount, premium, issuance costs and related costs	20,119	22,256	46,026
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt	(7,061)	40,423	368,089
Unrealized gains on derivative financial instruments	(24,024)	(22,790)	(19,740)
Amortization of actuarial loss and prior service credits for retirement benefits	7,899	10,147	19,613
Other non-cash items	75	166	234
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Receivables	(34,642)	1,382	16,269
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(25,780)	(22,331)	(6,117)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,542	7,598	(23,730)
Accrued interest payable	(2)	(24,997)	(178,796)
Deferred revenue	51,805	108,545	49,924
Accrued retirement benefits	(20,707)	(26,019)	(29,732)
Other long-term liabilities	(28,111)	16,292	4,014
Net cash provided by operating activities	910,031	1,046,170	716,892
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)	(724,362)	(645,424)	(600,792)
Proceeds from insurance settlements			487,930
Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds			(19,199)
Purchase of cost method investment	(25,000)
Other investing activities	8	174	(2,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(749,354)	(645,250)	(134,061)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(496,829)	(610,418)	(6,904,162)
Repayment of notes payable to former shareholders			(868)
Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt		(21,250)	(311,224)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	430,000	135,000	6,254,688
Debt issuance costs			(84,845)
Proceeds from initial public offering			572,500
Stock issuance costs			(26,683)
Dividends paid to preferred shareholders	(9,919)	(9,919)	(5,235)
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives	(19,568)	(19,774)	(17,503)
Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest		12,209	12,209
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest	(8,423)	(8,744)	(8,671)
Other financing activities	1,753	3,893	3,271
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(102,986)	(519,003)	(516,523)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9,297)	(6,560)	(6,003)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	48,394	(124,643)	60,305
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	123,147	247,790	187,485
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	171,541	123,147	247,790
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized	894,465	970,345	1,283,439
Income taxes paid, net of refunds	26,324	37,805	38,784
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing activities:
Capitalization of deferred satellite performance incentives	16,800	27,681
Accrued capital expenditures	$ 82,208	$ 80,621	$ 66,578

Background of Company

Background of Company	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Background of Company	Note 1 Background of Company Intelsat S.A. (the “Company”, “we”,” us” or “our”) provides satellite communications services worldwide through a global communications network of approximately 50 satellites and ground facilities related to the satellite operations and control, and teleport services. Initial Public Offering On April 23, 2013, we completed our initial public offering, in which we issued 22,222,222 common shares, and a concurrent public offering, in which we issued 3,450,000 5.75% Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred shares (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), at public offering prices of $18.00 and $50.00 per share, respectively (the initial public offering together with the concurrent public offering, the “IPO”) for total proceeds of $572.5 million (or approximately $550 million after underwriting discounts and commissions).

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Note 2 Significant Accounting Policies (a) Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Intelsat S.A., its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (“VIE”) of which we are the primary beneficiary. We are the primary beneficiary of one VIE, as more fully described in Note 10—Investments, and accordingly, we include in our consolidated financial statements the assets and liabilities and results of operations of the entity, even though we may not own a majority voting interest. We use the equity method to account for our investments in entities where we exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies but do not retain control under either the voting interest model (generally 20% to 50% ownership interest) or the variable interest model. In 2015, we entered into a new joint venture agreement as further described in Note 10—Investments and the investment is accounted for using the equity method. We have eliminated all significant intercompany accounts and transactions. (b) Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods, and the disclosures of contingent liabilities. Accordingly, ultimate results could differ from those estimates. (c) Revenue Recognition We earn revenue from providing satellite services and managed services to customers. We enter into contracts with customers to provide satellite transponders and transponder capacity and, in certain cases, earth stations and teleport facilities, for periods typically ranging from one year to the life of the satellite. Our revenue recognition policies are as follows: Satellite Utilization Charges. Satellite Related Consulting and Technical Services. Tracking, Telemetry and Commanding (“TT&C”). In-Orbit Backup Services. Revenue Share Arrangements. We may sell these products or services individually or in some combination to our customers. When these products and services are sold together, we account for the multiple elements under FASB ASC Topic 605-25, Revenue Recognition-Multiple Element Arrangements (“FASB ASC 605-25”). FASB ASC 605-25 provides guidance on accounting for arrangements that involve the delivery or performance of multiple products, services and/or rights to use assets. We allocate revenue for transactions or collaborations that include multiple elements to each unit of accounting based on each element’s relative selling price, and recognize revenue for each unit of accounting when the applicable revenue recognition criteria have been met. (d) Fair Value Measurements We estimate the fair value of our financial instruments using available market information and valuation methodologies. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values because of the short maturity of these financial instruments. FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure (“FASB ASC 820”) defines fair value as the price that would be received in the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. FASB ASC 820 requires disclosure of the extent to which fair value is used to measure financial assets and liabilities, the inputs utilized in calculating valuation measurements, and the effect of the measurement of significant unobservable inputs on earnings, or changes in net assets, as of the measurement date. FASB ASC 820 establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy based upon the transparency of inputs utilized in the measurement and valuation of financial assets or liabilities as of the measurement date. We apply fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities and non-financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques into three levels as follows: • Level 1—unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets; • Level 2—quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable or that can be corroborated by observable market data by correlation; and • Level 3—unobservable inputs based upon the reporting entity’s internally developed assumptions which market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. (e) Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, which are generally time deposits with banks and money market funds. The carrying amount of these investments approximates market value. (f) Receivables and Allowances for Doubtful Accounts We provide satellite services and extend credit to numerous customers in the satellite communication, telecommunications and video markets. We monitor our exposure to credit losses and maintain allowances for doubtful accounts and anticipated losses. We believe we have adequate customer collateral and reserves to cover our exposure. If we determine that the collection of payments is not reasonably assured at the time the respective service is provided, we defer recognition of the revenue until we believe collection is reasonably assured or the payment is received. (g) Satellites and Other Property and Equipment Satellites and other property and equipment are stated at historical cost, or in the case of certain satellites acquired, the fair value at the date of acquisition. Capitalized costs consist primarily of the costs of satellite construction and launch, including launch insurance and insurance during the period of in-orbit testing, the net present value of performance incentives expected to be payable to the satellite manufacturers (dependent on the continued satisfactory performance of the satellites), costs directly associated with the monitoring and support of satellite construction, and interest costs incurred during the period of satellite construction. We depreciate satellites and other property and equipment on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives: Years Buildings and improvements 10 - 40 Satellites and related costs 11 - 17 Ground segment equipment and software 4 - 15 Furniture and fixtures and computer hardware 4 - 12 Leasehold improvements (1) 2 - 12 (1) Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the useful life of the improvement or the remaining lease term. (h) Other Assets Other assets consist of investments in certain equity securities, long-term deposits, long-term receivables and other miscellaneous deferred charges and long-term assets. (i) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets We account for goodwill and other intangible assets in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (“FASB ASC 350”). Goodwill represents the excess of the consideration transferred plus the fair value of any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date over the fair values of identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill and certain other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized but are tested on an annual basis for impairment during the fourth quarter, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. See Note 11—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Intangible assets arising from business combinations are initially recorded at fair value. We record other intangible assets at cost. We amortize intangible assets with determinable lives (consisting of backlog and customer relationships) based on the expected pattern of consumption. We review these intangible assets for impairment whenever facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. See Note 11—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. (j) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets We review long-lived assets, including property and equipment and acquired intangible assets with estimable useful lives, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such an asset may not be recoverable. These indicators of impairment can include, but are not limited to, the following: • satellite anomalies, such as a partial or full loss of power; • under-performance of an asset compared to expectations; and • shortened useful lives due to changes in the way an asset is used or expected to be used. The recoverability of an asset to be held and used is determined by comparing the carrying amount to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, we record an impairment charge in the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value, which we determine by either a quoted market price, if any, or a value determined by utilizing discounted cash flow techniques. (k) Income Taxes We account for income taxes in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740—Income Taxes. We are subject to income taxes in the United States as well as a number of other foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in the calculation of our tax provision and the resultant tax liabilities and in the recoverability of our deferred tax assets that arise from temporary differences between the tax and financial statement recognition of revenue and expense and net operating loss and credit carryforwards. We regularly assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets can be recovered. A valuation allowance is required when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. We evaluate the recoverability of our deferred tax assets based in part on the existence of deferred tax liabilities that can be used to realize the deferred tax assets. During the ordinary course of business, there are transactions and calculations for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We evaluate our tax positions to determine if it is more likely than not that a tax position is sustainable, based solely on its technical merits and presuming the taxing authorities have full knowledge of the position and access to all relevant facts and information. When a tax position does not meet the more likely than not standard, we record a liability or contra asset for the entire amount of the unrecognized tax benefit. Additionally, for those tax positions that are determined more likely than not to be sustainable, we measure the tax position at the largest amount of benefit more likely than not (determined by cumulative probability) to be realized upon settlement with the taxing authority. (l) Foreign Currency Translation Our functional currency is the U.S. dollar, since substantially all customer contracts, capital expenditure contracts and operating expense obligations are denominated in U.S. dollars. Transactions not denominated in U.S. dollars have been translated using the spot rates of exchange at the dates of the transactions. We recognize differences on exchange arising on the settlement of the transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar in the consolidated statement of operations. (m) Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income consists of net income or loss and other gains and losses affecting shareholders’ equity that, under U.S. GAAP, are excluded from net income or loss. Such items consist primarily of the change in the market value of available-for-sale securities and pension liability adjustments. (n) Share-Based Compensation Compensation cost is recognized based on the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation Awards are measured at the grant date based on the fair value as calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model for share options, a Monte Carlo simulation model for awards with market conditions, or the closing market price at the grant date for awards of shares or restricted shares units. For share-based awards recognized as liability awards prior to the IPO, we recorded compensation cost based on the fair value of such awards. The expense is recognized over the requisite service period, based on attainment of certain vesting requirements. The determination of the value of certain awards requires considerable judgment, including estimating expected volatility, expected term and risk-free rate. The Company’s expected volatility is based on the average volatility rates of similar actively-traded companies over the range of each award’s estimated expected term, which is based on the midpoint between the expected vesting time and the remaining contractual life. The risk-free rate is derived from the applicable Constant Maturity Treasury rate. Prior to the IPO, we estimated the fair market value of our equity at each reporting period in order to properly record stock compensation expense. We estimated the fair market value using a combination of the income and market approaches, and allocated a 50% weighting to each approach. The income approach quantifies the future cash flows that we expect to achieve consistent with our annual business plan and forecasting processes. These future cash flows are discounted to their net present values using an estimated rate corresponding to a weighted average cost of capital. Our forecasted cash flows are subject to uncontrollable and unforeseen events that could positively or negatively impact economic and business conditions. The estimated weighted average cost of capital includes assumptions and estimates based upon interest rates, expected rates of return, and other risk factors that consider both historic data and expected future returns for comparable investments. The market approach estimates fair value by applying trading multiples of enterprise value to EBITDA based on observed publicly traded comparable companies. (o) Deferred Satellite Performance Incentives The cost of satellite construction may include an element of deferred consideration that we are obligated to pay to satellite manufacturers over the lives of the satellites, provided the satellites continue to operate in accordance with contractual specifications. Historically, the satellite manufacturers have earned substantially all of these payments. Therefore, we account for these payments as deferred financing. We capitalize the present value of these payments as part of the cost of the satellites and record a corresponding liability to the satellite manufacturers. Interest expense is recognized on the deferred financing and the liability is reduced as the payments are made. (p) Derivative Instruments We hold interest rate swaps, each of which were undesignated as of December 31, 2015. The swaps are marked-to-market quarterly, with any change in fair value recorded as interest expense, net. (q) Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years’ financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, cash flows or retained earnings. (r) New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) Revenue Recognition Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-03, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases

Share Capital

Share Capital	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Share Capital	Note 3 Share Capital Under our Articles of Incorporation, we have an authorized share capital of $10.0 million, represented by 1.0 billion shares of any class with a nominal value of $0.01 per share. At December 31, 2015, there were 107.6 million common shares issued and outstanding and 3.5 million Series A Preferred Shares issued and outstanding. Our Series A Preferred Shares have a liquidation preference of $50 per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. Each Series A Preferred Share will automatically convert on May 1, 2016 into between 2.2676 and 2.7778 of our common shares, subject to anti-dilution adjustments. The number of our common shares issuable on conversion will be determined based on the average of the closing prices per common share over the 40 trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the mandatory conversion date. At any time prior to May 1, 2016, holders may elect to convert each Series A Preferred Share into common shares at the minimum conversion rate of 2.2676 common shares per Series A Preferred Share, subject to anti-dilution adjustments.

Net Income (Loss) per Share

Net Income (Loss) per Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss) per Share	Note 4 Net Income (Loss) per Share Basic EPS is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.’s common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods. On April 23, 2013, we completed our initial public offering, in which we issued 22,222,222 common shares, and a concurrent public offering, in which we issued 3,450,000 Series A Preferred Shares. Prior to the consummation of the IPO, each of our former Class A common shares (the “Class A Shares”) was reclassified into one of our common shares and each of our former Class B common shares (the “Class B Shares”) was reclassified into 0.0735 of our common shares. In addition, immediately prior to the consummation of the IPO, an equivalent of a share split was effected by distributing common shares pro rata to existing holders of our common shares, so that each existing holder received approximately 4.6 additional common shares for each common share owned at that time (together, the “IPO Reorganization Transactions”). The effect of these reclassifications on outstanding shares, potentially dilutive shares and earnings per share (“EPS”) has been retroactively applied to the financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements for all periods presented. In 2013 and 2014, the shareholders of Intelsat S.A. declared a $10.2 million and $9.9 million dividend, respectively, which was paid in four equal installments in accordance with the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares. In June 2015, the shareholders of Intelsat S.A. declared a $9.9 million dividend to be paid to holders of our Series A Preferred Shares in four installments through May 2016. In 2015, we made payments on the first and second installments of $0.71875 per share. In January 2016, we announced the third installment of $0.71875 per share. The dividend was paid on February 1, 2016 to holders of record as of January 15, 2016. The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: (in thousands, except per share data or where otherwise noted) Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Numerator: Net income (loss) $ (251,993 ) $ 236,506 $ (3,919,453 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (3,687 ) (3,974 ) (3,934 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. (255,680 ) 232,532 (3,923,387 ) Less: Preferred Shares dividends declared (10,196 ) (9,917 ) (9,919 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (265,876 ) $ 222,615 (3,933,306 ) Numerator for Basic EPS - income/ (loss) available to common shareholders $ (265,876 ) $ 222,615 (3,933,306 ) Dilutive effect of Preferred shares — 9,917 — Numerator for Diluted EPS $ (265,876 ) $ 232,532 (3,933,306 ) Denominator: Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 98.5 106.5 107.2 Weighted average dilutive shares outstanding (in millions): Preferred shares (in millions) — 9.6 — Employee compensation related shares including options and restricted stock units (in millions) — 0.6 — Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 98.5 116.7 107.2 Basic net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A. $ (2.70 ) $ 2.09 $ (36.68 ) Diluted net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A. $ (2.70 ) $ 1.99 $ (36.68 ) Due to a net loss in the year ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2015, there were no dilutive securities, and therefore, basic and diluted EPS were the same. The weighted average number of shares that could potentially dilute basic EPS in the future was 4.5 million, 1.4 million and 5.1 million (consisting of unvested common shares, restricted share units and options to purchase common shares) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Further, there were 6.6 million and 9.6 million weighted average common shares resulting from the potential conversion of Series A Preferred Shares for the year ended December 31, 2013, and December 31, 2015, respectively, that could dilute basic EPS in future periods.

Share-Based and Other Compensat

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans	Note 5 Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans In connection with the IPO, in April 2013, we amended the Intelsat Global, Ltd. 2008 Share Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2008 Equity Plan”) to reflect the IPO Reorganization Transactions (see Note 4– The items described here and above resulted in a pre-tax charge of $21.3 million (the “IPO-Related Compensation Charges”), $2.4 million of which was included in direct costs of revenue and $18.9 million of which was included in selling, general and administrative expenses on our consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013. Also, in connection with the IPO, in April 2013, our board of directors adopted the Intelsat S.A. 2013 Share Incentive Plan (the “2013 Equity Plan”). The 2013 Equity Plan provides for a variety of equity based awards, including incentive stock options (within the meaning of Section 422 of the United States Internal Revenue Service Tax Code), restricted shares, restricted share units, other share-based awards and performance compensation awards. Under the 2013 Equity Plan, an aggregate of 10,000,000 common shares are available for awards (as defined in the 2013 Equity Plan). Following the IPO, no new awards may be granted under the 2008 Equity Plan except those granted in connection with the IPO Reorganization Transactions and completion of the IPO. Total shares available for future issuance under the 2013 Equity Plan were 4.1 million as of December 31, 2015. For all share-based awards, we recognize the compensation costs over the vesting period during which the employee provides service in exchange for the award. Compensation expense in 2013 also includes the IPO-Related Compensation Charges discussed above. During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, we recorded compensation expense of $25.3 million, $22.5 million, and $25.8 million, respectively. Stock Options Stock options generally expire 10 years from the date of grant. In some cases, options have been granted which expire 15 years from the date of grant. The options vest monthly over service periods ranging from two to five years. Stock Option activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Exercise Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 1,288 $ 20.35 Exercised 34 4.50 Forfeited 11 34.73 Expired 80 24.20 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 1,163 $ 20.42 5.3 $ — Exercisable at December 31, 2015 1,154 $ 20.31 5.3 $ — We measure the fair value of stock options at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. There were no stock options granted in 2015. The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2013 was $7.85. The following assumptions were used in estimating the fair value of options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model during the year ended December 31, 2013: risk-free interest rates of 0.6%; dividend yields of 0.0%; expected volatility of 59.4%; and expected life of four years. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was $5.6 million, $2.6 million, and $0.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, there was less than $0.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of one year. During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, we recorded a credit of $0.4 million, compensation expense of $3.0 million, and compensation expense of $0.8 million, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015, we received cash of $2.4 million, $1.0 million, and $0.2 million, respectively, from the exercise of stock options. In the first quarter of 2016, we granted options to purchase an additional 1.3 million shares to certain individuals. We intend to measure the fair value of stock options at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The options vest over a service period of two years. Anti-Dilution Options In connection with the IPO Reorganization Transactions and upon consummation of the IPO, options were granted to certain individuals in accordance with the existing terms of their side letters to the Management Shareholders Agreement, which, when taken together with the common shares received in connection with the reclassification of our outstanding former Class B Shares, preserved their ownership interests represented by their outstanding former Class B Shares immediately prior to the reclassification. These options generally expire five years from the date of grant. In some cases, options have been granted which expire 10 years from the date of grant. Anti-Dilution Option activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 Exercised — 18.00 Expired — 18.00 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 6.1 $ — Exercisable at December 31, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 6.1 $ — We measured the fair value of anti-dilution option grants at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. There were no anti-dilution options granted during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015. The weighted average grant date fair value of anti-dilution options granted during the year ended December 31, 2013 was $5.97. The following assumptions were used in estimating the fair value of options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model during the year ended December 31, 2013: risk-free interest rates of 0.3%; dividend yields of 0.0%; expected volatility of 60.8%; and expected life of two years. The total intrinsic value of anti-dilution options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2014 was $0.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively. All anti-dilution options were fully vested as of December 31, 2013. During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2014, we recorded compensation expense associated with anti-dilution option awards of $14.5 million and $4.1 million, respectively. No compensation expense was recorded for these awards in 2015. During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2014, we received cash of $0.4 million and $3.2 million, respectively, from the exercise of anti-dilution options. There were no anti-dilution options exercised in 2015. Option modifications During the year ended December 31, 2014, 1.9 million stock options, including 1.6 million anti-dilution options, were amended to (a) extend the expiration date by five years; and (b) extend the duration of exercisability from one year to three years after ceasing to be an employee of the company. We estimated an additional expense of $2.52 per option resulting from the amendment, being the difference between the fair value of the amended option and the fair value of the original award before amendment. The fair value was measured using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and the following assumptions were used: For the fair value of the amended options: risk-free interest rates of 1.3%; dividend yields of 0.0%; expected volatility of 45%; and expected life of 4.1 years. For the fair value of the original award before amendment: risk-free interest rates of 0.3%; dividend yields of 0.0%; expected volatility of 45%; and expected life of 1.6 years. All such options were fully vested and we recognized an additional compensation expense associated with such options of $4.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2014, which has been included in the respective sections discussed above. During the first quarter of 2016, we repriced options to purchase approximately 1.2 million shares, including 0.7 million shares covered by anti-dilution options under the 2008 Equity Plan. We will estimate and record an additional expense resulting from the repricing, being the difference between fair value of the amended option and fair value of the original award before amendment. Time-based RSUs Time-based RSUs vest over periods ranging from six months to three years from the date of grant. Time-based RSUs activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 3,350 $ 17.73 Granted 716 11.64 Vested 808 18.35 Forfeited 378 16.37 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 2,880 $ 16.13 1.7 $ 12.0 The fair value of time-based RSUs is deemed to be the market price of common shares on the date of grant. The weighted average grant date fair value of time-based RSUs granted during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015 was $20.13, $17.45, and $11.64, respectively. The total intrinsic value of time-based RSUs vested during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was $2.5 million, $8.6 million, and $8.0 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, there was $31.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested time-based RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.7 years. During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015 we recorded compensation expense associated with these time-based RSUs of $5.7 million, $13.0 million, and $22.8 million respectively. Performance-based RSUs Performance-based RSUs vest after three years from the date of grant upon achievement of certain performance conditions. Two-thirds of these grants are subject to vesting upon achievement of an adjusted EBITDA target. The remaining one-third of these grants is subject to vesting upon achievement of a relative shareholder return (“RSR”), which is based on the Company’s relative shareholder return percentile ranking versus the S&P 900 Index target. Performance-based RSUs activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 914 $ 21.76 Granted 483 8.97 Forfeited 202 16.48 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 1,195 $ 17.48 1.1 $ 5.0 We measure the fair value of performance-based RSUs at the date of grant using the market price of our common shares (to measure the award based on an adjusted EBITDA target) and a Monte Carlo simulation model (to measure the award based on an RSR target). The weighted average grant date fair value of performance-based RSUs granted during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015 was $21.96, $21.48, and $8.97, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, there was $2.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested performance-based RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of one year. Achievement of the adjusted EBITDA target for awards granted in 2013, 2014, and 2015 is not currently considered probable, therefore, no compensation cost associated with these awards (based on the adjusted EBITDA condition) has been recognized during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015. We recorded compensation expense associated with the RSR portion of performance-based RSUs of $1.1 million, $2.4 million, and $2.2 million during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Restricted Shares There were no grants of restricted shares during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015. All restricted shares were vested as of December 31, 2013. In connection with the IPO, the repurchase provisions that were included in the restricted share grant agreements held by certain awardees contractually expired, and these awards are now classified as equity awards and were recorded at the IPO common share offering price of $18.00 per share. Following the IPO, the fair value of restricted shares is the market price of our common shares on the date of grant. The total intrinsic value of restricted shares vested during the year ended December 31, 2013 was $4.2 million. During the year ended December 31, 2013, we recorded compensation expense associated with restricted shares of $4.5 million.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	Note 6 Fair Value Measurements We have identified investments in marketable securities and interest rate financial derivative instruments as those items that meet the criteria of the disclosure requirements and fair value framework of FASB ASC 820. The following tables present assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value in our consolidated balance sheets on a recurring basis and their level within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands), excluding long-term debt (see “Note 12—Long-Term Debt”). We did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the year ended December 31, 2015. Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014 As of Quoted Prices in Significant Other Description (Level 1) (Level 2) Assets Marketable securities (1) $ 5,950 $ 5,950 $ — Total assets $ 5,950 $ 5,950 $ — Liabilities Undesignated interest rate swaps (2) $ 26,109 $ — $ 26,109 Total liabilities $ 26,109 $ — $ 26,109 Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2015 As of Quoted Prices in Significant Other Description (Level 1) (Level 2) Assets Marketable securities (1) $ 5,486 $ 5,486 $ — Total assets $ 5,486 $ 5,486 $ — Liabilities Undesignated interest rate swaps (2) $ 2,013 $ — $ 2,013 Total liabilities $ 2,013 $ — $ 2,013 (1) The valuation measurement inputs of these marketable securities represent unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and, accordingly, we have classified such investments within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. The cost basis of our available-for-sale marketable securities was $5.4 million at December 31, 2014 and $5.3 million at December 31, 2015. We sold marketable securities with a cost basis of $0.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2015 and recorded a gain on the sale of $0.4 million, which was included within other expense, net in our consolidated statement of operations. (2) The fair value of our interest rate financial derivative instruments reflects the estimated amounts that we would pay or receive to terminate the agreement at the reporting date, taking into account current interest rates, the market expectation for future interest rates and current creditworthiness of both the counterparties and ourselves. Observable inputs utilized in the income approach valuation technique incorporate identical contractual notional amounts, fixed coupon rates, periodic terms for interest payments and contract maturity. Although we have determined that the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments, if any, associated with our derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as the estimates of the current credit spread, to evaluate the likelihood of default by us or our counterparties. We also considered the existence of offset provisions and other credit enhancements that serve to reduce the credit exposure associated with the asset or liability being valued. We have assessed the significance of the inputs of the credit valuation adjustments to the overall valuation of our derivative positions and have determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the valuation of our derivatives. As a result, we have determined that our derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Retirement Plans and Other Reti

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits	Note 7 Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (a) Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits We maintain a noncontributory defined benefit retirement plan covering employees hired prior to July 19, 2001. The cost of providing benefits to eligible participants under the defined benefit retirement plan is calculated using the plan’s benefit formulas, which take into account the participants’ remuneration, dates of hire, years of eligible service, and certain actuarial assumptions. In addition, we provide postretirement medical benefits to certain current retirees and to certain active employees upon their retirement who meet the criteria under the medical plan for postretirement benefit eligibility. In the first quarter of 2015, we amended the defined benefit retirement plan to cease the accrual of additional benefits for the remaining active participants effective March 31, 2015, resulting in a curtailment of $10.3 million that decreased both the pension liability and the actuarial loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. As a result of the curtailment, all of the plan’s participants are now considered inactive. Accordingly, all amounts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss are being recognized as an increase to net periodic benefit cost over the average remaining life expectancy of plan participants, which is approximately 20 years, beginning in the second quarter of 2015. Also, as a result of the plan amendment, we recognized in our consolidated statements of operations $0.6 million of prior service credits that were previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The defined benefit retirement plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. We expect that our future contributions to the defined benefit retirement plan will be based on the minimum funding requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and on the plan’s funded status. Any significant decline in the fair value of our defined benefit retirement plan assets or other adverse changes to the significant assumptions used to determine the plan’s funded status would negatively impact its funded status and could result in increased funding in future periods. The impact on the funded status is determined based upon market conditions in effect when we completed our annual valuation. During the year ended December 31, 2015, we made cash contributions to the defined benefit retirement plan of $16.4 million. We do not anticipate additional contributions to the defined benefit retirement plan in 2016. We fund the postretirement medical benefits throughout the year based on benefits paid. We anticipate that our contributions to fund postretirement medical benefits in 2016 will be approximately $4.3 million. Prior service credits and actuarial losses are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs, which are included in both direct costs of revenue and selling, general and administrative on our consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015. The following table presents these reclassifications, net of tax, as well as the reclassification of the realized gain on investments, and the statement of operations line items that are impacted (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Amortization of prior service credits reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs included in: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) $ (63 ) $ (68 ) $ (141 ) Selling, general and administrative (44 ) (41 ) (107 ) Total $ (107 ) $ (109 ) $ (248 ) Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs included in: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) $ 7,302 $ 4,070 $ 3,196 Selling, general and administrative 5,018 2,440 2,048 Total $ 12,320 $ 6,510 $ 5,244 Realized (gain) loss on investments included in: Other expense, net $ 123 $ (390 ) $ (340 ) Total $ 123 $ (390 ) $ (340 ) Reconciliation of Funded Status and Accumulated Benefit Obligation. Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Other Post- Other Post- Pension retirement Pension retirement Benefits Benefits Benefits Benefits Change in benefit obligation Benefit obligation at beginning of period $ 427,909 $ 95,315 $ 491,118 $ 116,086 Service cost 2,854 128 780 70 Interest cost 19,904 4,562 18,734 4,592 Employee contributions — 356 — 403 Plan amendments — — — (202 ) Plan curtailments — — (10,314 ) — Special termination benefits 48 — — — Benefits paid (24,842 ) (3,741 ) (30,204 ) (3,401 ) Actuarial (gain) loss 65,245 19,466 (34,652 ) (26,965 ) Benefit obligation at end of period $ 491,118 $ 116,086 $ 435,462 $ 90,583 Change in plan assets Plan assets at beginning of period $ 322,176 $ — $ 339,619 $ — Employer contributions 25,873 3,385 16,435 2,998 Employee contributions — 356 — 403 Actual return on plan assets 16,318 — 607 — Benefits paid (24,842 ) (3,741 ) (30,203 ) (3,401 ) Plan assets at fair value at end of period $ 339,525 $ — $ 326,458 $ — Accrued benefit costs and funded status of the plans $ (151,593 ) $ (116,086 ) $ (109,004 ) $ (90,583 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 480,906 $ 435,462 Weighted average assumptions used to determine accumulated benefit obligation and accrued benefit costs Discount rate 4.01 % 4.04 % 4.53 % 4.50 % Salary rate 3.25 % — — — Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs Discount rate 4.83 % 4.90 % 4.01 % 4.04 % Expected rate of return on plan assets 7.80 % — 7.80 % — Rate of compensation increase 3.25 % — 3.25 % — Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss recognized in net periodic benefit cost Actuarial loss, net of tax $ 6,510 $ — $ 4,883 $ 361 Prior service credits, net of tax (109 ) — (383 ) 135 Total $ 6,401 $ — $ 4,500 $ 496 Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss not yet recognized in net periodic benefit cost Actuarial loss, net of tax $ 101,829 $ 13,221 $ 84,866 $ (4,320 ) Prior service credits, net of tax (391 ) — (348 ) — Total $ 101,438 $ 13,221 $ 84,518 $ (4,320 ) Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost in the subsequent year Actuarial loss $ (18,018 ) $ (596 ) $ (3,370 ) $ — Prior service credits 172 — — 8 Total $ (17,846 ) $ (596 ) $ (3,370 ) $ 8 Our benefit obligations are discounted along a yield curve that is derived from the monthly bid-price data of bonds that are rated high grade by either Moody’s Investor Service or Standard and Poor’s Rating Services. The bond types included are noncallable bonds, private placement bonds that are traded among qualified institutional buyers and are at least two years from date of issuance, bonds with a make-whole provision, and bonds issued by foreign corporations that are denominated in U.S. dollars. Excluded are bonds that are callable, sinkable and putable as well as those for which the quoted yield-to-maturity is zero. Using the bonds from this universe that have a yield higher than the regression mean yield curve, regression analysis is used to determine the best-fitting curve, which gives a good fit to the data at both long and short maturities. The resulting regressed coupon yield curve is smoothly continuous along its entire length and represents an unbiased average of the observed market data. In the first quarter of 2016, we plan to change the method we use to estimate the interest cost component of net periodic benefit cost for our defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans. In 2015 and historically, we have estimated the interest cost component using a single weighted-average discount rate derived from the yield curve used to measure the benefit obligation at the beginning of the period. We have elected to use a full yield curve approach in the estimation of this component of benefit cost by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligation to the relevant projected cash flows. We plan to make this change to improve the correlation between projected benefit cash flows and the corresponding yield curve spot rates and to provide a more precise measurement of interest costs. We do not expect this change to affect the measurement of our total benefit obligations as the change in the interest cost will be completely offset in the actuarial (gain) loss reported. We plan to account for this change as a change in estimate and, accordingly, will account for it prospectively starting in 2016. Interest rates used in these valuations are key assumptions, including discount rates used in determining the present value of future benefit payments and expected return on plan assets, which are reviewed and updated on an annual basis. The discount rates reflect market rates for high-quality corporate bonds. We consider current market conditions, including changes in interest rates, in making assumptions. The Society of Actuaries (“SOA”) issued new mortality and mortality improvement tables in 2014, and modified those tables in 2015. The new tables indicate raised life expectancies compared to previous mortality tables. Our December 31, 2015 valuation used mortality and improvement tables based on the SOA tables, adjusted to reflect (1) an ultimate rate of mortality improvement consistent with U.S. Social Security intermediate assumptions, and (2) a shorter transition period to reach the ultimate rate, which is consistent with historical patterns. In establishing the expected return on assets assumption, we review the asset allocations considering plan maturity and develop return assumptions based on different asset classes. The return assumptions are established after reviewing historical returns of broader market indexes, as well as historical performance of the investments in the plan. Our pension plan assets are managed in accordance with an investment policy adopted by the pension committee, as discussed below. Plan Assets. The target and actual asset allocation of our pension plan assets were as follows: As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Asset Category Target Actual Target Actual Equity securities 47 % 49 % 49 % 49 % Debt securities 38 % 36 % 36 % 34 % Other securities 15 % 15 % 15 % 17 % Total 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % The fair values of our pension plan assets by asset category are as follows (in thousands): Fair Value Measurements at Fair Value Measurements at Asset Category Equity Securities U.S. Large-Cap (1) $ 89,593 $ 87,383 U.S. Small/Mid-Cap (2) 25,133 22,121 World Equity Ex-US (3) 52,432 51,720 Fixed Income Securities Short Duration Bonds (4) 63,544 91,897 High Yield Bonds (5) 14,133 13,638 Emerging Market Fixed income (Non-US) (6) 10,041 4,463 Core Fixed Income (7) 32,502 — Other Securities Hedge Funds (8) 17,719 15,913 Core Property Fund (9) 34,236 39,176 Money Market Funds 14 — Income earned but not yet received 178 147 Total $ 339,525 $ 326,458 (1) US large cap equity fund invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks included in the S&P 500 Index, as well as other equity securities and derivative instruments whose value is derived from the performance of the S&P 500. (2) US small/mid cap equity fund invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks included in the Russell 2500 Index. (3) World equity ex-US fund invests primarily in common stocks and other equity securities whose issuers comprise a broad range of capitalizations and are located outside of the U.S. The fund invests primarily in developed countries but may also invest in emerging markets. (4) Short duration bond fund includes the Opportunistic Income fund and the Limited Duration Bond Fund. The Opportunistic Income fund invests primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment grade and non-investment grade fixed-income securities. There are no restrictions on the maturity of any individual securities or on the fund’s average portfolio maturity, although the average portfolio duration will typically vary between 0 and two years. Under normal circumstances, the Limited Duration Bond Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated debt instruments. The Fund is expected to maintain a portfolio duration of three years or less. (5) High yield bond fund seeks to maximize return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of higher yielding, lower rated fixed income securities. The fund will invest primarily in securities rated below investment grade, including corporate bonds, convertible and preferred securities and zero coupon obligations. (6) Emerging markets debt fund seeks to maximize return investing in fixed income securities of emerging markets issuers. The fund will invest primarily in U.S. dollar denominated debt securities of government, government-related and corporate issuers in emerging market countries, as well as entities organized to restructure the outstanding debt of such issuers. (7) Core fixed income fund invests in fixed-income funds which seek to provide current income consistent with the preservation of capital. (8) Hedge fund seeks to provide returns that are different from (less correlated with) investments in more traditional asset classes. The fund will pursue its investment objective by investing substantially all of its assets in various hedge funds. (9) Core property fund is a fund of funds that invests in direct commercial property funds primarily in the U.S. The fund is meant to provide current income-oriented returns, diversification, and modest inflation protection to an overall investment portfolio. Total returns are expected to be somewhere between stocks and bonds, with moderate volatility and low correlation to public markets. Our plan assets are measured at fair value. FASB ASC 820 prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques including Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 (see Note 2 (d)—Significant Accounting Policies—Fair Value Measurements). The majority of our plan assets are valued using measurement inputs which include unadjusted prices in active markets and we have therefore classified these assets within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Our other securities include Hedge Funds and Core Property Funds, which are valued using quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable. We have determined the inputs used to value the Hedge Funds and Core Property Funds fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and therefore classified the Hedge Funds and Core Property Funds in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Net periodic pension benefit costs included the following components (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Service cost $ 3,318 $ 2,854 $ 780 Interest cost 18,244 19,904 18,734 Expected return on plan assets (21,263 ) (24,130 ) (25,926 ) Amortization of unrecognized prior service credits (172 ) (172 ) (43 ) Amortization of unrecognized net loss 19,423 10,319 7,911 Curtailment (gain) loss — — (564 ) Special termination benefit recognized — 48 — Total benefit $ 19,550 $ 8,823 $ 892 We had accrued benefit costs at December 31, 2014 and 2015 of $151.6 million and $109.0 million, respectively, related to the pension benefits, of which $0.6 million was recorded within other current liabilities for both periods and $151.0 million and $108.4 million was recorded in other long-term liabilities, respectively. Net periodic other postretirement benefit costs included the following components (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Service cost $ 293 $ 128 $ 70 Interest cost 4,295 4,562 4,592 Plan amendment 797 — — Amortization of unrecognized net loss 362 — 596 Total costs $ 5,747 $ 4,690 $ 5,258 We had accrued benefit costs at December 31, 2014 and 2015 related to the other postretirement benefits of $116.1 million and $90.6 million, respectively, of which $5.2 million and $4.3 million was recorded in other current liabilities, respectively, and $110.9 million and $86.3 million was recorded in other long-term liabilities, respectively. Depending upon our actual future health care claims, our actual costs may vary significantly from those projected above. As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015, the assumed health care cost trend rate was 7.5%. This rate is assumed to decrease gradually to 4.5% by the year 2030 and to remain at that level of annual increase thereafter. Increasing the assumed health care cost trend rate by 1% each year would increase the other postretirement benefits obligation as of December 31, 2015 by $9.7 million. Decreasing this trend rate by 1% each year would reduce the other postretirement benefits obligation as of December 31, 2015 by $8.2 million. A 1% increase in the assumed health care cost trend rate would have increased the net periodic other postretirement benefits cost by $0.5 million and a 1% decrease would have decreased the cost by $0.4 million for 2015. The benefits expected to be paid in each of the next five years and in the aggregate for the five years thereafter are as follows (in thousands): Pension Benefits Other Post- retirement Benefits 2016 $ 34,395 $ 4,277 2017 29,816 4,647 2018 28,052 4,948 2019 27,374 5,235 2020 28,938 5,498 2021 to 2025 138,404 29,970 Total $ 286,979 $ 54,575 (b) Other Retirement Plans As part of the defined benefit retirement plan amendment in the first quarter of 2015, the two defined contribution retirement plans we previously maintained were merged into a single plan, which is qualified under the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, for our employees in the United States. We recognized compensation expense for these plans of $5.4 million, $9.2 million and $6.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We also maintain other defined contribution retirement plans in several non-U.S. jurisdictions, but such plans are not material to our financial position or results of operations.

Receivables

Receivables	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Receivables [Abstract]
Receivables	Note 8 Receivables Receivables were comprised of the following (in thousands): As of As of Service charges: Billed $ 245,022 $ 258,034 Unbilled 7,493 9,658 Other 3,117 2,261 Allowance for doubtful accounts (35,174 ) (37,178 ) Total $ 220,458 $ 232,775 Unbilled service charges represent amounts earned and accrued as receivables from customers for services rendered prior to the end of the reporting period. Unbilled service charges are expected to be billed and collected within twelve months of the respective balance sheet date.

Satellites and Other Property a

Satellites and Other Property and Equipment	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Satellites and Other Property and Equipment	Note 9 Satellites and Other Property and Equipment (a) Satellites and Other Property and Equipment, net Satellites and other property and equipment, net were comprised of the following (in thousands): As of As of Satellites and launch vehicles $ 9,154,751 $ 9,810,941 Information systems and ground segment 582,115 641,741 Buildings and other 236,845 241,273 Total cost 9,973,711 10,693,955 Less: accumulated depreciation (4,093,447 ) (4,705,638 ) Total $ 5,880,264 $ 5,988,317 Satellites and other property and equipment, net as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 included construction-in-progress of $1.1 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively. These amounts relate primarily to satellites under construction and related launch services. Interest costs of $70.9 million and $86.3 million were capitalized during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Additionally, we recorded depreciation expense of $654.3 million, $611.1 million and $627.5 million during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We have entered into launch contracts for the launch of both specified and unspecified future satellites. Each of these launch contracts provides that such contract may be terminated at our option, subject to payment of a termination fee that increases as the applicable launch date approaches. In addition, in the event of a failure of any launch, we may exercise our right to obtain a replacement launch within a specified period following our request for re-launch. (b) Recent Satellite Launches On January 27, 2016, we successfully launched our IS-29e satellite into orbit. IS-29e is a C- and Ku-band satellite which contains an advanced digital payload, providing commercial and government customers access to high-throughput capabilities. The satellite, which will be located at the 310ºE orbital location, will enable the delivery of high performance broadband services to enterprise, fixed and mobile network operators, aero and maritime mobility service providers, and to government customers operating throughout the Americas. The satellite is expected to enter into service in the second quarter of 2016. On August 20, 2015, we successfully launched our IS-34 satellite into orbit. IS-34 is a C- and Ku-band satellite that establishes long-term capacity at the 304.5ºE orbital location, and entered into service in October 2015. IS-34 includes a C-band payload which delivers media distribution services to Latin American customers. The satellite also hosts a Direct-to-Home (“DTH”) platform in Ku-band as well as a specialized Ku-band payload serving the North Atlantic region, designed to support broadband services for the aeronautical and maritime mobility sectors. On October 16, 2014, we successfully launched our IS-30 satellite into orbit. This satellite establishes long-term capacity at the 95°W orbital location and is co-located with our Galaxy 3C satellite. IS-30 entered into service in the fourth quarter of 2014. It provides capacity for DTH television service in Latin America via Ku-band platforms, as well as additional capacity for media, government and network services customers via C-band platforms. On February 1, 2013, the launch vehicle for our IS-27 satellite failed shortly after liftoff and the satellite was completely destroyed. A Failure Review Board was established and subsequently concluded that the launch failed due to the mechanical failure of one of the first stage engine’s thrust control components. The satellite and launch vehicle were fully insured, and we received $406.2 million of insurance proceeds during the year ended December 31, 2013. Accounting for insured losses of fixed assets is governed by FASB ASC Topic 605-40, Revenue Recognition—Gains and Losses 1 4 (c) Satellite Health Our satellite fleet is diversified by manufacturer and satellite type, and as a result, our fleet is generally healthy. We have experienced some technical problems with our current fleet but have been able to minimize the impact of these problems on our customers, our operations and our business in recent years. Many of these problems have been component failures and anomalies that have had little long-term impact to date on the overall transponder availability in our satellite fleet. All of our satellites have been designed to accommodate an anticipated rate of equipment failures with adequate redundancy to meet or exceed their orbital design lives, and to date, this redundancy design scheme has proven effective. After each anomaly we have generally restored services for our customers on the affected satellite, provided alternative capacity on other satellites in our fleet, or provided capacity that we purchased from other satellite operators. Significant Anomalies On January 14, 2005, our IS-804 satellite experienced a sudden and unexpected electrical power system anomaly that resulted in the total loss of the satellite. IS-804 was a Lockheed Martin 7000 series (the “LM 7000 series”) satellite, and as of December 31, 2015 we operated one other satellite in the LM 7000 series, IS-805, which is currently being relocated to a new orbital role. Based on the report of the failure review board that we established with Lockheed Martin Corporation, we believe that the IS-804 failure was not likely to have been caused by an IS-804 specific workmanship or hardware element, but was most likely caused by a high current event in the battery circuitry triggered by an electrostatic discharge that propagated to cause the sudden failure of the high voltage power system. We therefore believe that although this risk exists for our other LM 7000 series satellite, the risk of any individual satellite having a similar anomaly is low. On April 5, 2010, our Galaxy 15 satellite experienced an anomaly resulting in our inability to command the satellite. Galaxy 15 is a Star-2 satellite manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation. On December 23, 2010, we recovered command of the spacecraft and we have since uploaded flight software code to protect against future anomalies of this type. As of December 31, 2015, Galaxy 15 continues to provide normal service. On April 22, 2011, our IS-28 satellite, formerly known as the Intelsat New Dawn satellite, was launched into orbit. Subsequent to the launch, the satellite experienced an anomaly during the deployment of its west antenna reflector, which controls communications in the C-band frequency. The anomaly had not been experienced previously on other STAR satellites manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation, including those in our fleet. The New Dawn joint venture filed a partial loss claim with its insurers relating to the C-band antenna reflector anomaly and all of the insurance proceeds from the partial loss claim were received in 2011. The Ku-band antenna reflector deployed and that portion of the satellite is operating as planned, entering service in June 2011. A Failure Review Board established to determine the cause of the anomaly, completed its investigation in July 2011 and concluded that the deployment anomaly of the C-band reflector was most likely due to a malfunction of the reflector sunshield. As a result, the sunshield interfered with the ejection release mechanism, and prevented the deployment of the C-band antenna. The Failure Review Board also recommended corrective actions for Orbital Sciences Corporation satellites not yet launched to prevent reoccurrence of the anomaly. Appropriate corrective actions were implemented on IS-18, which was successfully launched on October 5, 2011, and on IS-23, which was launched in October 2012. During launch operations of IS-19 on June 1, 2012, the satellite experienced damage to its south solar array. Although both solar arrays are deployed, the power available to the satellite is less than is required to operate 100% of the payload capacity. The IOB formed by Space Systems/Loral, LLC (“SSL”) and Sea Launch to investigate the solar array deployment anomaly. The IOB concluded that the anomaly occurred before the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle, during the ascent phase of the launch, and originated in one of the satellite’s two solar array wings due to a rare combination of factors in the panel fabrication and unrelated to the launch vehicle. While the satellite is operational, the anomaly resulted in structural and electrical damage to one solar array wing, which reduced the amount of power available for payload operation. Additionally, we filed a partial loss claim with our insurers relating to the solar array anomaly. We received $84.8 million of insurance proceeds related to the claim in 2013. As planned, IS-19 followed IS-8 at 166°E, in August 2012. Other Anomalies We have also identified four other types of common anomalies among the satellite models in our fleet, which have had an operational impact in the past and could, if they materialize, have an impact in the future. These are: • failure of the on-board satellite control processor (“SCP”) in Boeing 601 (“BSS 601”) satellites; • failure of the on-board XIPS used to maintain the in-orbit position of Boeing 601 High Power Series (“BSS 601 HP”) satellites; • accelerated solar array degradation in early Boeing 702 (“BSS 702”) satellites; and • electrical distribution anomalies on older SSL FS 1300 satellites. SCP Failures. As of December 31, 2015, we operated one BSS 601 satellite, IS-26. This satellite was identified as having heightened susceptibility to the SCP problem. IS-26 has been in continuous operation since 1997. Both primary and backup SCPs on this satellite are monitored regularly and remain fully functional. Accordingly, we believe it is unlikely that additional SCP failures will occur; however, should they occur, we do not anticipate an interruption in business or early replacement of this satellite as a result. BSS 601 HP XIPS. As of December 31, 2015, we operated four BSS 601 HP satellites, IS-5, IS-9, and IS-10 are now in inclined-orbit, and Galaxy 13/Horizons-1. Galaxy 13/Horizons-1 continues to have both XIPS available as its primary propulsion system. IS-5, IS-9 and IS-10 have experienced the failure of both XIPS and are operating on their backup chemical propulsion systems. IS-5 was redeployed in 2012 following its replacement by IS-8, which was subsequently replaced by IS-19. Also in 2012, IS-9 and IS-10 were redeployed following their replacements by IS-21 and IS-20, respectively. No assurance can be given that we will not have further XIPS failures that result in shortened satellite lives. We have decommissioned three satellites that had experienced failure of both XIPS. IS-6B was replaced by IS-11 during the first quarter of 2008, Galaxy 10R was replaced by Galaxy 18 during the second quarter of 2008, and Galaxy 4R was decommissioned in March 2009. BSS 702 HP Solar Arrays. As of December 31, 2015, we operated three BSS 702 HP satellites, two of which are affected by accelerated solar array degradation, Galaxy 11 and IS-1R. Service to customers has not been affected, and we expect that both of these satellites will continue to serve customers until we replace or supplement them with new satellites. Along with the manufacturer, we continually monitor the problem to determine its cause and its expected effect. Due to this continued degradation, Galaxy 11’s estimated end of service life is in the first quarter of 2019 and IS-1R’s estimated end of service life is in the second quarter of 2017. Galaxy 11 is currently operating in a primary orbital role and was replaced by IS-34 in 2015. IS-1R was redeployed following its replacement by IS-14. The third BSS 702 HP satellite that we operated as of December 31, 2015, Galaxy 3C, was launched after the solar array anomaly was identified, and it has a substantially different solar array design intended to eliminate the problem. This satellite has been in service since September 2002 and has not experienced similar degradation problems. SSL FS 1300 Electrical Anomalies. As of December 31, 2015, we operated one other SSL FS 1300 satellite, IS-8, which contains this design flaw. IS-8 has been in service since 1998 and has not experienced an electrical distribution anomaly. We believe that while the risk of an electrical distribution anomaly still exists for IS-8, this risk diminishes over time.

Investments

Investments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Investments	Note 10 Investments We have an ownership interest in two entities that met the criteria of a VIE, Horizons Satellite Holdings, LLC (“Horizons Holdings”) and our new joint venture, Horizons-3 Satellite Holdings, LLC. Horizons Holdings is discussed in further detail below, including our analyses of the primary beneficiary determination as required under FASB ASC Topic 810, Consolidation (a) Horizons Holdings Our first joint venture with JSAT is named Horizons Satellite Holdings, LLC, and consists of two investments: Horizons-1 Satellite LLC (“Horizons-1”) and Horizons-2 Satellite LLC (“Horizons-2”). Horizons Holdings borrowed from JSAT a portion of the funds necessary to finance the construction of the Horizons-2 satellite pursuant to a loan agreement (the “Horizons 2 Loan Agreement”). We provide certain services to the joint venture and utilize capacity from the joint venture. We have determined that this joint venture meets the criteria of a VIE under FASB ASC 810, and we have concluded that we are the primary beneficiary because decisions relating to any future relocation of the Horizons-2 satellite, the most significant asset of the joint venture, are effectively controlled by us. In accordance with FASB ASC 810, as the primary beneficiary, we consolidate Horizons Holdings within our consolidated financial statements. Total assets and liabilities of Horizons Holdings were $67.5 million and $0.1 million as of December 31, 2014, respectively, and $58.7 million and $0.3 million as of December 31, 2015, respectively. We have a revenue sharing agreement with JSAT related to services sold on the Horizons-1 and Horizons-2 satellites. We are responsible for billing and collection for such services, and we remit 50% of the revenue, less applicable fees and commissions, to JSAT. Amounts payable to JSAT related to the revenue sharing agreement, net of applicable fees and commissions, from the Horizons-1 and Horizons-2 satellites were $5.7 million and $6.6 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Under the Horizons Holdings joint venture agreement, which was amended on September 30, 2011, we also agreed to guarantee to JSAT certain minimum levels of annual gross revenues for a three-year period beginning in early 2012. In connection with the guarantee, we paid a total of $13.9 million, net of fees and commissions. (b) Horizons-3 Satellite LLC On November 4, 2015, we entered into a new joint venture agreement with JSAT. The joint venture, named Horizons-3 Satellite LLC (“Horizons 3”), was formed for the purpose of developing, launching, managing, operating and owning a high performance satellite to be located at the 169ºE orbital location. Horizons 3, which is 50% owned by each of Intelsat and JSAT, was set up with a joint share of management authority and equal rights to profits and revenues from the joint venture. Similar to Horizons Holdings, we have a revenue sharing agreement with JSAT related to services sold on the Horizons 3 satellite. In addition, we are responsible for billing and collection for such services, and we remit 50% of the revenue, less applicable fees and commissions, to JSAT. We have determined that this joint venture meets the criteria of a VIE under FASB ASC 810, and we have concluded that we are not the primary beneficiary, and therefore, do not consolidate Horizons 3. The assessment considered both quantitative and qualitative factors, including an analysis of voting power and other means of control of the joint venture as well as each owner’s exposure to risk of loss or gain. Because we and JSAT equally share control over the operations of the joint venture and also equally share exposure to risk of losses or gains, we concluded that we are not the primary beneficiary of Horizons 3. Our investment is accounted for using the equity method of accounting and the investment balance of $19.1 million was included within other assets in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2015. In connection with our investment in Horizons 3, we entered into a capital contribution and subscription agreement, which requires us to fund our 50% share of the amounts due in order to maintain our respective 50% interest in the joint venture. Pursuant to this agreement, we made contributions of $19.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2015. In addition, our indirect subsidiary that holds our investment in Horizons 3 has entered into a security and pledge agreement with Horizons 3, pursuant to which it has granted a security interest in its membership interests in Horizons 3. Further, our indirect subsidiary has granted a security interest to Horizons 3 in its customer capacity service contracts and its ownership interest in its wholly-owned subsidiary that will hold the U.S. Federal Communications Commission license required for the joint venture’s operations. (c) OneWeb On June 24, 2015, we entered into an agreement with OneWeb, a venture planning to build, deploy and operate a low earth orbit (“LEO”) Ku-band satellite constellation. As part of the alliance, we will partner with OneWeb to use its LEO platform, once established, to complement our geostationary orbit satellite services, resulting in what we expect will be the first and only fully global, pole-to-pole high throughput satellite system. Pursuant to the agreement, we purchased a minority share investment in OneWeb for $25.0 million. We account for this investment under the cost method per FASB ASC Topic 325-20, Investments – Other – Cost Method Investments. (d) Equity Attributable to Intelsat S.A. and Noncontrolling Interests The following tables present changes in equity attributable to the Company and equity attributable to our noncontrolling interests, which is included in the equity section of our consolidated balance sheet (in thousands): Intelsat S.A. Noncontrolling Total Shareholders’ Balance at January 1, 2014 $ (975,353 ) $ 40,686 $ (934,667 ) Net income 232,532 3,974 236,506 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests — (8,744 ) (8,744 ) Acquisition of remaining interests in WP Com 2,215 (2,215 ) — Share-based compensation 26,389 — 26,389 Declaration of preferred stock dividend (9,917 ) — (9,917 ) Postretirement/pension liability adjustment (52,002 ) — (52,002 ) Other comprehensive income (132 ) — (132 ) Balance at December 31, 2014 $ (776,268 ) $ 33,701 $ (742,567 ) Intelsat S.A. Noncontrolling Total Shareholders’ Balance at January 1, 2015 $ (776,268 ) $ 33,701 $ (742,567 ) Net income (loss) (3,923,387 ) 3,934 (3,919,453 ) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests — (8,423 ) (8,423 ) Share-based compensation 25,921 — 25,921 Declaration of preferred stock dividend (9,919 ) — (9,919 ) Postretirement/pension liability adjustment 34,449 — 34,449 Other comprehensive income (361 ) — (361 ) Balance at December 31, 2015 $ (4,649,565 ) $ 29,212 $ (4,620,353 )

Goodwill and Other Intangible A

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	Note 11 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets The carrying amounts of goodwill and acquired intangible assets not subject to amortization consist of the following (in thousands): As of December 31, As of December 31, Goodwill $ 6,780,827 $ 2,620,627 Orbital locations 2,387,700 2,387,700 Trade name 70,400 65,200 We account for goodwill and other non-amortizable intangible assets in accordance with FASB ASC 350, and have deemed these assets to have indefinite lives. Therefore, these assets are not amortized but are instead tested on an annual basis for impairment during the fourth quarter, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. (a) Goodwill We perform our annual goodwill impairment assessment using a qualitative approach to identify and consider the significance of relevant key factors, events, and circumstances that affect the fair value of our reporting unit. We are required to identify reporting units at a level below the company’s identified operating segments for impairment analysis. We have identified only one reporting unit for the goodwill impairment test. Assumptions and Approach Used. During the fourth quarter of 2015, our share price experienced a sustained reduction in trading values. Secondly, the trading values of our debt securities also showed sustained deterioration. This was also reflective of broader difficulties in the credit markets for high yield issuers. Finally, our annual business planning process which we undertook in the fourth quarter showed a decline in our forecasted results as compared to previous levels. Based on our examination of these and other qualitative factors, we concluded that further testing of goodwill was required. Determining the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit (including unrecognized intangible assets) is judgmental in nature and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions. Similarly, estimates and assumptions are used in determining the fair value of other intangible assets. These estimates and assumptions require significant judgment and could have a significant impact on whether or not an impairment charge is recognized and the magnitude of any such charge. Estimates of fair value are primarily determined using discounted cash flows, market comparisons, and recent transactions. These approaches use significant estimates and assumptions, including projected future cash flows (including timing), discount rates reflecting the risks inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rates, and determination of appropriate market comparables. The second step of the process requires us to calculate a hypothetical purchase allocation to compare the current implied value of the goodwill to the current carrying value of the goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination, which is the excess of the fair value of the reporting unit over the aggregate fair values of the individual assets, liabilities and identifiable intangibles. If the implied fair value of goodwill as described above exceeds recorded goodwill, there is no impairment. If the recorded goodwill exceeds the implied fair value, an impairment charge would be recorded for the excess. Furthermore, an impairment loss cannot exceed the amount of goodwill assigned to a reporting unit. After recognizing the impairment loss, the corresponding loss establishes a new basis in the goodwill. Subsequent reversals of goodwill impairment losses are not permitted under applicable accounting standards. We determined the estimated fair value of our reporting unit using discounted cash flow analysis, along with independent source data related to the comparative market multiples and, when available, recent transactions, each of which is considered a Level 3 input within the fair value hierarchy under FASB ASC 820. The discounted cash flows were derived from a five-year projection of cash flows plus a residual value, with the resulting projected cash flows discounted at an appropriate weighted average cost of capital. In estimating the undiscounted cash flows, we primarily used our internally prepared budgets and forecast information. The key assumptions included in our model were projected growth rates, cost of capital, effective tax rates, and industry and economic trends. A change in the estimated future cash flows or other assumptions could change our estimated fair values and result in future impairments. The result of our analysis resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of $4.2 billion, which is included within impairment of goodwill and other intangibles in the consolidated statement of operations. The analysis was performed using information available at that time and was based on estimates of fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities. We believe that the estimates and assumptions underlying the valuation methodologies are reasonable. (b) Orbital Locations, Trade Name and other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets Orbital Locations. Our rights to operate at orbital locations can be used and sold individually; however, since satellites and customers can be and are moved from one orbital location to another, our rights are used in conjunction with each other as a network that can be adapted to meet the changing needs of our customers and market demands. Due to the interchangeable nature of orbital locations, the aggregate value of all of the orbital locations is used to measure the extent of impairment, if any. We determined the estimated fair value of our rights to operate at orbital locations by using the build-up method to determine cash flows for the income approach, with the resulting projected cash flows discounted at an appropriate weighted average cost of capital. Under the build-up approach, the amount an investor would be willing to pay for the right to operate a satellite business at an orbital location is calculated by first estimating the cash flows that typical market participants would assume could be available from the right to operate satellites using the subject location in a similar market. It is assumed that rather than acquiring such a business as a going concern, the buyer would hypothetically start with the right to operate at an orbital location and build a new operation with similar attributes from the beginning. Thus the buyer/builder is considered to incur the start-up costs and losses typically associated with the going concern value and pay for all other tangible and intangible assets. The key assumptions used in estimating the fair values of our rights to operate at our orbital locations included: (i) market penetration leading to revenue growth, (ii) profit margin, (iii) duration and profile of the build-up period, (iv) estimated start-up costs and losses incurred during the build-up period and (v) weighted average cost of capital. In instances where the build-up method did not generate positive value for the rights to operate at an orbital location, but the rights were expected to generate revenue, we assigned a value based upon independent source data for recent transactions relating to similar orbital locations, each of which is considered a Level 3 input within the fair value hierarchy under FASB ASC 820. We completed our analysis of our orbital locations in connection with the analysis of goodwill described above, and concluded that there was no impairment. Trade Name. The key assumptions used in our model to estimate the fair value of the Intelsat trade name included forecasted revenues, the tax rate and discount rate. A change in the estimated tax rates or discount rate could result in future impairments. We completed our analysis of the Intelsat trade name in connection with the analysis of goodwill described above and it resulted in an impairment of our trade name intangible of $5.2 million, which is included within impairment of goodwill and other intangibles in the consolidated statement of operations. The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of acquired intangible assets subject to amortization consisted of the following (in thousands): As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Gross Accumulated Net Carrying Gross Accumulated Net Carrying Backlog and other $ 743,760 $ (615,285 ) $ 128,475 $ 743,760 $ (647,534 ) $ 96,226 Customer relationships 534,030 (161,960 ) 372,070 534,030 (189,926 ) 344,104 Total $ 1,277,790 $ (777,245 ) $ 500,545 $ 1,277,790 $ (837,460 ) $ 440,330 Intangible assets are amortized based on the expected pattern of consumption. We recorded amortization expense of $82.3 million, $68.2 million and $60.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Scheduled amortization charges for the intangible assets over the next five years are as follows (in thousands): Year Amount 2016 $ 48,491 2017 42,254 2018 38,481 2019 34,351 2020 31,103 In accordance with FASB ASC 350, we are required to disclose on an interim and annual basis our policy related to the renewal or extension of the term of our intangible assets. Our policy is to expense all costs incurred to renew or extend the terms of our intangible assets. The renewal expenses for each of the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were immaterial to our consolidated results of operations.

Long-Term Debt

Long-Term Debt	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Debt	Note 12 Long-Term Debt The carrying values and fair values of our notes payable and long-term debt were as follows (in thousands): As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value Intelsat Luxembourg: 6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 $ 500,000 $ 509,400 $ 475,000 $ 355,063 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 6.75% Senior Notes (2,972 ) — (2,066 ) — 7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 2,000,000 2,005,000 2,000,000 930,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.75% Senior Notes (22,385 ) — (19,602 ) — 8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 1,000,000 1,015,000 1,000,000 450,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 8.125% Senior Notes (11,887 ) — (10,870 ) — Total Intelsat Luxembourg obligations 3,462,756 3,529,400 3,442,462 1,735,063 Intelsat Jackson: 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 2,200,000 2,318,360 2,200,000 1,919,500 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium on 7.25% Senior Notes (9,635 ) — (8,248 ) — 7.25% Senior Notes due April 2019 1,500,000 1,563,750 1,500,000 1,368,750 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.25% Senior Notes (10,355 ) — (8,203 ) — 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 1,150,000 1,227,625 1,150,000 1,000,500 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.5% Senior Notes (9,350 ) — (8,137 ) — 6.625% Senior Notes due December 2022 1,275,000 1,313,250 1,275,000 803,250 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium on 6.625% Senior Notes 22,694 — 20,428 — 5.5% Senior Notes due August 2023 2,000,000 1,980,000 2,000,000 1,560,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 5.5% Senior Notes (18,439 ) — (16,719 ) — Senior Secured Credit Facilities due June 2019 3,095,000 3,075,811 3,095,000 2,944,274 Jackson Revolver 49,000 49,000 — — Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and discount on Senior Credit Facilities and Jackson Revolver (38,450 ) — (30,204 ) — Total Intelsat Jackson obligations 11,205,465 11,527,796 11,168,917 9,596,274 Total Intelsat S.A. long-term debt 14,668,221 15,057,196 14,611,379 11,331,337 Less: Current portion of long-term debt 49,000 — Total long-term debt, excluding current portion $ 14,619,221 $ 14,611,379 The fair value for publicly traded instruments is determined using quoted market prices, and for non-publicly traded instruments, fair value is based upon composite pricing from a variety of sources, including market leading data providers, market makers, and leading brokerage firms. Substantially all of the inputs used to determine the fair value of our debt are classified as Level 1 inputs within the fair value hierarchy from FASB ASC 820, except our senior secured credit facilities, the inputs for which are classified as Level 2. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Required principal repayments of long-term debt over the next five years and thereafter as of December 31, 2015 are as follows (in thousands): Year Amount 2016 $ — 2017 — 2018 475,000 2019 4,595,000 2020 2,200,000 2021 and thereafter 7,425,000 Total principal repayments 14,695,000 Unamortized discounts, premium and prepaid issuance costs (83,621 ) Total Intelsat S.A. long-term debt $ 14,611,379 2015 Intelsat Luxembourg Notes Repurchases During the fourth quarter of 2015, we repurchased $25.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Intelsat Luxembourg’s 6 3 4 2014 Intelsat Jackson Notes Redemption On November 1, 2014, Intelsat Jackson redeemed all of the outstanding $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 8 1 2 Description of Indebtedness (a) Intelsat Luxembourg 6 3 4 Intelsat Luxembourg had $475.0 million in net aggregate principal amount of the 2018 Luxembourg Notes, which represents $500.0 million of aggregate principal outstanding less $25.0 million of aggregate principal notes held in treasury following the repurchases described above in 2015 Intelsat Luxembourg Notes Repurchases. The 2018 Luxembourg Notes bear interest at 6 3 4 Interest is payable on the 2018 Luxembourg Notes semi-annually on June 1 and December 1. Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem some or all of the notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. The 2018 Luxembourg Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Luxembourg and rank equally with Intelsat Luxembourg’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. 7 3 4 Intelsat Luxembourg had $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Luxembourg Notes outstanding at December 31, 2015. The 2021 Luxembourg Notes bear interest at 7 3 4 Interest is payable on the 2021 Luxembourg Notes semi-annually on June 1 and December 1. Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem the 2021 Luxembourg Notes, in whole or in part, prior to June 1, 2017 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus the applicable premium described in the notes. Thereafter, Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem some or all of the notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Luxembourg Notes on or prior to June 1, 2016, with the net cash proceeds of one or more equity offerings by Intelsat Luxembourg or its direct or indirect parent, under the conditions set forth in the notes. The 2021 Luxembourg Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Luxembourg and rank equally with Intelsat Luxembourg’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. 8 1 8 Intelsat Luxembourg had $1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Luxembourg Notes outstanding at December 31, 2015. The 2023 Luxembourg Notes bear interest at 8 1 8 Interest is payable on the 2023 Luxembourg Notes semi-annually on June 1 and December 1. Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem the 2023 Luxembourg Notes, in whole or in part, prior to June 1, 2018 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus the applicable premium described in the notes. Thereafter, Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem some or all of the notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. Intelsat Luxembourg may redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Luxembourg Notes on or prior to June 1, 2016, with the net cash proceeds of one or more equity offerings by Intelsat Luxembourg or its direct or indirect parent, under the conditions set forth in the notes. The 2023 Luxembourg Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Luxembourg and rank equally with Intelsat Luxembourg’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. (b) Intelsat Jackson 7 1 4 Intelsat Jackson had $2.2 billion in aggregate principal amount of 2020 Jackson Notes outstanding at December 31, 2015. The 2020 Jackson Notes bear interest at 7 1 4 Interest is payable on the 2020 Jackson Notes semi-annually on April 15 and October 15. Intelsat Jackson may redeem some or all of the notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. The 2020 Jackson Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Jackson and rank equally with Intelsat Jackson’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. 7 1 4 1 2 Intelsat Jackson had $1.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of its 7 1 4 1 4 1 2 1 4 Interest is payable on the New Jackson Notes semi-annually on April 1 and October 1. Intelsat Jackson may redeem the 7 1 2 The New Jackson Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Jackson and rank equally with Intelsat Jackson’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. 6 5 8 Intelsat Jackson had $1.3 billion in aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes outstanding at December 31, 2015. The 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes bear interest at 6 5 8 Interest is payable on the 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes semi-annually on June 15 and December 15. Intelsat Jackson may redeem some or all of the 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes at any time prior to December 15, 2017 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium described in the notes. Thereafter, Intelsat Jackson may redeem some or all of the 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. The 2022 Intelsat Jackson Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Jackson and rank equally with Intelsat Jackson’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. 5 1 2 Intelsat Jackson had $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Jackson Notes outstanding at December 31, 2015. The 2023 Jackson Notes bear interest at 5 1 2 Interest is payable on the 2023 Jackson Notes semi-annually on February 1 and August 1. Intelsat Jackson may redeem some or all of the 2023 Jackson Notes at any time prior to August 1, 2018 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium described in the notes. Thereafter, Intelsat Jackson may redeem some or all of the 2023 Intelsat Jackson Notes at the applicable redemption prices set forth in the notes. Intelsat Jackson may redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Jackson Notes prior to August 1, 2016, with the net cash proceeds of one or more equity offerings by Intelsat Jackson or its direct or indirect parent, under the conditions set forth in the notes. The 2023 Jackson Notes are senior unsecured obligations of Intelsat Jackson and rank equally with Intelsat Jackson’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. Intelsat Jackson Senior Secured Credit Agreement On January 12, 2011, Intelsat Jackson entered into a secured credit agreement (the “Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement”), which included a $3.25 billion term loan facility and a $500.0 million revolving credit facility, and borrowed the full $3.25 billion under the term loan facility. The term loan facility required regularly scheduled quarterly payments of principal equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the term loan beginning six months after January 12, 2011, with the remaining unpaid amount due and payable at maturity. Up to $350.0 million of the revolving credit facility is available for issuance of letters of credit. Additionally, up to $70.0 million of the revolving credit facility was available for swingline loans. Both the face amount of any outstanding letters of credit and any swingline loans reduce availability under the revolving credit facility on a dollar for dollar basis. Intelsat Jackson is required to pay a commitment fee for the unused commitments under the revolving credit facility, if any, at a rate per annum of 0.375%. As of December 31, 2015, Intelsat Jackson had $488.7 million (net of standby letters of credit) of availability remaining thereunder. On October 3, 2012, Intelsat Jackson entered into an Amendment and Joinder Agreement (the “Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment”), which amended the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement. As a result of the Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment, interest rates for borrowings under the term loan facility and the revolving credit facility were reduced. In April 2013, our corporate family rating was upgraded by Moody’s, and as a result, the interest rate for the borrowing under the term loan facility and revolving credit facility were further reduced to LIBOR plus 3.00% or the Above Bank Rate (“ABR”) plus 2.00%. On November 27, 2013, Intelsat Jackson entered into a Second Amendment and Joinder Agreement (the “Second Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment”), which further amended the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement. The Second Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment reduced interest rates for borrowings under the term loan facility and extended the maturity of the term loan facility. In addition, it reduced the interest rates applicable to $450 million of the $500 million total revolving credit facility and extended the maturity of such portion. As a result of the Second Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment, interest rates for borrowings under the term loan facility and the new tranche of the revolving credit facility are (i) LIBOR plus 2.75%, or (ii) the ABR plus 1.75%. The LIBOR and the ABR, plus applicable margins, related to the term loan facility and the new tranche of the revolving credit facility are determined as specified in the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement, as amended by the Second Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment, and the LIBOR will not be less than 1.00% per annum. The maturity date of the term loan facility was extended from April 2, 2018 to June 30, 2019 and the maturity of the new $450 million tranche of the revolving credit facility was extended from January 12, 2016 to July 12, 2017. The interest rates and maturity date applicable to the $50 million tranche of the revolving credit facility that was not amended did not change. The Second Jackson Credit Agreement Amendment further removed the requirement for regularly scheduled quarterly principal payments under the term loan facility. Intelsat Jackson’s obligations under the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Intelsat Luxembourg, and certain of Intelsat Jackson’s subsidiaries. Intelsat Jackson’s obligations under the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement are secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of Intelsat Jackson and the guarantors, to the extent legally permissible and subject to certain agreed exceptions, and by a pledge of the equity interests of the subsidiary guarantors and the direct subsidiaries of each guarantor, subject to certain exceptions, including exceptions for equity interests in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries, existing contractual prohibitions and prohibitions under other legal requirements. The Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement includes two financial covenants. Intelsat Jackson must maintain a consolidated secured debt to consolidated EBITDA ratio equal to or less than 3.50 to 1.00 at the end of each fiscal quarter as well as a consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense ratio equal to or greater than 1.75 to 1.00 at the end of each fiscal quarter, in each case as such financial measures are defined in the Intelsat Jackson Secured Credit Agreement. Intelsat Jackson was in compliance with these financial maintenance covenant ratios with a consolidated secured debt to consolidated EBITDA ratio of 1.58 to 1.00 and a consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense ratio of 2.59 to 1.00 as of December 31, 2015.

Derivative Instruments and Hedg

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities	Note 13 Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Interest Rate Swaps We are subject to interest rate risk primarily associated with our variable-rate borrowings. Interest rate risk is the risk that changes in interest rates could adversely affect earnings and cash flows. Specific interest rate risk includes: the risk of increasing interest rates on short-term debt; the risk of increasing interest rates for planned new fixed long-term financings; and the risk of increasing interest rates for planned refinancing using long-term fixed-rate debt. We originally entered into these interest rate swap agreements to reduce the impact of interest rate movements on future interest expense by converting substantially all of our floating-rate debt to a fixed rate. As of December 31, 2015, we held interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $1.6 billion. These interest rate swaps matured in January 2016. These swaps were entered into, as further described below, to economically hedge the variability in cash flow on a portion of the floating-rate term loans under our senior secured credit facilities, but had not been designated as hedges for accounting purposes. On a quarterly basis, we received a floating rate of interest equal to the three-month LIBOR and paid a fixed rate of interest. On the interest rate reset date of December 14, 2015, the interest rate which the counterparties utilized to compute interest due to us was determined to be 0.41%. From September 14, 2015 to December 14, 2015, the rate we paid averaged 1.97% and the rate we received averaged 0.34%. The counterparties to our interest rate swap agreements are highly rated financial institutions. Over the life of the agreements, there was no occurrence of non-performance by the counterparties. All of our interest rate swaps were undesignated as of December 31, 2015. The swaps were marked-to-market quarterly with any change in fair value included in interest expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations. We incorporated credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements of our derivatives. Due to final payments and the maturity of these interest rate swaps in January 2016, no credit valuation adjustment was recorded as of December 31, 2015. The following table sets forth the fair value of our derivatives by category (in thousands): Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Balance Sheets Location Year Ended Year Ended Undesignated interest rate swaps Other current liabilities $ 1,321 $ 2,013 Undesignated interest rate swaps Other long-term liabilities 24,788 — Total derivatives $ 26,109 $ 2,013 The following table sets forth the effect of the derivative instruments, included in interest expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations (in thousands): Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Presentation in Statements of Operations Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Undesignated interest rate swaps Included in interest expense, net $ 8,064 $ 5,649 $ 3,483

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Note 14 Income Taxes The following table summarizes our total income (loss) before income taxes (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Domestic income (loss) before income taxes $ (356,019 ) $ 199,682 $ (3,966,322 ) Foreign income before income taxes 73,189 59,795 48,382 Total income (loss) before income taxes $ (282,830 ) $ 259,477 $ (3,917,940 ) An impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets was recorded primarily at our domestic entities with the 2015 net loss, with no comparable amounts recorded in 2014. The composition of our income (loss) between domestic and foreign sources changed in 2014 principally due to our IPO and the debt refinancing transactions in 2013, as well as a 2013 internal subsidiary reorganization. The provision for (benefit from) income taxes consisted of the following (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Current income tax provision Domestic $ 856 $ 2,306 $ — Foreign 33,654 33,311 10,817 Total 34,510 35,617 10,817 Deferred income tax benefit: Foreign (65,347 ) (12,646 ) (9,304 ) Total (65,347 ) (12,646 ) (9,304 ) Total income tax provision (benefit): $ (30,837 ) $ 22,971 $ 1,513 The income tax provision (benefit) was different from the amount computed using the Luxembourg statutory income tax rate of 29.22% for the reasons set forth in the following table (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Expected tax provision (benefit) at Luxembourg statutory income tax rate $ (82,643 ) $ 75,819 $ (1,144,822 ) Foreign income tax differential 35,511 40,099 42,339 Nontaxable interest income (93,154 ) (53,361 ) (67,651 ) Tax deductible impairment charge in Luxembourg subsidiaries — — (854,393 ) Goodwill impairment — — 599,974 Changes in unrecognized tax benefits (3,997 ) 1,229 (15,465 ) Changes in valuation allowance 171,433 (24,147 ) 1,463,774 Tax effect of 2011 intercompany sale (6,865 ) (6,740 ) (6,112 ) Foreign tax credits (44,137 ) (2,147 ) (2,171 ) Research and development tax credits (5,890 ) (5,564 ) (2,103 ) Other (1,095 ) (2,217 ) (11,857 ) Total income tax provision (benefit) $ (30,837 ) $ 22,971 $ 1,513 The majority of our operations are located in taxable jurisdictions, including Luxembourg, the United States and the United Kingdom. Our Luxembourg companies that file tax returns as a consolidated group generated a taxable loss for the year ended December 31, 2015. Due to our cumulative losses in recent years, and the inherent uncertainty associated with the realization of future taxable income in the foreseeable future, we recorded a full valuation allowance against the net operating losses generated in Luxembourg. The difference between tax expense (benefit) reported in the consolidated statements of operations and tax computed at statutory rates is attributable to the valuation allowance on losses generated in Luxembourg, the provision for foreign taxes, which were principally in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as withholding taxes on revenue earned in many of the foreign markets in which we operate. Our Luxembourg net operating loss includes the effect of Luxembourg GAAP to US GAAP differences, primarily related to fair value adjustments attributable to the migration of certain holding companies and subsidiaries’ jurisdiction of organization from Bermuda to Luxembourg on December 15, 2009 and the result of a series of internal transactions and related steps completed on January 12, 2011, that reorganized the ownership of our assets among our subsidiaries and effectively combined the legacy business of Intelsat Subsidiary Holding Company S.A. and Intelsat Corporation. The following table details the composition of the net deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 (in thousands): As of As of Current deferred taxes, net $ 76,315 $ — Long-term deferred taxes, net (211,680 ) (160,802 ) Other assets 9,157 12,203 Net deferred taxes $ (126,208 ) $ (148,599 ) The components of the net deferred tax liability were as follows (in thousands): As of As of Deferred tax assets: Accruals and advances $ 27,586 $ 26,672 Amortizable intangible assets 74,062 739,058 Performance incentives 22,308 17,596 Customer deposits 55,573 17,771 Bad debt reserve 3,081 3,607 Accrued retirement benefits 92,320 72,520 Interest rate swap 295 — Satellites and other property and equipment 11,348 — Disallowed interest expense carryforward 108,446 111,038 Net operating loss carryforward 1,343,444 2,232,359 Tax credits 58,643 36,656 Other 15,576 14,646 Total deferred tax assets 1,812,682 3,271,923 Deferred tax liabilities: Satellites and other property and equipment (32,811 ) (172,574 ) Amortizable intangible assets (58,789 ) (30,788 ) Non-amortizable intangible assets (223,878 ) (116,526 ) Tax basis differences in investments and affiliates (219,049 ) (218,583 ) Other (7,126 ) (21,040 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (541,653 ) (559,511 ) Valuation allowance (1,397,237 ) (2,861,011 ) Total net deferred tax liabilities $ (126,208 ) $ (148,599 ) In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, our consolidated balance sheets included a deferred tax asset in the amount of $1.3 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively, attributable to the future benefit from the utilization of certain net operating loss carryforwards and $67.9 million and $46.3 million of deferred tax assets, respectively, attributable to the future benefit from the utilization of tax credit carryforwards. As of December 31, 2015, we had tax-effected U.S. federal, state and other foreign tax net operating loss carryforwards of $59.5 million expiring, for the most part, between 2020 and 2035 and tax effected Luxembourg net operating loss carryforwards of $2.2 billion without expiration. These Luxembourg net operating loss carryforwards were caused primarily by our interest expense, satellite depreciation and the amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets. Our alternative minimum tax credit carryforward of $17.8 million may be carried forward indefinitely, our foreign tax credit carryforward of $20.4 million may be carried forward to years between 2022 and 2025, and the $8.1 million research and development credit may be carried forward to years between 2030 and 2035. Our valuation allowance as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 was $1.4 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively. Almost all of the valuation allowance relates to Luxembourg net operating loss carryforwards and deferred tax assets created by differences between US GAAP and Luxembourg tax basis. Certain operations of our subsidiaries are controlled by various intercompany agreements which provide these subsidiaries with predictable operating profits. Other subsidiaries, principally Luxembourg subsidiaries, are subject to the risks of our overall business conditions which make their earnings less predictable. The following table summarizes the activity related to our unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands): 2014 2015 Balance at January 1 $ 65,111 $ 67,135 Increases related to current year tax positions 2,366 3,237 Increases related to prior year tax positions 2,629 962 Decreases related to prior year tax positions — (1,068 ) Expiration of statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes (2,971 ) (30,018 ) Balance at December 31 $ 67,135 $ 40,248 As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015 our gross unrecognized tax benefits were $67.1 million and $40.2 million, respectively (including interest and penalties), of which $45.6 million and $29.6 million, respectively, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate. As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, we had recorded reserves for interest and penalties in the amount of $17.3 million and $5.0 million, respectively. We continue to recognize interest and, to the extent applicable, penalties with respect to the unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. Since December 31, 2015, the change in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits consisted of an increase of $3.2 million related to current tax positions, an increase of $1.0 million related to prior tax positions, a decrease of $1.1 million related to prior tax positons and due to a settlement of an audit, and a decrease of $30.0 million due to the expiration of statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes. We operate in various taxable jurisdictions throughout the world and our tax returns are subject to audit and review from time to time. We consider Luxembourg, the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil to be our significant tax jurisdictions. Our Luxembourg, U.S., United Kingdom and Brazilian subsidiaries are subject to income tax examination for periods after December 31, 2010. Within the next twelve months, we believe that there are no jurisdictions in which the outcome of unresolved tax issues or claims is likely to be material to our results of operations, financial position or cash flows within the next twelve months. On March 7, 2013, Intelsat USA Sales LLC (Intelsat USA Sales Corporation prior to January 2011, and a disregarded subsidiary of Intelsat Corp) was notified by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service of its intent to initiate an audit for the tax year ending on December 31, 2010. Intelsat USA Sales LLC wholly owns Intelsat General Corporation, which provides services to U.S. government and other select military organizations and their contractors, as well as other commercial customers. On March 5, 2014, Intelsat USA Sales LLC received a letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service effectively closing the audit of this federal income tax return for 2010 with no adjustment. Certain previously unrecognized tax benefits were recognized as a result of the conclusion of this audit. On March 3, 2014, Intelsat Corp, Intelsat Global Service LLC, Intelsat General, Intelsat USA License LLC and Intelsat USA Sales LLC were notified by the District of Columbia Office of the Tax Revenue of its intent to initiate an audit for the tax years ending 2010 and 2011. At this point in time, it is too early to assess the probability of any adjustments resulting from these audits. Tax Contingency Prior to August 20, 2004, Intelsat Corp joined with The DIRECTV Group and General Motors Corporation in filing a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return. In April 2004, Intelsat Corp entered into a tax separation agreement with The DIRECTV Group that superseded four earlier tax-related agreements among Intelsat Corp and its subsidiaries, The DIRECTV Group and certain of its affiliates. Pursuant to the tax separation agreement, The DIRECTV Group agreed to indemnify Intelsat Corp for all federal and consolidated state and local income taxes a taxing authority may attempt to collect from Intelsat Corp regarding any liability for the federal or consolidated state or local income taxes of General Motors Corporation and The DIRECTV Group, except those income taxes Intelsat Corp is required to pay under the tax separation agreement. In addition, The DIRECTV Group agreed to indemnify Intelsat Corp for any taxes (other than those taxes described in the preceding sentence) related to any periods or portions of such periods ending on, or prior to, the day of the closing of the PanAmSat Corporation recapitalization, which occurred on August 20, 2004, in amounts equal to 80% of the first $75.0 million of such other taxes and 100% of any other taxes in excess of the first $75.0 million. As a result, Intelsat Corp’s tax exposure after indemnification related to these periods is capped at $15.0 million, of which $4.0 million has been paid to date. The tax separation agreement with The DIRECTV Group is effective from August 20, 2004 until the expiration of the statute of limitations with respect to all taxes to which the tax separation agreement relates. As of December 31, 2014, we had a tax indemnification receivable of $1.5 million. During the third quarter of 2015, we were notified by The DIRECTV Group that the audit of a tax return period covered under this separation agreement was closed with no adjustments. At this point, we released the previously unrecognized tax benefits related to the tax return under audit and we wrote off the corresponding indemnification receivable.

Contractual Commitments

Contractual Commitments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contractual Commitments	Note 15 Contractual Commitments In the further development and operation of our commercial global communications satellite system, significant additional expenditures are anticipated. In connection with these and other expenditures, we have a significant amount of long-term debt, as described in “Note 12—Long-Term Debt.” In addition to these debt and related interest obligations, we have expenditures represented by other contractual commitments. The additional expenditures as of December 31, 2015 and the expected year of payment are as follows (in thousands): Satellite Satellite Horizons-3 (1) Operating Sublease Customer and Total 2016 $ 455,997 $ 35,321 $ 14,000 $ 15,057 $ (580 ) $ 101,176 $ 620,971 2017 369,432 30,170 21,700 13,868 (62 ) 31,585 466,693 2018 164,222 25,899 36,400 13,451 (46 ) 36,221 276,147 2019 83,777 24,020 — 13,370 (48 ) 32,277 153,396 2020 31,536 23,947 — 12,825 (37 ) 13,719 81,990 2021 and thereafter 136,478 133,091 — 119,183 (181 ) 276 388,847 Total contractual commitments $ 1,241,442 $ 272,448 $ 72,100 $ 187,754 $ (954 ) $ 215,254 $ 1,988,044 (1) See Note 10(b)—Investments—Horizons-3 Satellite LLC. (a) Satellite Construction and Launch Obligations As of December 31, 2015, we had approximately $1.2 billion of expenditures remaining under our existing satellite construction and launch contracts. Satellite launch and in-orbit insurance contracts related to future satellites to be launched are cancelable up to thirty days prior to the satellite’s launch. As of December 31, 2015, we did not have any non-cancelable commitments related to existing launch insurance or in-orbit insurance contracts for satellites to be launched. The satellite construction contracts typically require that we make progress payments during the period of the satellites’ construction. The satellite construction contracts contain provisions that allow us to terminate the contracts with or without cause. If terminated without cause, we would forfeit the progress payments and be subject to termination payments that escalate with the passage of time. If terminated for cause, we would be entitled to recover any payments we made under the contracts and certain liquidated damages as specified in the contracts. (b) Satellite Performance Incentive Obligations Satellite construction contracts also typically require that we make orbital incentive payments (plus interest as defined in each agreement with the satellite manufacturer) over the orbital life of the satellite. The incentive obligations may be subject to reduction or refund if the satellite fails to meet specific technical operating standards. As of December 31, 2015, we had $272.4 million of satellite performance incentive obligations, including future interest payments. (c) Operating Leases We have commitments for operating leases primarily relating to equipment and office facilities, including for our U.S. administrative headquarters facility in McLean, Virginia. As of December 31, 2015, the total obligation related to operating leases, net of sublease income on leased facilities and rental income, was $186.8 million. Rental income and sublease income are included in other expense, net in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Total rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, was $13.1 million, $13.0 million and $14.9 million, respectively. (d) Customer and Vendor Contracts We have contracts with certain customers that require us to provide equipment, services and other support during the term of the related contracts. We also have long-term contractual obligations with service providers primarily for the operation of certain of our satellites. As of December 31, 2015, we had commitments under these customer and vendor contracts which totaled approximately $215.3 million related to the provision of equipment, services and other support.

Contingencies

Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Note 16 Contingencies We are subject to litigation in the ordinary course of business. Management does not believe that the resolution of any pending proceedings would have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.

Business and Geographic Segment

Business and Geographic Segment Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Business and Geographic Segment Information	Note 17 Business and Geographic Segment Information We operate in a single industry segment in which we provide satellite services to our communications customers around the world. Revenue by region is based on the locations of customers to which services are billed. Our satellites are in geosynchronous orbit, and consequently are not attributable to any geographic location. Of our remaining assets, substantially all are located in the United States. The geographic distribution of our revenue based upon billing region of the customer was as follows: Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended North America 45 % 45 % 47 % Europe 16 % 17 % 15 % Latin America and Caribbean 16 % 16 % 15 % Africa and Middle East 15 % 14 % 14 % Asia Pacific 8 % 8 % 9 % Approximately 4%, 4% and 7% of our revenue was derived from our largest customer during each of the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The ten largest customers accounted for approximately 25%, 26% and 29% of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We earn revenue primarily by providing services to our customers using our satellite transponder capacity. Our customers generally obtain satellite capacity from us by placing an order pursuant to one of several master customer service agreements. On-network services are comprised primarily of services delivered on our owned network infrastructure, as well as commitments for third-party capacity, generally long-term in nature, that we integrate and market as part of our owned infrastructure. In the case of third-party services in support of government applications, the commitments for third-party capacity are shorter and matched to the government contracting period, and thus remain classified as off-network services. Off-network services can include transponder services and other satellite-based transmission services, such as mobile satellite services (“MSS”), which are sourced from other operators, often in frequencies not available on our network. Under the category Off-Network and Other Revenues, we also include revenues from consulting and other services. In addition, effective first quarter 2015, certain revenues have been reclassified between transponder services and managed services across our customer sets in order to better reflect the nature of the underlying business. Our revenues were derived from the following services, with Off-Network and Other Revenues shown separately from On-Network Revenues (in thousands, except percentages): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended On-Network Revenues Transponder services $ 1,873,192 72 % $ 1,779,458 72 % $ 1,705,568 73 % Managed services 411,126 16 % 415,269 17 % 405,330 17 % Channel 72,123 3 % 58,669 2 % 38,872 2 % Total on-network revenues 2,356,441 91 % 2,253,396 91 % 2,149,770 91 % Off-Network and Other Revenues Transponder, MSS and other off-network services 201,282 8 % 171,637 7 % 160,063 7 % Satellite-related services 45,900 2 % 47,353 2 % 42,688 2 % Total off-network and other revenues 247,182 9 % 218,990 9 % 202,751 9 % Total $ 2,603,623 100 % $ 2,472,386 100 % $ 2,352,521 100 %

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	Note 18 Related Party Transactions (a) Shareholders’ Agreements Certain shareholders of Intelsat Global S.A. entered into shareholders’ agreements on February 4, 2008. The shareholders’ agreements were assigned to Intelsat S.A. by amendments effective as of March 30, 2012. The shareholders’ agreements and the articles of incorporation of Intelsat S.A. provided, among other things, for the governance of Intelsat S.A. and its subsidiaries and provided specific rights to and limitations upon the holders of Intelsat S.A.’s share capital with respect to shares held by such holders. In connection with the IPO in April 2013, these articles of incorporation and shareholders’ agreements were amended. (b) Monitoring Fee Agreement Intelsat Luxembourg, our wholly-owned subsidiary, had a monitoring fee agreement dated February 4, 2008 (the “2008 MFA”) with BC Partners Limited and Silver Lake Management Company III, L.L.C. (together, the “2008 MFA Parties”), pursuant to which the 2008 MFA Parties provided certain monitoring, advisory and consulting services to Intelsat Luxembourg. In connection with the IPO in April 2013, the 2008 MFA was terminated and we paid a fee of $39.1 million to the 2008 MFA Parties in connection with the termination. The $39.1 million payment, together with a write-off of $17.2 million of prepaid fees relating to the balance of 2013, were expensed upon consummation of the IPO, and are included within selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statement of operations. We recorded expense for services associated with, and including the termination of, the 2008 MFA of $64.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. (c) Governance Agreement Prior to the consummation of the IPO, we entered into a governance agreement (the “Governance Agreement”) with our shareholder affiliated with BC Partners (the “BC Shareholder”), our shareholder affiliated with Silver Lake (the “Silver Lake Shareholder”) and David McGlade (collectively with the BC Shareholder and the Silver Lake Shareholder, the “Governance Shareholders”). The Governance Agreement contains provisions relating to the composition of our board of directors and certain other matters. (d) Indemnification Agreements We have entered into agreements with our executive officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our articles of incorporation. (e) Horizons Holdings We have a 50% ownership interest in Horizons Holdings as a result of a joint venture with JSAT (see Note 10(a)—Investments—Horizons Holdings). (f) Horizons-3 Satellite LLC We have a 50% ownership interest in Horizons-3 Satellite LLC as a result of a joint venture with JSAT (see Note 10(b)—Investments—Horizons-3 Satellite LLC).

Quarterly Results of Operations

Quarterly Results of Operations	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Quarterly Results of Operations	Note 19 Quarterly Results of Operations (in thousands, unaudited) Quarter Ended 2014 March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31 Revenue (1) $ 628,890 $ 615,749 $ 608,625 $ 619,122 Income from operations (1) 328,700 315,060 310,811 292,707 Net income 82,896 67,771 68,620 17,220 (3) Net income attributable to Intelsat S.A. 81,946 66,768 67,624 16,194 (3) Net income attributable to common shareholders 81,946 56,851 67,624 16,194 (3) Net income per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: Basic (2) $ 0.77 $ 0.53 $ 0.63 $ 0.15 Diluted (2) 0.70 0.53 0.58 0.14 Quarter Ended 2015 March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31 Revenue (1) $ 602,306 $ 598,109 $ 580,847 $ 571,259 Income (loss) from operations (1) 292,762 290,842 284,999 (3,897,122 ) Net income (loss) 55,665 61,236 78,967 (4,115,321 ) (4) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. 54,717 60,220 77,982 (4,116,306 ) (4) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 54,717 50,301 77,982 (4,116,306 ) (4) Net income (loss) per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: Basic (2) $ 0.51 $ 0.47 $ 0.73 $ (38.29 ) Diluted (2) 0.47 0.47 0.66 (38.29 ) (1) Our quarterly revenue and operating income (loss) are generally not impacted by seasonality, as customer contracts for satellite utilization are generally long-term. Revenue declines shown above were primarily due to declines from our network services customers, mainly due to reduced volumes resulting from non-renewals and point-to-point connectivity and certain cellular backhaul services which are shifting to fiber alternatives, together with non-renewals and renewal pricing at lower rates for enterprise network services. Additional declines in Channel services related to the continued migration of international point-to-point satellite traffic to fiber optic cable, a trend which we expect will continue. (2) Basic and diluted earnings per share are computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of quarterly basic and diluted per share information may not equal annual basic and diluted earnings per share. (3) Includes a $40.4 million loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the redemption of debt in connection with the 2014 Intelsat Jackson Notes Redemption and $5.0 million payment for development costs. (4) Includes a $4.2 billion impairment of goodwill and other intangibles.

Supplemental Consolidating Fina

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information	Note 20 Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information On April 5, 2011, Intelsat Jackson completed an offering of $2.65 billion aggregate principal amount of the New Jackson Notes. The New Jackson Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, by Intelsat S.A., Intelsat Holdings, Intelsat Investment Holdings S.à r.l. and Intelsat Investments (collectively, the “Parent Guarantors”); Intelsat Luxembourg and certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of Intelsat Jackson (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”). On April 26, 2012, Intelsat Jackson completed an offering of $1.2 billion aggregate principal amount of the 2020 Jackson Notes, which are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, by the Parent Guarantors, Intelsat Luxembourg and the Subsidiary Guarantors. Separate financial statements of the Parent Guarantors, Intelsat Luxembourg, Intelsat Jackson and the Subsidiary Guarantors are not presented because management believes that such financial statements would not be material to investors. Investments in Intelsat Jackson’s subsidiaries in the following condensed consolidating financial information are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Consolidating adjustments include the following: • elimination of investment in subsidiaries; • elimination of intercompany accounts; • elimination of intercompany sales between guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries; and • elimination of equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries. We had other comprehensive income of $58.0 million, other comprehensive loss of $52.1 million and other comprehensive income of $34.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Other comprehensive income (loss) is fully attributable to the Subsidiary Guarantors, which are also consolidated within Intelsat Jackson. INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 16,941 $ 760 $ 109,959 $ 89,641 $ 43,881 $ (89,641 ) $ 171,541 Receivables, net of allowance — — 173,869 173,638 58,906 (173,638 ) 232,775 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 919 — 28,633 28,593 6,680 (29,041 ) 35,784 Intercompany receivables — 116,396 49,539 — 323,173 (489,108 ) — Total current assets 17,860 117,156 362,000 291,872 432,640 (781,428 ) 440,100 Satellites and other property and equipment, net — — 5,897,103 5,897,103 91,214 (5,897,103 ) 5,988,317 Goodwill — — 2,371,027 2,371,027 — (2,371,027 ) 2,371,027 Non-amortizable intangible assets — — 2,452,900 2,452,900 — (2,452,900 ) 2,452,900 Amortizable intangible assets, net — — 440,330 440,330 — (440,330 ) 440,330 Investment in affiliates (4,370,170 ) (1,019,052 ) 139,983 139,983 — 5,109,256 — Other assets 87 — 278,771 278,771 32,458 (278,771 ) 311,316 Total assets $ (4,352,223 ) $ (901,896 ) $ 11,942,114 $ 11,871,986 $ 556,312 $ (7,112,303 ) $ 12,003,990 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 28,622 $ 10 $ 154,247 $ 154,861 $ 29,053 $ (155,309 ) $ 211,484 Accrued interest payable — 22,360 139,133 1,964 — (1,964 ) 161,493 Deferred satellite performance incentives — — 19,411 19,411 — (19,411 ) 19,411 Other current liabilities — — 168,261 166,248 3,793 (166,248 ) 172,054 Intercompany payables 489,108 — — 2,038,908 — (2,528,016 ) — Total current liabilities 517,730 22,370 481,052 2,381,392 32,846 (2,870,948 ) 564,442 Long-term debt, net of current portion — 3,442,462 11,168,917 — — — 14,611,379 Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion — — 162,177 162,177 — (162,177 ) 162,177 Deferred revenue, net of current portion — — 1,010,019 1,010,019 223 (1,010,019 ) 1,010,242 Deferred income taxes — — 150,283 150,283 10,519 (150,283 ) 160,802 Accrued retirement benefits — — 195,170 195,170 215 (195,170 ) 195,385 Other long-term liabilities — — 161,420 161,420 8,096 (161,420 ) 169,516 Shareholders’ equity (deficit): Common shares 1,076 7,202 3,114,981 5,558,066 24 (8,680,273 ) 1,076 Preferred shares 35 — — — — — 35 Other shareholders’ equity (deficit) (4,871,064 ) (4,373,930 ) (4,501,905 ) 2,253,459 504,389 6,117,987 (4,871,064 ) Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (4,352,223 ) $ (901,896 ) $ 11,942,114 $ 11,871,986 $ 556,312 $ (7,112,303 ) $ 12,003,990 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,229 $ 1,068 $ 63,633 $ 63,144 $ 52,217 $ (63,144 ) $ 123,147 Receivables, net of allowance 12 — 167,621 167,569 52,825 (167,569 ) 220,458 Deferred income taxes — — 74,466 74,466 1,849 (74,466 ) 76,315 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 940 — 27,938 27,880 9,334 (30,147 ) 35,945 Intercompany receivables — 134,093 356,680 285,453 — (776,226 ) — Total current assets 7,181 135,161 690,338 618,512 116,225 (1,111,552 ) 455,865 Satellites and other property and equipment, net — — 5,761,839 5,761,839 118,425 (5,761,839 ) 5,880,264 Goodwill — — 6,780,827 6,780,827 — (6,780,827 ) 6,780,827 Non-amortizable intangible assets — — 2,458,100 2,458,100 — (2,458,100 ) 2,458,100 Amortizable intangible assets, net — — 500,545 500,545 — (500,545 ) 500,545 Investment in affiliates (270,172 ) 3,084,655 141,594 141,594 — (3,097,671 ) — Other assets 88 1 240,844 240,844 9,900 (240,844 ) 250,833 Total assets $ (262,903 ) $ 3,219,817 $ 16,574,087 $ 16,502,261 $ 244,550 $ (19,951,378 ) $ 16,326,434 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 28,818 $ — $ 154,445 $ 154,124 $ 24,585 $ (156,390 ) $ 205,582 Accrued interest payable — 22,500 138,971 1,803 24 (1,803 ) 161,495 Current portion of long-term debt — — 49,000 — — — 49,000 Deferred satellite performance incentives — — 19,793 19,793 1,164 (19,793 ) 20,957 Other current liabilities — — 183,677 182,356 6,353 (182,356 ) 190,030 Intercompany payables 450,846 — — — 39,928 (490,774 ) — Total current liabilities 479,664 22,500 545,886 358,076 72,054 (851,116 ) 627,064 Long-term debt, net of current portion — 3,462,756 11,156,465 — — — 14,619,221 Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion — — 163,360 163,360 — (163,360 ) 163,360 Deferred revenue, net of current portion — — 966,832 966,832 486 (966,832 ) 967,318 Deferred income taxes — — 201,212 201,212 10,468 (201,212 ) 211,680 Accrued retirement benefits — — 262,536 262,536 370 (262,536 ) 262,906 Other long-term liabilities — — 193,141 168,353 24,311 (168,353 ) 217,452 Shareholders’ equity (deficit): Common shares 1,067 7,202 3,466,429 7,535,655 24 (11,009,310 ) 1,067 Preferred shares 35 — — — — — 35 Other shareholders’ equity (deficit) (743,669 ) (272,641 ) (381,774 ) 6,846,237 136,837 (6,328,659 ) (743,669 ) Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (262,903 ) $ 3,219,817 $ 16,574,087 $ 16,502,261 $ 244,550 $ (19,951,378 ) $ 16,326,434 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,160,235 $ 2,160,251 $ 554,831 $ (2,522,796 ) $ 2,352,521 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) — — 241,603 241,603 449,274 (603,979 ) 328,501 Selling, general and administrative 7,912 193 126,331 125,494 65,143 (125,661 ) 199,412 Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles — — 4,415,000 4,415,000 — (4,415,000 ) 4,415,000 Depreciation and amortization — — 654,784 654,784 32,945 (654,784 ) 687,729 Total operating expenses 7,912 193 5,437,718 5,436,881 547,362 (5,799,424 ) 5,630,642 Income (loss) from operations (7,912 ) (193 ) (3,277,483 ) (3,276,630 ) 7,469 3,276,628 (3,278,121 ) Interest expense (income), net 10,723 274,451 613,162 36,059 (8,057 ) (36,059 ) 890,279 Gain on early extinguishment of debt — 7,061 — — — — 7,061 Subsidiary income (loss) (4,154,347 ) (3,864,552 ) 11,983 11,983 — 7,994,933 — Other income (expense), net — — 4,367 (5,136 ) (10,568 ) 5,136 (6,201 ) Income (loss) before income taxes (4,172,982 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,874,295 ) (3,305,842 ) 4,958 11,312,756 (4,167,540 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 3 — (1,871 ) (1,885 ) 3,381 1,885 1,513 Net income (loss) (4,172,985 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,872,424 ) (3,303,957 ) 1,577 11,310,871 (4,169,053 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,934 ) — (3,934 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat, S.A. (4,172,985 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,872,424 ) (3,303,957 ) (2,357 ) 11,310,871 (4,172,987 ) Cumulative preferred dividends (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (4,182,904 ) $ (4,132,135 ) $ (3,872,424 ) $ (3,303,957 ) $ (2,357 ) $ 11,310,871 $ (4,182,906 ) (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,281,331 $ 2,281,348 $ 592,317 $ (2,682,610 ) $ 2,472,386 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) — — 257,999 257,999 491,460 (659,110 ) 348,348 Selling, general and administrative 7,547 139 132,379 131,874 57,493 (132,025 ) 197,407 Depreciation and amortization — — 644,597 644,597 34,754 (644,597 ) 679,351 Total operating expenses 7,547 139 1,034,975 1,034,470 583,707 (1,435,732 ) 1,225,106 Income (loss) from operations (7,547 ) (139 ) 1,246,356 1,246,878 8,610 (1,246,878 ) 1,247,280 Interest expense, net 10,153 274,253 660,763 6,605 (382 ) (6,605 ) 944,787 Loss on early extinguishment of debt — — (40,423 ) — — — (40,423 ) Subsidiary income 250,281 545,402 14,729 14,729 — (825,141 ) — Other income (expense), net 2 — 2,864 2,770 (5,461 ) (2,768 ) (2,593 ) Income before income taxes 232,583 271,010 562,763 1,257,772 3,531 (2,068,182 ) 259,477 Provision for income taxes 53 — 17,361 17,268 5,557 (17,268 ) 22,971 Net income (loss) 232,530 271,010 545,402 1,240,504 (2,026 ) (2,050,914 ) 236,506 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,974 ) — (3,974 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat, S.A. 232,530 271,010 545,402 1,240,504 (6,000 ) (2,050,914 ) 232,532 Cumulative preferred dividends (9,917 ) — — — — — (9,917 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ 222,613 $ 271,010 $ 545,402 $ 1,240,504 $ (6,000 ) $ (2,050,914 ) $ 222,615 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,382,169 $ 2,382,201 $ 663,354 $ (2,824,101 ) $ 2,603,623 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) — — 266,869 266,869 504,983 (662,952 ) 375,769 Selling, general and administrative 62,861 8,167 155,035 152,961 62,469 (153,026 ) 288,467 Depreciation and amortization — — 705,165 705,165 34,623 (708,386 ) 736,567 Gain on satellite insurance recoveries — — (9,618 ) (9,618 ) — 9,618 (9,618 ) Total operating expenses 62,861 8,167 1,117,451 1,115,377 602,075 (1,514,746 ) 1,391,185 Income (loss) from operations (62,861 ) (8,167 ) 1,264,718 1,266,824 61,279 (1,309,355 ) 1,212,438 Interest (income) expense, net 40,916 438,052 644,838 (10,042 ) (1,545 ) 10,042 1,122,261 Loss on early extinguishment of debt (24,185 ) (341,351 ) (2,553 ) — — — (368,089 ) Subsidiary income (loss) (85,180 ) 728,465 70,409 70,409 — (784,103 ) — Other income (expense), net (7 ) — 577 42,772 (5,488 ) (42,772 ) (4,918 ) Income (loss) before income taxes (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 688,313 1,390,047 57,336 (2,146,272 ) (282,830 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes — — (40,152 ) (38,819 ) 9,315 38,819 (30,837 ) Net income (loss) (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 728,465 1,428,866 48,021 (2,185,091 ) (251,993 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,687 ) — (3,687 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 728,465 1,428,866 44,334 (2,185,091 ) (255,680 ) Cumulative preferred dividends (10,196 ) — — — — — (10,196 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (223,345 ) $ (59,105 ) $ 728,465 $ 1,428,866 $ 44,334 $ (2,185,091 ) $ (265,876 ) (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ 724 $ (251,879 ) $ 1,138,747 $ 1,629,412 $ 22,438 $ (1,629,411 ) $ 910,031 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (720,273 ) (720,273 ) (4,089 ) 720,273 (724,362 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans 9,538 — 2,064 2,064 (346,799 ) 333,133 — Investment in subsidiaries (7,355 ) (610,000 ) (198 ) (40,444 ) — 657,997 — Dividend from affiliates 19,000 898,400 28,423 28,423 — (974,246 ) — Purchase of cost method investment — — (25,000 ) (25,000 ) — 25,000 (25,000 ) Other investing activities — — 432 432 (424 ) (432 ) 8 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 21,183 288,400 (714,552 ) (754,798 ) (351,312 ) 761,725 (749,354 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt — (17,829 ) (479,000 ) — — — (496,829 ) Proceeds from drawdown of long-term debt — — 430,000 — — — 430,000 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (1,430 ) — 337,261 — (634 ) (335,197 ) — Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Capital contribution from parent — — 250,000 86,316 367,553 (703,869 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (19,000 ) (898,400 ) (916,697 ) (28,423 ) 1,862,520 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (18,405 ) (18,405 ) (1,163 ) 18,405 (19,568 ) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,423 ) — (8,423 ) Other financing activities 154 — 1,600 1,600 — (1,601 ) 1,753 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (11,195 ) (36,829 ) (376,944 ) (847,186 ) 328,910 840,258 (102,986 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents — — (925 ) (931 ) (8,372 ) 931 (9,297 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 10,712 (308 ) 46,326 26,497 (8,336 ) (26,497 ) 48,394 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 6,229 1,068 63,633 63,144 52,217 (63,144 ) 123,147 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 16,941 $ 760 $ 109,959 $ 89,641 $ 43,881 $ (89,641 ) $ 171,541 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ (1,366 ) $ (270,171 ) $ 1,253,342 $ 1,887,340 $ 64,363 $ (1,887,338 ) $ 1,046,170 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (639,603 ) (639,603 ) (5,821 ) 639,603 (645,424 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans 9,214 — 3,873 3,873 — (16,960 ) — Investment in subsidiaries (3,790 ) — (194 ) (194 ) — 4,178 — Dividend from affiliates 8,300 279,400 33,943 33,943 — (355,586 ) — Other investing activities — — 174 174 — (174 ) 174 Net cash provided by (used in)investing activities 13,724 279,400 (601,807 ) (601,807 ) (5,821 ) 271,061 (645,250 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt — — (586,000 ) — (24,418 ) — (610,418 ) Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt — — (21,250 ) — — — (21,250 ) Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt — — 135,000 — — — 135,000 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (4,233 ) — (9,214 ) — 360 13,087 — Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Capital contribution from parent — — 103,698 3,984 (107,682 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (8,300 ) (279,400 ) (1,473,781 ) (33,943 ) 1,795,424 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (18,705 ) (18,705 ) (1,069 ) 18,705 (19,774 ) Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest — — — — 12,209 — 12,209 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,744 ) — (8,744 ) Other financing activities 4,231 — (338 ) (338 ) — 338 3,893 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (9,921 ) (8,300 ) (779,907 ) (1,389,126 ) (51,621 ) 1,719,872 (519,003 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents — — (1,085 ) (1,063 ) (5,473 ) 1,061 (6,560 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 2,437 929 (129,457 ) (104,656 ) 1,448 104,656 (124,643 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 3,792 139 193,090 167,800 50,769 (167,800 ) 247,790 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 6,229 $ 1,068 $ 63,633 $ 63,144 $ 52,217 $ (63,144 ) $ 123,147 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ (108,561 ) $ (622,489 ) $ 1,406,174 $ 1,785,702 $ 41,767 $ (1,785,701 ) $ 716,892 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (591,762 ) (591,762 ) (9,030 ) 591,762 (600,792 ) Proceeds from insurance settlements — — 487,930 487,930 — (487,930 ) 487,930 Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds — — (19,199 ) (19,199 ) — 19,199 (19,199 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans (23,644 ) — (2,223,001 ) (593,753 ) 3,493 2,836,905 — Investment in subsidiaries (11,436 ) (17,248 ) (324 ) (324 ) — 29,332 — Dividend from affiliates 20,181 524,812 9,811 9,811 — (564,615 ) — Other investing activities — — (2,000 ) (2,000 ) — 2,000 (2,000 ) Net cash provided by (used in)investing activities (14,899 ) 507,564 (2,338,545 ) (709,297 ) (5,537 ) 2,426,653 (134,061 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt (353,550 ) (5,307,986 ) (1,218,208 ) — (24,418 ) — (6,904,162 ) Repayment of notes payable to former shareholders (868 ) — — — — — (868 ) Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt (9,395 ) (301,762 ) (67 ) — — — (311,224 ) Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt — 3,500,000 2,754,688 — — — 6,254,688 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (52,391 ) 2,289,335 20,151 (44,111 ) (13,943 ) (2,199,041 ) — Debt issuance costs — (44,433 ) (40,412 ) — — — (84,845 ) Proceeds from initial public offering 572,500 — — — — — 572,500 Stock issuance costs (26,683 ) — — — — — (26,683 ) Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (5,235 ) — — — — — (5,235 ) Capital contribution from parent — 17,248 45,062 11,760 (74,070 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (20,181 ) (524,812 ) (1,024,160 ) (9,811 ) 1,578,964 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (16,509 ) (16,509 ) (993 ) 16,508 (17,503 ) Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest — — — — 12,209 — 12,209 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,671 ) — (8,671 ) Other financing activities 2,800 — 471 471 — (471 ) 3,271 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 127,178 114,973 992,550 (1,039,247 ) (33,867 ) (678,110 ) (516,523 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (7 ) — (468 ) (465 ) (5,528 ) 465 (6,003 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 3,711 48 59,711 36,693 (3,165 ) (36,693 ) 60,305 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 81 91 133,379 131,107 53,934 (131,107 ) 187,485 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 3,792 $ 139 $ 193,090 $ 167,800 $ 50,769 $ (167,800 ) $ 247,790 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding)

SCHEDULE II-VALUATION AND QUALI

SCHEDULE II-VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
SCHEDULE II-VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS	SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS Description Balance at Charged to Deductions Balance at (in thousands) Year ended December 31, 2013: Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 23,583 $ 29,599 $ (17,894 ) $ 35,288 Year ended December 31, 2014: Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 35,288 $ 2,306 $ (2,420 ) $ 35,174 Year ended December 31, 2015: Allowance for doubtful accounts $ 35,174 $ 7,432 $ (5,428 ) $ 37,178

Significant Accounting Polici31

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation	(a) Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Intelsat S.A., its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (“VIE”) of which we are the primary beneficiary. We are the primary beneficiary of one VIE, as more fully described in Note 10—Investments, and accordingly, we include in our consolidated financial statements the assets and liabilities and results of operations of the entity, even though we may not own a majority voting interest. We use the equity method to account for our investments in entities where we exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies but do not retain control under either the voting interest model (generally 20% to 50% ownership interest) or the variable interest model. In 2015, we entered into a new joint venture agreement as further described in Note 10—Investments and the investment is accounted for using the equity method. We have eliminated all significant intercompany accounts and transactions.
Use of Estimates	(b) Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods, and the disclosures of contingent liabilities. Accordingly, ultimate results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition	(c) Revenue Recognition We earn revenue from providing satellite services and managed services to customers. We enter into contracts with customers to provide satellite transponders and transponder capacity and, in certain cases, earth stations and teleport facilities, for periods typically ranging from one year to the life of the satellite. Our revenue recognition policies are as follows: Satellite Utilization Charges. Satellite Related Consulting and Technical Services. Tracking, Telemetry and Commanding (“TT&C”). In-Orbit Backup Services. Revenue Share Arrangements. We may sell these products or services individually or in some combination to our customers. When these products and services are sold together, we account for the multiple elements under FASB ASC Topic 605-25, Revenue Recognition-Multiple Element Arrangements (“FASB ASC 605-25”). FASB ASC 605-25 provides guidance on accounting for arrangements that involve the delivery or performance of multiple products, services and/or rights to use assets. We allocate revenue for transactions or collaborations that include multiple elements to each unit of accounting based on each element’s relative selling price, and recognize revenue for each unit of accounting when the applicable revenue recognition criteria have been met.
Fair Value Measurements	(d) Fair Value Measurements We estimate the fair value of our financial instruments using available market information and valuation methodologies. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values because of the short maturity of these financial instruments. FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure (“FASB ASC 820”) defines fair value as the price that would be received in the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. FASB ASC 820 requires disclosure of the extent to which fair value is used to measure financial assets and liabilities, the inputs utilized in calculating valuation measurements, and the effect of the measurement of significant unobservable inputs on earnings, or changes in net assets, as of the measurement date. FASB ASC 820 establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy based upon the transparency of inputs utilized in the measurement and valuation of financial assets or liabilities as of the measurement date. We apply fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities and non-financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques into three levels as follows: • Level 1—unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets; • Level 2—quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable or that can be corroborated by observable market data by correlation; and • Level 3—unobservable inputs based upon the reporting entity’s internally developed assumptions which market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.
Cash and Cash Equivalents	(e) Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, which are generally time deposits with banks and money market funds. The carrying amount of these investments approximates market value.
Receivables and Allowances for Doubtful Accounts	(f) Receivables and Allowances for Doubtful Accounts We provide satellite services and extend credit to numerous customers in the satellite communication, telecommunications and video markets. We monitor our exposure to credit losses and maintain allowances for doubtful accounts and anticipated losses. We believe we have adequate customer collateral and reserves to cover our exposure. If we determine that the collection of payments is not reasonably assured at the time the respective service is provided, we defer recognition of the revenue until we believe collection is reasonably assured or the payment is received.
Satellites and Other Property and Equipment	(g) Satellites and Other Property and Equipment Satellites and other property and equipment are stated at historical cost, or in the case of certain satellites acquired, the fair value at the date of acquisition. Capitalized costs consist primarily of the costs of satellite construction and launch, including launch insurance and insurance during the period of in-orbit testing, the net present value of performance incentives expected to be payable to the satellite manufacturers (dependent on the continued satisfactory performance of the satellites), costs directly associated with the monitoring and support of satellite construction, and interest costs incurred during the period of satellite construction. We depreciate satellites and other property and equipment on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives: Years Buildings and improvements 10 - 40 Satellites and related costs 11 - 17 Ground segment equipment and software 4 - 15 Furniture and fixtures and computer hardware 4 - 12 Leasehold improvements (1) 2 - 12 (1) Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the useful life of the improvement or the remaining lease term.
Other Assets	(h) Other Assets Other assets consist of investments in certain equity securities, long-term deposits, long-term receivables and other miscellaneous deferred charges and long-term assets.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	(i) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets We account for goodwill and other intangible assets in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (“FASB ASC 350”). Goodwill represents the excess of the consideration transferred plus the fair value of any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date over the fair values of identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill and certain other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized but are tested on an annual basis for impairment during the fourth quarter, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. See Note 11—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Intangible assets arising from business combinations are initially recorded at fair value. We record other intangible assets at cost. We amortize intangible assets with determinable lives (consisting of backlog and customer relationships) based on the expected pattern of consumption. We review these intangible assets for impairment whenever facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. See Note 11—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets	(j) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets We review long-lived assets, including property and equipment and acquired intangible assets with estimable useful lives, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such an asset may not be recoverable. These indicators of impairment can include, but are not limited to, the following: • satellite anomalies, such as a partial or full loss of power; • under-performance of an asset compared to expectations; and • shortened useful lives due to changes in the way an asset is used or expected to be used. The recoverability of an asset to be held and used is determined by comparing the carrying amount to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, we record an impairment charge in the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value, which we determine by either a quoted market price, if any, or a value determined by utilizing discounted cash flow techniques.
Income Taxes	(k) Income Taxes We account for income taxes in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740—Income Taxes. We are subject to income taxes in the United States as well as a number of other foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in the calculation of our tax provision and the resultant tax liabilities and in the recoverability of our deferred tax assets that arise from temporary differences between the tax and financial statement recognition of revenue and expense and net operating loss and credit carryforwards. We regularly assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets can be recovered. A valuation allowance is required when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. We evaluate the recoverability of our deferred tax assets based in part on the existence of deferred tax liabilities that can be used to realize the deferred tax assets. During the ordinary course of business, there are transactions and calculations for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We evaluate our tax positions to determine if it is more likely than not that a tax position is sustainable, based solely on its technical merits and presuming the taxing authorities have full knowledge of the position and access to all relevant facts and information. When a tax position does not meet the more likely than not standard, we record a liability or contra asset for the entire amount of the unrecognized tax benefit. Additionally, for those tax positions that are determined more likely than not to be sustainable, we measure the tax position at the largest amount of benefit more likely than not (determined by cumulative probability) to be realized upon settlement with the taxing authority.
Foreign Currency Translation	(l) Foreign Currency Translation Our functional currency is the U.S. dollar, since substantially all customer contracts, capital expenditure contracts and operating expense obligations are denominated in U.S. dollars. Transactions not denominated in U.S. dollars have been translated using the spot rates of exchange at the dates of the transactions. We recognize differences on exchange arising on the settlement of the transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar in the consolidated statement of operations.
Comprehensive Income	(m) Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income consists of net income or loss and other gains and losses affecting shareholders’ equity that, under U.S. GAAP, are excluded from net income or loss. Such items consist primarily of the change in the market value of available-for-sale securities and pension liability adjustments.
Share-Based Compensation	(n) Share-Based Compensation Compensation cost is recognized based on the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation Awards are measured at the grant date based on the fair value as calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model for share options, a Monte Carlo simulation model for awards with market conditions, or the closing market price at the grant date for awards of shares or restricted shares units. For share-based awards recognized as liability awards prior to the IPO, we recorded compensation cost based on the fair value of such awards. The expense is recognized over the requisite service period, based on attainment of certain vesting requirements. The determination of the value of certain awards requires considerable judgment, including estimating expected volatility, expected term and risk-free rate. The Company’s expected volatility is based on the average volatility rates of similar actively-traded companies over the range of each award’s estimated expected term, which is based on the midpoint between the expected vesting time and the remaining contractual life. The risk-free rate is derived from the applicable Constant Maturity Treasury rate. Prior to the IPO, we estimated the fair market value of our equity at each reporting period in order to properly record stock compensation expense. We estimated the fair market value using a combination of the income and market approaches, and allocated a 50% weighting to each approach. The income approach quantifies the future cash flows that we expect to achieve consistent with our annual business plan and forecasting processes. These future cash flows are discounted to their net present values using an estimated rate corresponding to a weighted average cost of capital. Our forecasted cash flows are subject to uncontrollable and unforeseen events that could positively or negatively impact economic and business conditions. The estimated weighted average cost of capital includes assumptions and estimates based upon interest rates, expected rates of return, and other risk factors that consider both historic data and expected future returns for comparable investments. The market approach estimates fair value by applying trading multiples of enterprise value to EBITDA based on observed publicly traded comparable companies.
Deferred Satellite Performance Incentives	(o) Deferred Satellite Performance Incentives The cost of satellite construction may include an element of deferred consideration that we are obligated to pay to satellite manufacturers over the lives of the satellites, provided the satellites continue to operate in accordance with contractual specifications. Historically, the satellite manufacturers have earned substantially all of these payments. Therefore, we account for these payments as deferred financing. We capitalize the present value of these payments as part of the cost of the satellites and record a corresponding liability to the satellite manufacturers. Interest expense is recognized on the deferred financing and the liability is reduced as the payments are made.
Derivative Instruments	(p) Derivative Instruments We hold interest rate swaps, each of which were undesignated as of December 31, 2015. The swaps are marked-to-market quarterly, with any change in fair value recorded as interest expense, net.
Reclassifications	(q) Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years’ financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, cash flows or retained earnings.
New Accounting Pronouncements	(r) New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) Revenue Recognition Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-03, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases

Significant Accounting Polici32

Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Lives of Satellites and Other Property and Equipment	We depreciate satellites and other property and equipment on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives: Years Buildings and improvements 10 - 40 Satellites and related costs 11 - 17 Ground segment equipment and software 4 - 15 Furniture and fixtures and computer hardware 4 - 12 Leasehold improvements (1) 2 - 12 (1) Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the useful life of the improvement or the remaining lease term.

Net Income (Loss) per Share (Ta

Net Income (Loss) per Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Computation of Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Share	The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: (in thousands, except per share data or where otherwise noted) Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Numerator: Net income (loss) $ (251,993 ) $ 236,506 $ (3,919,453 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (3,687 ) (3,974 ) (3,934 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. (255,680 ) 232,532 (3,923,387 ) Less: Preferred Shares dividends declared (10,196 ) (9,917 ) (9,919 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (265,876 ) $ 222,615 (3,933,306 ) Numerator for Basic EPS - income/ (loss) available to common shareholders $ (265,876 ) $ 222,615 (3,933,306 ) Dilutive effect of Preferred shares — 9,917 — Numerator for Diluted EPS $ (265,876 ) $ 232,532 (3,933,306 ) Denominator: Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 98.5 106.5 107.2 Weighted average dilutive shares outstanding (in millions): Preferred shares (in millions) — 9.6 — Employee compensation related shares including options and restricted stock units (in millions) — 0.6 — Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 98.5 116.7 107.2 Basic net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A. $ (2.70 ) $ 2.09 $ (36.68 ) Diluted net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A. $ (2.70 ) $ 1.99 $ (36.68 )

Share-Based and Other Compens34

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member]
Stock Option Activity	Anti-Dilution Option activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 Exercised — 18.00 Expired — 18.00 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 6.1 $ — Exercisable at December 31, 2015 2,016 $ 18.00 6.1 $ —
Performance Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member]
Restricted Award Activity	Performance-based RSUs activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 914 $ 21.76 Granted 483 8.97 Forfeited 202 16.48 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 1,195 $ 17.48 1.1 $ 5.0
Time Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member]
Restricted Award Activity	Time-based RSUs activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 3,350 $ 17.73 Granted 716 11.64 Vested 808 18.35 Forfeited 378 16.37 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 2,880 $ 16.13 1.7 $ 12.0
Stock Options [Member]
Stock Option Activity	Stock Option activity during 2015 was as follows: Number of Weighted Exercise Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at January 1, 2015 1,288 $ 20.35 Exercised 34 4.50 Forfeited 11 34.73 Expired 80 24.20 Outstanding at December 31, 2015 1,163 $ 20.42 5.3 $ — Exercisable at December 31, 2015 1,154 $ 20.31 5.3 $ —

Fair Value Measurements (Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on Recurring Basis	The following tables present assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value in our consolidated balance sheets on a recurring basis and their level within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands), excluding long-term debt (see “Note 12—Long-Term Debt”). We did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the year ended December 31, 2015. Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014 As of Quoted Prices in Significant Other Description (Level 1) (Level 2) Assets Marketable securities (1) $ 5,950 $ 5,950 $ — Total assets $ 5,950 $ 5,950 $ — Liabilities Undesignated interest rate swaps (2) $ 26,109 $ — $ 26,109 Total liabilities $ 26,109 $ — $ 26,109 Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2015 As of Quoted Prices in Significant Other Description (Level 1) (Level 2) Assets Marketable securities (1) $ 5,486 $ 5,486 $ — Total assets $ 5,486 $ 5,486 $ — Liabilities Undesignated interest rate swaps (2) $ 2,013 $ — $ 2,013 Total liabilities $ 2,013 $ — $ 2,013 (1) The valuation measurement inputs of these marketable securities represent unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and, accordingly, we have classified such investments within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. The cost basis of our available-for-sale marketable securities was $5.4 million at December 31, 2014 and $5.3 million at December 31, 2015. We sold marketable securities with a cost basis of $0.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2015 and recorded a gain on the sale of $0.4 million, which was included within other expense, net in our consolidated statement of operations. (2) The fair value of our interest rate financial derivative instruments reflects the estimated amounts that we would pay or receive to terminate the agreement at the reporting date, taking into account current interest rates, the market expectation for future interest rates and current creditworthiness of both the counterparties and ourselves. Observable inputs utilized in the income approach valuation technique incorporate identical contractual notional amounts, fixed coupon rates, periodic terms for interest payments and contract maturity. Although we have determined that the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments, if any, associated with our derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as the estimates of the current credit spread, to evaluate the likelihood of default by us or our counterparties. We also considered the existence of offset provisions and other credit enhancements that serve to reduce the credit exposure associated with the asset or liability being valued. We have assessed the significance of the inputs of the credit valuation adjustments to the overall valuation of our derivative positions and have determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the valuation of our derivatives. As a result, we have determined that our derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Retirement Plans and Other Re36

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Reclassifications, Net of Tax	The following table presents these reclassifications, net of tax, as well as the reclassification of the realized gain on investments, and the statement of operations line items that are impacted (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Amortization of prior service credits reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs included in: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) $ (63 ) $ (68 ) $ (141 ) Selling, general and administrative (44 ) (41 ) (107 ) Total $ (107 ) $ (109 ) $ (248 ) Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs included in: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) $ 7,302 $ 4,070 $ 3,196 Selling, general and administrative 5,018 2,440 2,048 Total $ 12,320 $ 6,510 $ 5,244 Realized (gain) loss on investments included in: Other expense, net $ 123 $ (390 ) $ (340 ) Total $ 123 $ (390 ) $ (340 )
Reconciliation of Funded Status and Accumulated Benefit Obligation	The following summarizes the projected benefit obligations, plan assets and funded status of the defined benefit retirement plan, as well as the projected benefit obligations of the postretirement medical benefits provided under our medical plan (in thousands, except percentages): Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Other Post- Other Post- Pension retirement Pension retirement Benefits Benefits Benefits Benefits Change in benefit obligation Benefit obligation at beginning of period $ 427,909 $ 95,315 $ 491,118 $ 116,086 Service cost 2,854 128 780 70 Interest cost 19,904 4,562 18,734 4,592 Employee contributions — 356 — 403 Plan amendments — — — (202 ) Plan curtailments — — (10,314 ) — Special termination benefits 48 — — — Benefits paid (24,842 ) (3,741 ) (30,204 ) (3,401 ) Actuarial (gain) loss 65,245 19,466 (34,652 ) (26,965 ) Benefit obligation at end of period $ 491,118 $ 116,086 $ 435,462 $ 90,583 Change in plan assets Plan assets at beginning of period $ 322,176 $ — $ 339,619 $ — Employer contributions 25,873 3,385 16,435 2,998 Employee contributions — 356 — 403 Actual return on plan assets 16,318 — 607 — Benefits paid (24,842 ) (3,741 ) (30,203 ) (3,401 ) Plan assets at fair value at end of period $ 339,525 $ — $ 326,458 $ — Accrued benefit costs and funded status of the plans $ (151,593 ) $ (116,086 ) $ (109,004 ) $ (90,583 ) Accumulated benefit obligation $ 480,906 $ 435,462 Weighted average assumptions used to determine accumulated benefit obligation and accrued benefit costs Discount rate 4.01 % 4.04 % 4.53 % 4.50 % Salary rate 3.25 % — — — Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs Discount rate 4.83 % 4.90 % 4.01 % 4.04 % Expected rate of return on plan assets 7.80 % — 7.80 % — Rate of compensation increase 3.25 % — 3.25 % — Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss recognized in net periodic benefit cost Actuarial loss, net of tax $ 6,510 $ — $ 4,883 $ 361 Prior service credits, net of tax (109 ) — (383 ) 135 Total $ 6,401 $ — $ 4,500 $ 496 Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss not yet recognized in net periodic benefit cost Actuarial loss, net of tax $ 101,829 $ 13,221 $ 84,866 $ (4,320 ) Prior service credits, net of tax (391 ) — (348 ) — Total $ 101,438 $ 13,221 $ 84,518 $ (4,320 ) Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost in the subsequent year Actuarial loss $ (18,018 ) $ (596 ) $ (3,370 ) $ — Prior service credits 172 — — 8 Total $ (17,846 ) $ (596 ) $ (3,370 ) $ 8
Benefits Expected to be Paid Next Five Years	The benefits expected to be paid in each of the next five years and in the aggregate for the five years thereafter are as follows (in thousands): Pension Benefits Other Post- retirement Benefits 2016 $ 34,395 $ 4,277 2017 29,816 4,647 2018 28,052 4,948 2019 27,374 5,235 2020 28,938 5,498 2021 to 2025 138,404 29,970 Total $ 286,979 $ 54,575
Defined Pension Benefit Plans [Member]
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs	Net periodic pension benefit costs included the following components (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Service cost $ 3,318 $ 2,854 $ 780 Interest cost 18,244 19,904 18,734 Expected return on plan assets (21,263 ) (24,130 ) (25,926 ) Amortization of unrecognized prior service credits (172 ) (172 ) (43 ) Amortization of unrecognized net loss 19,423 10,319 7,911 Curtailment (gain) loss — — (564 ) Special termination benefit recognized — 48 — Total benefit $ 19,550 $ 8,823 $ 892
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs	Net periodic other postretirement benefit costs included the following components (in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Service cost $ 293 $ 128 $ 70 Interest cost 4,295 4,562 4,592 Plan amendment 797 — — Amortization of unrecognized net loss 362 — 596 Total costs $ 5,747 $ 4,690 $ 5,258
Target and Actual Asset Allocation [Member]
Pension Plan Assets by Asset Category	The target and actual asset allocation of our pension plan assets were as follows: As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Asset Category Target Actual Target Actual Equity securities 47 % 49 % 49 % 49 % Debt securities 38 % 36 % 36 % 34 % Other securities 15 % 15 % 15 % 17 % Total 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets [Member]
Pension Plan Assets by Asset Category	The fair values of our pension plan assets by asset category are as follows (in thousands): Fair Value Measurements at Fair Value Measurements at Asset Category Equity Securities U.S. Large-Cap (1) $ 89,593 $ 87,383 U.S. Small/Mid-Cap (2) 25,133 22,121 World Equity Ex-US (3) 52,432 51,720 Fixed Income Securities Short Duration Bonds (4) 63,544 91,897 High Yield Bonds (5) 14,133 13,638 Emerging Market Fixed income (Non-US) (6) 10,041 4,463 Core Fixed Income (7) 32,502 — Other Securities Hedge Funds (8) 17,719 15,913 Core Property Fund (9) 34,236 39,176 Money Market Funds 14 — Income earned but not yet received 178 147 Total $ 339,525 $ 326,458 (1) US large cap equity fund invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks included in the S&P 500 Index, as well as other equity securities and derivative instruments whose value is derived from the performance of the S&P 500. (2) US small/mid cap equity fund invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks included in the Russell 2500 Index. (3) World equity ex-US fund invests primarily in common stocks and other equity securities whose issuers comprise a broad range of capitalizations and are located outside of the U.S. The fund invests primarily in developed countries but may also invest in emerging markets. (4) Short duration bond fund includes the Opportunistic Income fund and the Limited Duration Bond Fund. The Opportunistic Income fund invests primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment grade and non-investment grade fixed-income securities. There are no restrictions on the maturity of any individual securities or on the fund’s average portfolio maturity, although the average portfolio duration will typically vary between 0 and two years. Under normal circumstances, the Limited Duration Bond Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated debt instruments. The Fund is expected to maintain a portfolio duration of three years or less. (5) High yield bond fund seeks to maximize return by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of higher yielding, lower rated fixed income securities. The fund will invest primarily in securities rated below investment grade, including corporate bonds, convertible and preferred securities and zero coupon obligations. (6) Emerging markets debt fund seeks to maximize return investing in fixed income securities of emerging markets issuers. The fund will invest primarily in U.S. dollar denominated debt securities of government, government-related and corporate issuers in emerging market countries, as well as entities organized to restructure the outstanding debt of such issuers. (7) Core fixed income fund invests in fixed-income funds which seek to provide current income consistent with the preservation of capital. (8) Hedge fund seeks to provide returns that are different from (less correlated with) investments in more traditional asset classes. The fund will pursue its investment objective by investing substantially all of its assets in various hedge funds. (9) Core property fund is a fund of funds that invests in direct commercial property funds primarily in the U.S. The fund is meant to provide current income-oriented returns, diversification, and modest inflation protection to an overall investment portfolio. Total returns are expected to be somewhere between stocks and bonds, with moderate volatility and low correlation to public markets.

Receivables (Tables)

Receivables (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Receivables [Abstract]
Summary of Receivables	Receivables were comprised of the following (in thousands): As of As of Service charges: Billed $ 245,022 $ 258,034 Unbilled 7,493 9,658 Other 3,117 2,261 Allowance for doubtful accounts (35,174 ) (37,178 ) Total $ 220,458 $ 232,775

Satellites and Other Property38

Satellites and Other Property and Equipment (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Schedule of Satellites and Other Property and Equipment, Net	Satellites and other property and equipment, net were comprised of the following (in thousands): As of As of Satellites and launch vehicles $ 9,154,751 $ 9,810,941 Information systems and ground segment 582,115 641,741 Buildings and other 236,845 241,273 Total cost 9,973,711 10,693,955 Less: accumulated depreciation (4,093,447 ) (4,705,638 ) Total $ 5,880,264 $ 5,988,317

Investments (Tables)

Investments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Changes in Equity Attributable to Intelsat and Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	The following tables present changes in equity attributable to the Company and equity attributable to our noncontrolling interests, which is included in the equity section of our consolidated balance sheet (in thousands): Intelsat S.A. Noncontrolling Total Shareholders’ Balance at January 1, 2014 $ (975,353 ) $ 40,686 $ (934,667 ) Net income 232,532 3,974 236,506 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests — (8,744 ) (8,744 ) Acquisition of remaining interests in WP Com 2,215 (2,215 ) — Share-based compensation 26,389 — 26,389 Declaration of preferred stock dividend (9,917 ) — (9,917 ) Postretirement/pension liability adjustment (52,002 ) — (52,002 ) Other comprehensive income (132 ) — (132 ) Balance at December 31, 2014 $ (776,268 ) $ 33,701 $ (742,567 ) Intelsat S.A. Noncontrolling Total Shareholders’ Balance at January 1, 2015 $ (776,268 ) $ 33,701 $ (742,567 ) Net income (loss) (3,923,387 ) 3,934 (3,919,453 ) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests — (8,423 ) (8,423 ) Share-based compensation 25,921 — 25,921 Declaration of preferred stock dividend (9,919 ) — (9,919 ) Postretirement/pension liability adjustment 34,449 — 34,449 Other comprehensive income (361 ) — (361 ) Balance at December 31, 2015 $ (4,649,565 ) $ 29,212 $ (4,620,353 )

Goodwill and Other Intangible40

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Carrying Amounts of Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets Not Subject to Amortization	The carrying amounts of goodwill and acquired intangible assets not subject to amortization consist of the following (in thousands): As of December 31, As of December 31, Goodwill $ 6,780,827 $ 2,620,627 Orbital locations 2,387,700 2,387,700 Trade name 70,400 65,200
Schedule of Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Acquired Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization	The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of acquired intangible assets subject to amortization consisted of the following (in thousands): As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Gross Accumulated Net Carrying Gross Accumulated Net Carrying Backlog and other $ 743,760 $ (615,285 ) $ 128,475 $ 743,760 $ (647,534 ) $ 96,226 Customer relationships 534,030 (161,960 ) 372,070 534,030 (189,926 ) 344,104 Total $ 1,277,790 $ (777,245 ) $ 500,545 $ 1,277,790 $ (837,460 ) $ 440,330
Scheduled Amortization Charges for Intangible Assets	Scheduled amortization charges for the intangible assets over the next five years are as follows (in thousands): Year Amount 2016 $ 48,491 2017 42,254 2018 38,481 2019 34,351 2020 31,103

Long-Term Debt (Tables)

Long-Term Debt (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Carrying Values and Fair Values of Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt	The carrying values and fair values of our notes payable and long-term debt were as follows (in thousands): As of December 31, 2014 As of December 31, 2015 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value Intelsat Luxembourg: 6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 $ 500,000 $ 509,400 $ 475,000 $ 355,063 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 6.75% Senior Notes (2,972 ) — (2,066 ) — 7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 2,000,000 2,005,000 2,000,000 930,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.75% Senior Notes (22,385 ) — (19,602 ) — 8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 1,000,000 1,015,000 1,000,000 450,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 8.125% Senior Notes (11,887 ) — (10,870 ) — Total Intelsat Luxembourg obligations 3,462,756 3,529,400 3,442,462 1,735,063 Intelsat Jackson: 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 2,200,000 2,318,360 2,200,000 1,919,500 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium on 7.25% Senior Notes (9,635 ) — (8,248 ) — 7.25% Senior Notes due April 2019 1,500,000 1,563,750 1,500,000 1,368,750 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.25% Senior Notes (10,355 ) — (8,203 ) — 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 1,150,000 1,227,625 1,150,000 1,000,500 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 7.5% Senior Notes (9,350 ) — (8,137 ) — 6.625% Senior Notes due December 2022 1,275,000 1,313,250 1,275,000 803,250 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium on 6.625% Senior Notes 22,694 — 20,428 — 5.5% Senior Notes due August 2023 2,000,000 1,980,000 2,000,000 1,560,000 Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs on 5.5% Senior Notes (18,439 ) — (16,719 ) — Senior Secured Credit Facilities due June 2019 3,095,000 3,075,811 3,095,000 2,944,274 Jackson Revolver 49,000 49,000 — — Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and discount on Senior Credit Facilities and Jackson Revolver (38,450 ) — (30,204 ) — Total Intelsat Jackson obligations 11,205,465 11,527,796 11,168,917 9,596,274 Total Intelsat S.A. long-term debt 14,668,221 15,057,196 14,611,379 11,331,337 Less: Current portion of long-term debt 49,000 — Total long-term debt, excluding current portion $ 14,619,221 $ 14,611,379
Schedule of Principal Repayments of Long-Term Debt	Required principal repayments of long-term debt over the next five years and thereafter as of December 31, 2015 are as follows (in thousands): Year Amount 2016 $ — 2017 — 2018 475,000 2019 4,595,000 2020 2,200,000 2021 and thereafter 7,425,000 Total principal repayments 14,695,000 Unamortized discounts, premium and prepaid issuance costs (83,621 ) Total Intelsat S.A. long-term debt $ 14,611,379

Derivative Instruments and He42

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Derivatives by Category	The following table sets forth the fair value of our derivatives by category (in thousands): Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Balance Sheets Location Year Ended Year Ended Undesignated interest rate swaps Other current liabilities $ 1,321 $ 2,013 Undesignated interest rate swaps Other long-term liabilities 24,788 — Total derivatives $ 26,109 $ 2,013
Schedule of Effect of Derivative Instruments, Included in Interest Expense, Net in Consolidated Statements of Operations	The following table sets forth the effect of the derivative instruments, included in interest expense, net in our consolidated statements of operations (in thousands): Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments Presentation in Statements of Operations Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended Undesignated interest rate swaps Included in interest expense, net $ 8,064 $ 5,649 $ 3,483

Income Taxes (Tables)

Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Total Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes	he following table summarizes our total income (loss) before income taxes (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Domestic income (loss) before income taxes $ (356,019 ) $ 199,682 $ (3,966,322 ) Foreign income before income taxes 73,189 59,795 48,382 Total income (loss) before income taxes $ (282,830 ) $ 259,477 $ (3,917,940 )
Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes	The provision for (benefit from) income taxes consisted of the following (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Current income tax provision Domestic $ 856 $ 2,306 $ — Foreign 33,654 33,311 10,817 Total 34,510 35,617 10,817 Deferred income tax benefit: Foreign (65,347 ) (12,646 ) (9,304 ) Total (65,347 ) (12,646 ) (9,304 ) Total income tax provision (benefit): $ (30,837 ) $ 22,971 $ 1,513
Income Tax Provision (Benefit)	The income tax provision (benefit) was different from the amount computed using the Luxembourg statutory income tax rate of 29.22% for the reasons set forth in the following table (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2013 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Year Ended December 31, 2015 Expected tax provision (benefit) at Luxembourg statutory income tax rate $ (82,643 ) $ 75,819 $ (1,144,822 ) Foreign income tax differential 35,511 40,099 42,339 Nontaxable interest income (93,154 ) (53,361 ) (67,651 ) Tax deductible impairment charge in Luxembourg subsidiaries — — (854,393 ) Goodwill impairment — — 599,974 Changes in unrecognized tax benefits (3,997 ) 1,229 (15,465 ) Changes in valuation allowance 171,433 (24,147 ) 1,463,774 Tax effect of 2011 intercompany sale (6,865 ) (6,740 ) (6,112 ) Foreign tax credits (44,137 ) (2,147 ) (2,171 ) Research and development tax credits (5,890 ) (5,564 ) (2,103 ) Other (1,095 ) (2,217 ) (11,857 ) Total income tax provision (benefit) $ (30,837 ) $ 22,971 $ 1,513
Net Deferred Tax Balances	The following table details the composition of the net deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 (in thousands): As of As of Current deferred taxes, net $ 76,315 $ — Long-term deferred taxes, net (211,680 ) (160,802 ) Other assets 9,157 12,203 Net deferred taxes $ (126,208 ) $ (148,599 )
Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability	The components of the net deferred tax liability were as follows (in thousands): As of As of Deferred tax assets: Accruals and advances $ 27,586 $ 26,672 Amortizable intangible assets 74,062 739,058 Performance incentives 22,308 17,596 Customer deposits 55,573 17,771 Bad debt reserve 3,081 3,607 Accrued retirement benefits 92,320 72,520 Interest rate swap 295 — Satellites and other property and equipment 11,348 — Disallowed interest expense carryforward 108,446 111,038 Net operating loss carryforward 1,343,444 2,232,359 Tax credits 58,643 36,656 Other 15,576 14,646 Total deferred tax assets 1,812,682 3,271,923 Deferred tax liabilities: Satellites and other property and equipment (32,811 ) (172,574 ) Amortizable intangible assets (58,789 ) (30,788 ) Non-amortizable intangible assets (223,878 ) (116,526 ) Tax basis differences in investments and affiliates (219,049 ) (218,583 ) Other (7,126 ) (21,040 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (541,653 ) (559,511 ) Valuation allowance (1,397,237 ) (2,861,011 ) Total net deferred tax liabilities $ (126,208 ) $ (148,599 )
Summary of Activity Related to Unrecognized Tax Benefits	The following table summarizes the activity related to our unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands): 2014 2015 Balance at January 1 $ 65,111 $ 67,135 Increases related to current year tax positions 2,366 3,237 Increases related to prior year tax positions 2,629 962 Decreases related to prior year tax positions — (1,068 ) Expiration of statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes (2,971 ) (30,018 ) Balance at December 31 $ 67,135 $ 40,248

Contractual Commitments (Tables

Contractual Commitments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Additional Expenditures and Expected Year of Payment	The additional expenditures as of December 31, 2015 and the expected year of payment are as follows (in thousands): Satellite Satellite Horizons-3 (1) Operating Sublease Customer and Total 2016 $ 455,997 $ 35,321 $ 14,000 $ 15,057 $ (580 ) $ 101,176 $ 620,971 2017 369,432 30,170 21,700 13,868 (62 ) 31,585 466,693 2018 164,222 25,899 36,400 13,451 (46 ) 36,221 276,147 2019 83,777 24,020 — 13,370 (48 ) 32,277 153,396 2020 31,536 23,947 — 12,825 (37 ) 13,719 81,990 2021 and thereafter 136,478 133,091 — 119,183 (181 ) 276 388,847 Total contractual commitments $ 1,241,442 $ 272,448 $ 72,100 $ 187,754 $ (954 ) $ 215,254 $ 1,988,044

Business and Geographic Segme45

Business and Geographic Segment Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Geographic Distribution of Revenue	The geographic distribution of our revenue based upon billing region of the customer was as follows: Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended North America 45 % 45 % 47 % Europe 16 % 17 % 15 % Latin America and Caribbean 16 % 16 % 15 % Africa and Middle East 15 % 14 % 14 % Asia Pacific 8 % 8 % 9 %
Schedule of Off-Network and On-Network Revenues	Our revenues were derived from the following services, with Off-Network and Other Revenues shown separately from On-Network Revenues (in thousands, except percentages): Year Ended Year Ended Year Ended On-Network Revenues Transponder services $ 1,873,192 72 % $ 1,779,458 72 % $ 1,705,568 73 % Managed services 411,126 16 % 415,269 17 % 405,330 17 % Channel 72,123 3 % 58,669 2 % 38,872 2 % Total on-network revenues 2,356,441 91 % 2,253,396 91 % 2,149,770 91 % Off-Network and Other Revenues Transponder, MSS and other off-network services 201,282 8 % 171,637 7 % 160,063 7 % Satellite-related services 45,900 2 % 47,353 2 % 42,688 2 % Total off-network and other revenues 247,182 9 % 218,990 9 % 202,751 9 % Total $ 2,603,623 100 % $ 2,472,386 100 % $ 2,352,521 100 %

Quarterly Results of Operatio46

Quarterly Results of Operations (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Quarterly Results of Operations	Quarter Ended 2014 March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31 Revenue (1) $ 628,890 $ 615,749 $ 608,625 $ 619,122 Income from operations (1) 328,700 315,060 310,811 292,707 Net income 82,896 67,771 68,620 17,220 (3) Net income attributable to Intelsat S.A. 81,946 66,768 67,624 16,194 (3) Net income attributable to common shareholders 81,946 56,851 67,624 16,194 (3) Net income per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: Basic (2) $ 0.77 $ 0.53 $ 0.63 $ 0.15 Diluted (2) 0.70 0.53 0.58 0.14 Quarter Ended 2015 March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31 Revenue (1) $ 602,306 $ 598,109 $ 580,847 $ 571,259 Income (loss) from operations (1) 292,762 290,842 284,999 (4,146,722 ) Net income (loss) 55,665 61,236 78,967 (4,364,921 ) (4) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. 54,717 60,220 77,982 (4,365,906 ) (4) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 54,717 50,301 77,982 (4,365,906 ) (4) Net income (loss) per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.: Basic (2) $ 0.51 $ 0.47 $ 0.73 $ (40.61 ) Diluted (2) 0.47 0.47 0.66 (40.61 )

Supplemental Consolidating Fi47

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet	INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 16,941 $ 760 $ 109,959 $ 89,641 $ 43,881 $ (89,641 ) $ 171,541 Receivables, net of allowance — — 173,869 173,638 58,906 (173,638 ) 232,775 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 919 — 28,633 28,593 6,680 (29,041 ) 35,784 Intercompany receivables — 116,396 49,539 — 323,173 (489,108 ) — Total current assets 17,860 117,156 362,000 291,872 432,640 (781,428 ) 440,100 Satellites and other property and equipment, net — — 5,897,103 5,897,103 91,214 (5,897,103 ) 5,988,317 Goodwill — — 2,371,027 2,371,027 — (2,371,027 ) 2,371,027 Non-amortizable intangible assets — — 2,452,900 2,452,900 — (2,452,900 ) 2,452,900 Amortizable intangible assets, net — — 440,330 440,330 — (440,330 ) 440,330 Investment in affiliates (4,370,170 ) (1,019,052 ) 139,983 139,983 — 5,109,256 — Other assets 87 — 278,771 278,771 32,458 (278,771 ) 311,316 Total assets $ (4,352,223 ) $ (901,896 ) $ 11,942,114 $ 11,871,986 $ 556,312 $ (7,112,303 ) $ 12,003,990 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 28,622 $ 10 $ 154,247 $ 154,861 $ 29,053 $ (155,309 ) $ 211,484 Accrued interest payable — 22,360 139,133 1,964 — (1,964 ) 161,493 Deferred satellite performance incentives — — 19,411 19,411 — (19,411 ) 19,411 Other current liabilities — — 168,261 166,248 3,793 (166,248 ) 172,054 Intercompany payables 489,108 — — 2,038,908 — (2,528,016 ) — Total current liabilities 517,730 22,370 481,052 2,381,392 32,846 (2,870,948 ) 564,442 Long-term debt, net of current portion — 3,442,462 11,168,917 — — — 14,611,379 Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion — — 162,177 162,177 — (162,177 ) 162,177 Deferred revenue, net of current portion — — 1,010,019 1,010,019 223 (1,010,019 ) 1,010,242 Deferred income taxes — — 150,283 150,283 10,519 (150,283 ) 160,802 Accrued retirement benefits — — 195,170 195,170 215 (195,170 ) 195,385 Other long-term liabilities — — 161,420 161,420 8,096 (161,420 ) 169,516 Shareholders’ equity (deficit): Common shares 1,076 7,202 3,114,981 5,558,066 24 (8,680,273 ) 1,076 Preferred shares 35 — — — — — 35 Other shareholders’ equity (deficit) (4,871,064 ) (4,373,930 ) (4,501,905 ) 2,253,459 504,389 6,117,987 (4,871,064 ) Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (4,352,223 ) $ (901,896 ) $ 11,942,114 $ 11,871,986 $ 556,312 $ (7,112,303 ) $ 12,003,990 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,229 $ 1,068 $ 63,633 $ 63,144 $ 52,217 $ (63,144 ) $ 123,147 Receivables, net of allowance 12 — 167,621 167,569 52,825 (167,569 ) 220,458 Deferred income taxes — — 74,466 74,466 1,849 (74,466 ) 76,315 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 940 — 27,938 27,880 9,334 (30,147 ) 35,945 Intercompany receivables — 134,093 356,680 285,453 — (776,226 ) — Total current assets 7,181 135,161 690,338 618,512 116,225 (1,111,552 ) 455,865 Satellites and other property and equipment, net — — 5,761,839 5,761,839 118,425 (5,761,839 ) 5,880,264 Goodwill — — 6,780,827 6,780,827 — (6,780,827 ) 6,780,827 Non-amortizable intangible assets — — 2,458,100 2,458,100 — (2,458,100 ) 2,458,100 Amortizable intangible assets, net — — 500,545 500,545 — (500,545 ) 500,545 Investment in affiliates (270,172 ) 3,084,655 141,594 141,594 — (3,097,671 ) — Other assets 88 1 240,844 240,844 9,900 (240,844 ) 250,833 Total assets $ (262,903 ) $ 3,219,817 $ 16,574,087 $ 16,502,261 $ 244,550 $ (19,951,378 ) $ 16,326,434 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 28,818 $ — $ 154,445 $ 154,124 $ 24,585 $ (156,390 ) $ 205,582 Accrued interest payable — 22,500 138,971 1,803 24 (1,803 ) 161,495 Current portion of long-term debt — — 49,000 — — — 49,000 Deferred satellite performance incentives — — 19,793 19,793 1,164 (19,793 ) 20,957 Other current liabilities — — 183,677 182,356 6,353 (182,356 ) 190,030 Intercompany payables 450,846 — — — 39,928 (490,774 ) — Total current liabilities 479,664 22,500 545,886 358,076 72,054 (851,116 ) 627,064 Long-term debt, net of current portion — 3,462,756 11,156,465 — — — 14,619,221 Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion — — 163,360 163,360 — (163,360 ) 163,360 Deferred revenue, net of current portion — — 966,832 966,832 486 (966,832 ) 967,318 Deferred income taxes — — 201,212 201,212 10,468 (201,212 ) 211,680 Accrued retirement benefits — — 262,536 262,536 370 (262,536 ) 262,906 Other long-term liabilities — — 193,141 168,353 24,311 (168,353 ) 217,452 Shareholders’ equity (deficit): Common shares 1,067 7,202 3,466,429 7,535,655 24 (11,009,310 ) 1,067 Preferred shares 35 — — — — — 35 Other shareholders’ equity (deficit) (743,669 ) (272,641 ) (381,774 ) 6,846,237 136,837 (6,328,659 ) (743,669 ) Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (262,903 ) $ 3,219,817 $ 16,574,087 $ 16,502,261 $ 244,550 $ (19,951,378 ) $ 16,326,434
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations	INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,160,235 $ 2,160,251 $ 554,831 $ (2,522,796 ) $ 2,352,521 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) — — 241,603 241,603 449,274 (603,979 ) 328,501 Selling, general and administrative 7,912 193 126,331 125,494 65,143 (125,661 ) 199,412 Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles — — 4,415,000 4,415,000 — (4,415,000 ) 4,415,000 Depreciation and amortization — — 654,784 654,784 32,945 (654,784 ) 687,729 Total operating expenses 7,912 193 5,437,718 5,436,881 547,362 (5,799,424 ) 5,630,642 Income (loss) from operations (7,912 ) (193 ) (3,277,483 ) (3,276,630 ) 7,469 3,276,628 (3,278,121 ) Interest expense (income), net 10,723 274,451 613,162 36,059 (8,057 ) (36,059 ) 890,279 Gain on early extinguishment of debt — 7,061 — — — — 7,061 Subsidiary income (loss) (4,154,347 ) (3,864,552 ) 11,983 11,983 — 7,994,933 — Other income (expense), net — — 4,367 (5,136 ) (10,568 ) 5,136 (6,201 ) Income (loss) before income taxes (4,172,982 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,874,295 ) (3,305,842 ) 4,958 11,312,756 (4,167,540 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 3 — (1,871 ) (1,885 ) 3,381 1,885 1,513 Net income (loss) (4,172,985 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,872,424 ) (3,303,957 ) 1,577 11,310,871 (4,169,053 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,934 ) — (3,934 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat, S.A. (4,172,985 ) (4,132,135 ) (3,872,424 ) (3,303,957 ) (2,357 ) 11,310,871 (4,172,987 ) Cumulative preferred dividends (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (4,182,904 ) $ (4,132,135 ) $ (3,872,424 ) $ (3,303,957 ) $ (2,357 ) $ 11,310,871 $ (4,182,906 ) (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,281,331 $ 2,281,348 $ 592,317 $ (2,682,610 ) $ 2,472,386 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) — — 257,999 257,999 491,460 (659,110 ) 348,348 Selling, general and administrative 7,547 139 132,379 131,874 57,493 (132,025 ) 197,407 Depreciation and amortization — — 644,597 644,597 34,754 (644,597 ) 679,351 Total operating expenses 7,547 139 1,034,975 1,034,470 583,707 (1,435,732 ) 1,225,106 Income (loss) from operations (7,547 ) (139 ) 1,246,356 1,246,878 8,610 (1,246,878 ) 1,247,280 Interest expense, net 10,153 274,253 660,763 6,605 (382 ) (6,605 ) 944,787 Loss on early extinguishment of debt — — (40,423 ) — — — (40,423 ) Subsidiary income 250,281 545,402 14,729 14,729 — (825,141 ) — Other income (expense), net 2 — 2,864 2,770 (5,461 ) (2,768 ) (2,593 ) Income before income taxes 232,583 271,010 562,763 1,257,772 3,531 (2,068,182 ) 259,477 Provision for income taxes 53 — 17,361 17,268 5,557 (17,268 ) 22,971 Net income (loss) 232,530 271,010 545,402 1,240,504 (2,026 ) (2,050,914 ) 236,506 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,974 ) — (3,974 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat, S.A. 232,530 271,010 545,402 1,240,504 (6,000 ) (2,050,914 ) 232,532 Cumulative preferred dividends (9,917 ) — — — — — (9,917 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ 222,613 $ 271,010 $ 545,402 $ 1,240,504 $ (6,000 ) $ (2,050,914 ) $ 222,615 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non- Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Revenue $ — $ — $ 2,382,169 $ 2,382,201 $ 663,354 $ (2,824,101 ) $ 2,603,623 Operating expenses: Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization) — — 266,869 266,869 504,983 (662,952 ) 375,769 Selling, general and administrative 62,861 8,167 155,035 152,961 62,469 (153,026 ) 288,467 Depreciation and amortization — — 705,165 705,165 34,623 (708,386 ) 736,567 Gain on satellite insurance recoveries — — (9,618 ) (9,618 ) — 9,618 (9,618 ) Total operating expenses 62,861 8,167 1,117,451 1,115,377 602,075 (1,514,746 ) 1,391,185 Income (loss) from operations (62,861 ) (8,167 ) 1,264,718 1,266,824 61,279 (1,309,355 ) 1,212,438 Interest (income) expense, net 40,916 438,052 644,838 (10,042 ) (1,545 ) 10,042 1,122,261 Loss on early extinguishment of debt (24,185 ) (341,351 ) (2,553 ) — — — (368,089 ) Subsidiary income (loss) (85,180 ) 728,465 70,409 70,409 — (784,103 ) — Other income (expense), net (7 ) — 577 42,772 (5,488 ) (42,772 ) (4,918 ) Income (loss) before income taxes (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 688,313 1,390,047 57,336 (2,146,272 ) (282,830 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes — — (40,152 ) (38,819 ) 9,315 38,819 (30,837 ) Net income (loss) (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 728,465 1,428,866 48,021 (2,185,091 ) (251,993 ) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest — — — — (3,687 ) — (3,687 ) Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A. (213,149 ) (59,105 ) 728,465 1,428,866 44,334 (2,185,091 ) (255,680 ) Cumulative preferred dividends (10,196 ) — — — — — (10,196 ) Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ (223,345 ) $ (59,105 ) $ 728,465 $ 1,428,866 $ 44,334 $ (2,185,091 ) $ (265,876 )
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows	INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation and Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ 724 $ (251,879 ) $ 1,138,747 $ 1,629,412 $ 22,438 $ (1,629,411 ) $ 910,031 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (720,273 ) (720,273 ) (4,089 ) 720,273 (724,362 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans 9,538 — 2,064 2,064 (346,799 ) 333,133 — Investment in subsidiaries (7,355 ) (610,000 ) (198 ) (40,444 ) — 657,997 — Dividend from affiliates 19,000 898,400 28,423 28,423 — (974,246 ) — Purchase of cost method investment — — (25,000 ) (25,000 ) — 25,000 (25,000 ) Other investing activities — — 432 432 (424 ) (432 ) 8 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 21,183 288,400 (714,552 ) (754,798 ) (351,312 ) 761,725 (749,354 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt — (17,829 ) (479,000 ) — — — (496,829 ) Proceeds from drawdown of long-term debt — — 430,000 — — — 430,000 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (1,430 ) — 337,261 — (634 ) (335,197 ) — Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Capital contribution from parent — — 250,000 86,316 367,553 (703,869 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (19,000 ) (898,400 ) (916,697 ) (28,423 ) 1,862,520 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (18,405 ) (18,405 ) (1,163 ) 18,405 (19,568 ) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,423 ) — (8,423 ) Other financing activities 154 — 1,600 1,600 — (1,601 ) 1,753 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (11,195 ) (36,829 ) (376,944 ) (847,186 ) 328,910 840,258 (102,986 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents — — (925 ) (931 ) (8,372 ) 931 (9,297 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 10,712 (308 ) 46,326 26,497 (8,336 ) (26,497 ) 48,394 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 6,229 1,068 63,633 63,144 52,217 (63,144 ) 123,147 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 16,941 $ 760 $ 109,959 $ 89,641 $ 43,881 $ (89,641 ) $ 171,541 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ (1,366 ) $ (270,171 ) $ 1,253,342 $ 1,887,340 $ 64,363 $ (1,887,338 ) $ 1,046,170 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (639,603 ) (639,603 ) (5,821 ) 639,603 (645,424 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans 9,214 — 3,873 3,873 — (16,960 ) — Investment in subsidiaries (3,790 ) — (194 ) (194 ) — 4,178 — Dividend from affiliates 8,300 279,400 33,943 33,943 — (355,586 ) — Other investing activities — — 174 174 — (174 ) 174 Net cash provided by (used in)investing activities 13,724 279,400 (601,807 ) (601,807 ) (5,821 ) 271,061 (645,250 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt — — (586,000 ) — (24,418 ) — (610,418 ) Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt — — (21,250 ) — — — (21,250 ) Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt — — 135,000 — — — 135,000 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (4,233 ) — (9,214 ) — 360 13,087 — Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (9,919 ) — — — — — (9,919 ) Capital contribution from parent — — 103,698 3,984 (107,682 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (8,300 ) (279,400 ) (1,473,781 ) (33,943 ) 1,795,424 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (18,705 ) (18,705 ) (1,069 ) 18,705 (19,774 ) Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest — — — — 12,209 — 12,209 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,744 ) — (8,744 ) Other financing activities 4,231 — (338 ) (338 ) — 338 3,893 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (9,921 ) (8,300 ) (779,907 ) (1,389,126 ) (51,621 ) 1,719,872 (519,003 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents — — (1,085 ) (1,063 ) (5,473 ) 1,061 (6,560 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 2,437 929 (129,457 ) (104,656 ) 1,448 104,656 (124,643 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 3,792 139 193,090 167,800 50,769 (167,800 ) 247,790 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 6,229 $ 1,068 $ 63,633 $ 63,144 $ 52,217 $ (63,144 ) $ 123,147 (Certain totals may not add due to the effects of rounding) INTELSAT S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 (in thousands) Intelsat S.A. Intelsat Intelsat Jackson Non-Guarantor Consolidation Consolidated Cash flows from operating activities: $ (108,561 ) $ (622,489 ) $ 1,406,174 $ 1,785,702 $ 41,767 $ (1,785,701 ) $ 716,892 Cash flows from investing activities: Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest) — — (591,762 ) (591,762 ) (9,030 ) 591,762 (600,792 ) Proceeds from insurance settlements — — 487,930 487,930 — (487,930 ) 487,930 Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds — — (19,199 ) (19,199 ) — 19,199 (19,199 ) Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans (23,644 ) — (2,223,001 ) (593,753 ) 3,493 2,836,905 — Investment in subsidiaries (11,436 ) (17,248 ) (324 ) (324 ) — 29,332 — Dividend from affiliates 20,181 524,812 9,811 9,811 — (564,615 ) — Other investing activities — — (2,000 ) (2,000 ) — 2,000 (2,000 ) Net cash provided by (used in)investing activities (14,899 ) 507,564 (2,338,545 ) (709,297 ) (5,537 ) 2,426,653 (134,061 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of long-term debt (353,550 ) (5,307,986 ) (1,218,208 ) — (24,418 ) — (6,904,162 ) Repayment of notes payable to former shareholders (868 ) — — — — — (868 ) Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt (9,395 ) (301,762 ) (67 ) — — — (311,224 ) Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt — 3,500,000 2,754,688 — — — 6,254,688 Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing (52,391 ) 2,289,335 20,151 (44,111 ) (13,943 ) (2,199,041 ) — Debt issuance costs — (44,433 ) (40,412 ) — — — (84,845 ) Proceeds from initial public offering 572,500 — — — — — 572,500 Stock issuance costs (26,683 ) — — — — — (26,683 ) Dividends paid to preferred shareholders (5,235 ) — — — — — (5,235 ) Capital contribution from parent — 17,248 45,062 11,760 (74,070 ) — Dividends to shareholders — (20,181 ) (524,812 ) (1,024,160 ) (9,811 ) 1,578,964 — Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives — — (16,509 ) (16,509 ) (993 ) 16,508 (17,503 ) Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest — — — — 12,209 — 12,209 Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest — — — — (8,671 ) — (8,671 ) Other financing activities 2,800 — 471 471 — (471 ) 3,271 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 127,178 114,973 992,550 (1,039,247 ) (33,867 ) (678,110 ) (516,523 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (7 ) — (468 ) (465 ) (5,528 ) 465 (6,003 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 3,711 48 59,711 36,693 (3,165 ) (36,693 ) 60,305 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 81 91 133,379 131,107 53,934 (131,107 ) 187,485 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 3,792 $ 139 $ 193,090 $ 167,800 $ 50,769 $ (167,800 ) $ 247,790

Background of Company - Additio

Background of Company - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Apr. 23, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Background Of Company [Line Items]
Gross proceeds from IPO	$ 572,500	$ 572,500
Net proceeds from IPO after underwriting discounts	$ 550,000
Common Stock [Member]
Background Of Company [Line Items]
Stock issued during period, shares	22,222,222	22,200,000
Shares issued, price per share	$ 18
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Background Of Company [Line Items]
Stock issued during period, shares	3,450,000
Shares issued, price per share	$ 50
Preferred stock dividend rate	5.75%

Significant Accounting Polici49

Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Fair value approaches weight allocated	50.00%
New accounting pronouncement reduction to other assets and long-term debt	$ 121.7	$ 142.9
Minimum [Member]
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership interest percentage	20.00%
Maximum [Member]
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership interest percentage	50.00%

Significant Accounting Polici50

Significant Accounting Policies - Estimated Useful Lives of Satellites and Other Property and Equipment (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Minimum [Member] | Buildings and Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	10 years
Minimum [Member] | Satellites and Related Costs [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	11 years
Minimum [Member] | Ground Segment Equipment and Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	4 years
Minimum [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures and Computer Hardware [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	4 years
Minimum [Member] | Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	2 years
Maximum [Member] | Buildings and Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	40 years
Maximum [Member] | Satellites and Related Costs [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	17 years
Maximum [Member] | Ground Segment Equipment and Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	15 years
Maximum [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures and Computer Hardware [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	12 years
Maximum [Member] | Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful life of assets	12 years

Share Capital - Additional Info

Share Capital - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Dec. 31, 2014$ / shares
Capital Unit [Line Items]
Authorized share capital | $	$ 10
Common Shares , authorized	1,000,000,000
Common shares, par value | $ / shares	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Shares , issued	107,600,000
Common Shares, outstanding	107,600,000
Preferred Shares, liquidation preference | $ / shares	$ 50	$ 50
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Capital Unit [Line Items]
Preferred Shares, issued	3,500,000
Preferred Shares, outstanding	3,500,000
Preferred Shares, liquidation preference | $ / shares	$ 50
Number of trading days, conversion price of common share	40 days
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Each Series A Preferred Share will Automatically Convert on May 1, 2016 into Common Shares [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Capital Unit [Line Items]
Preferred stock conversion to common ratio	2.2676
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Each Series A Preferred Share will Automatically Convert on May 1, 2016 into Common Shares [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Capital Unit [Line Items]
Preferred stock conversion to common ratio	2.7778
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | At Any Time Prior to May 1, 2016, Holders May Elect to Convert Each Series A Preferred Share into Common Shares [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Capital Unit [Line Items]
Preferred stock conversion to common ratio	2.2676

Net Income (Loss) Per Share - A

Net Income (Loss) Per Share - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Apr. 23, 2013shares	Jun. 30, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)shares	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)shares	Jan. 31, 2016$ / shares
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Reclassification of class B shares to common shares, ratio	0.0735
Common shares stock split conversion ratio	4.6
Dividend declared | $			$ 9,919	$ 9,917
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			5,100,000	1,400,000	4,500,000
Dilutive securities			0		0
Common Stock [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Stock issued during period, shares	22,222,222				22,200,000
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Stock issued during period, shares	3,450,000
Dividend declared | $		$ 9,900		$ 9,900	$ 10,200
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | First Installment [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Dividends paid amount per share | $ / shares			$ 0.71875
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Second Installment [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Dividends paid amount per share | $ / shares			$ 0.71875
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Third Installment [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Dividend declared, payment date			Feb. 1, 2016
Dividend declared, record date			Jan. 15, 2016
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Third Installment [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Dividend declared, per share price | $ / shares						$ 0.71875
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Date the declared dividend will be paid, month and year			2016-05
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Net Income Loss Per Common Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			9,600,000		6,600,000

Net Income (Loss) Per Share - C

Net Income (Loss) Per Share - Computation of Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Numerator:
Net income (loss)	$ (4,115,321)	$ 78,967	$ 61,236	$ 55,665	$ 17,220	$ 68,620	$ 67,771	$ 82,896	$ (3,919,453)	$ 236,506	$ (251,993)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									(3,934)	(3,974)	(3,687)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.	(4,116,306)	77,982	60,220	54,717	16,194	67,624	66,768	81,946	(3,923,387)	232,532	(255,680)
Less: Preferred Shares dividends declared									(9,919)	(9,917)	(10,196)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	(4,116,306)	77,982	50,301	54,717	16,194	67,624	56,851	81,946	(3,933,306)	222,615	(265,876)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (4,116,306)	$ 77,982	$ 50,301	$ 54,717	$ 16,194	$ 67,624	$ 56,851	$ 81,946	(3,933,306)	222,615	(265,876)
Dilutive effect of Preferred shares										9,917
Numerator for Diluted EPS									$ (3,933,306)	$ 232,532	$ (265,876)
Denominator:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions)									107.2	106.5	98.5
Weighted average dilutive shares outstanding
Preferred shares (in millions)										9.6
Employee compensation related shares including options and restricted stock units (in millions)										0.6
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions)									107.2	116.7	98.5
Basic net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A.	$ (38.29)	$ 0.73	$ 0.47	$ 0.51	$ 0.15	$ 0.63	$ 0.53	$ 0.77	$ (36.68)	$ 2.09	$ (2.70)
Diluted net income (loss) per common share attributable to Intelsat S.A.	$ (38.29)	$ 0.66	$ 0.47	$ 0.47	$ 0.14	$ 0.58	$ 0.53	$ 0.70	$ (36.68)	$ 1.99	$ (2.70)

Share-Based and Other Compens54

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016Optionsshares	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)$ / shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
IPO-Related Compensation Charges					$ 21,300,000
Compensation expense			$ 25,800,000	$ 22,500,000	$ 25,300,000
Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock options repriced during period | Options	1,200,000
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, vesting period			1 month
Granted | shares			0
Weighted average fair value per share | $ / shares					$ 7.85
Risk-free interest rate					0.60%
Dividend yields					0.00%
Expected volatility					59.40%
Expected life of options					4 years
Options exercised intrinsic value			$ 300,000	2,600,000	$ 5,600,000
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards, period of recognition			1 year
Compensation (credit) expense			$ 800,000	3,000,000	(400,000)
Cash received for exercise of stock options			$ 200,000	1,000,000	2,400,000
Options exercised | shares			34,000
Stock Options [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, expiration period			10 years
Share based compensation, expiration period, service period			2 years
Stock Options [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, expiration period			15 years
Share based compensation, expiration period, service period			5 years
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options			$ 100,000
Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense			$ 0	$ 4,100,000	$ 14,500,000
Share based compensation, expiration period			5 years
Granted | shares			0	0
Weighted average fair value per share | $ / shares					$ 5.97
Risk-free interest rate					0.30%
Dividend yields					0.00%
Expected volatility					60.80%
Expected life of options					2 years
Options exercised intrinsic value				$ 600,000	$ 100,000
Cash received for exercise of stock options				3,200,000	400,000
Options exercised | shares			0
Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member] | Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock options, granted | shares	700,000
Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, expiration period			10 years
Time Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense			$ 22,800,000	$ 13,000,000	$ 5,700,000
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards, period of recognition			1 year 8 months 12 days
Number of awards, Granted | shares			716,000
Weighted average grant date fair value of stock awards | $ / shares			$ 11.64	$ 17.45	$ 20.13
Total intrinsic value of vested stock awards			$ 8,000,000	$ 8,600,000	$ 2,500,000
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock awards			$ 31,500,000
Time Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, vesting period			6 months
Time Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, vesting period			3 years
Performance Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense			$ 2,200,000	$ 2,400,000	$ 1,100,000
Share based compensation, vesting period			3 years
Granted | shares			483,000
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards, period of recognition			1 year
Weighted average grant date fair value of stock awards | $ / shares			$ 8.97	$ 21.48	$ 21.96
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock awards			$ 2,200,000
Performance Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member] | Black Scholes Model [Member] | Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share based compensation, vesting period	2 years
Number of awards, Granted | shares	1,300,000
Restricted Stock Awards [Member] | IPO [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Weighted average grant date fair value of stock awards | $ / shares					$ 18
Restricted Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense					$ 4,500,000
Number of awards, Granted | shares			0	0
Total intrinsic value of vested stock awards					4,200,000
Cost of Sales [Member] | IPO [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense					2,400,000
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | IPO [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense					$ 18,900,000
2013 Equity Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares available for grant | shares			10,000,000
Shares available for future issuance | shares			4,100,000
2014 Option Modification [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense				$ 4,700,000
Risk-free interest rate		1.30%
Dividend yields		0.00%
Expected volatility		45.00%
Expected life of options		4 years 1 month 6 days
Number of stock options, granted | shares				1,900,000
Incremental fair value of option modifications | $ / shares				$ 2.52
Share based compensation, expiration period				5 years
Option modification, description			During the year ended December 31, 2014, 1.9 million stock options, including 1.6 million anti-dilution options, were amended to (a) extend the expiration date by five years; and (b) extend the duration of exercisability from one year to three years after ceasing to be an employee of the company. We estimated an additional expense of $2.52 per option resulting from the amendment, being the difference between the fair value of the amended option and the fair value of the original award before amendment. The fair value was measured using the Black-Scholes option pricing model
2014 Option Modification [Member] | Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock options, granted | shares				1,600,000
Pre-2014 Amendment Option Modification [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free interest rate		0.30%
Dividend yields		0.00%
Expected volatility		45.00%
Expected life of options		1 year 7 months 6 days
Pre-2014 Amendment Option Modification [Member] | Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free interest rate		0.30%
Dividend yields		0.00%
Expected volatility		45.00%
Expected life of options		1 year 7 months 6 days

Share-Based and Other Compens55

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans - Stock Option Activity (Detail) - Stock Options [Member] $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares
Number of Stock Options
Outstanding, beginning of year | shares	1,288
Exercised | shares	34
Forfeited | shares	11
Expired | shares	80
Outstanding, end of year | shares	1,163
Exercisable at December 31, 2015 | shares	1,154
Weighted Average Exercise price
Outstanding, beginning of year | $ / shares	$ 20.35
Exercised | $ / shares	4.50
Forfeited | $ / shares	34.73
Expired | $ / shares	24.20
Outstanding, end of year | $ / shares	20.42
Exercisable at December 31, 2015 | $ / shares	$ 20.31
Weighted Average remaining contractual term
Outstanding, end of year	5 years 3 months 18 days
Exercisable at December 31, 2015	5 years 3 months 18 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding, end of year | $	$ 0
Exercisable at December 31, 2015 | $	$ 0

Share-Based and Other Compens56

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans - Anti-Dilution Option Activity (Detail) - Anti-Dilution Option Grants [Member] $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares
Number of Stock Options
Outstanding, beginning of year | shares	2,016
Exercised | shares	0
Expired | shares	0
Outstanding, end of year | shares	2,016
Exercisable, end of year | shares	2,016
Weighted Average Exercise price
Outstanding, beginning of year | $ / shares	$ 18
Exercised | $ / shares	18
Expired | $ / shares	18
Outstanding, end of year | $ / shares	18
Exercisable at December 31, 2015 | $ / shares	$ 18
Weighted Average remaining contractual term
Outstanding, end of year	6 years 1 month 6 days
Exercisable at December 31, 2015	6 years 1 month 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding, end of year | $	$ 0
Exercisable at December 31, 2015 | $	$ 0

Share-Based and Other Compens57

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans - Time Based Restricted Stock Units Activity (Detail) - Time Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member] - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Number of units
Outstanding, beginning of year	3,350
Granted	716
Vested	808
Forfeited	378
Outstanding, end of year	2,880	3,350
Weighted Average grant date fair value
Outstanding, beginning of year	$ 17.73
Granted	11.64	$ 17.45	$ 20.13
Vested	18.35
Forfeited	16.37
Outstanding, end of year	$ 16.13	$ 17.73
Weighted Average remaining contractual term
Outstanding, end of year	1 year 8 months 12 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding, end of year	$ 12

Share-Based and Other Compens58

Share-Based and Other Compensation Plans - Performance Based Restricted Stock Units (Detail) - Performance Based Restricted Stock Units RSU [Member] - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Number of units
Outstanding, beginning of year	914
Granted	483
Forfeited	202
Outstanding, end of year	1,195	914
Weighted Average grant date fair value
Outstanding, beginning of year	$ 21.76
Granted	8.97	$ 21.48	$ 21.96
Forfeited	16.48
Outstanding, end of year	$ 17.48	$ 21.76
Weighted Average remaining contractual term
Outstanding, end of year	1 year 1 month 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding, end of year	$ 5

Fair Value Measurements - Sched

Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Marketable securities, fair value	$ 5,486	$ 5,950
Assets, fair value	5,486	5,950
Liabilities
Undesignated interest rate swaps, fair value	2,013	26,109
Liabilities, fair value	2,013	26,109
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Assets
Marketable securities, fair value	5,486	5,950
Assets, fair value	5,486	5,950
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Liabilities
Undesignated interest rate swaps, fair value	2,013	26,109
Liabilities, fair value	$ 2,013	$ 26,109

Fair Value Measurements - Sch60

Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Sale of marketable securities	$ 0.7
Gain on sale of available-for-sale marketable securities	0.4
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Available-for-sale marketable securities	$ 5.3	$ 5.4

Retirement Plans and Other Re61

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)Bonds	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Curtailment, decrease in pension liability and actuarial loss	$ 10,300,000
Average remaining life expectancy of plan participants	20 years
Amendment description of plan		In the first quarter of 2015, we amended the defined benefit retirement plan to cease the accrual of additional benefits for the remaining active participants effective March 31, 2015, resulting in a curtailment of $10.3 million that decreased both the pension liability and the actuarial loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. As a result of the curtailment, all of the plan’s participants are now considered inactive. Accordingly, all amounts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss are being recognized as an increase to net periodic benefit cost over the average remaining life expectancy of plan participants, which is approximately 20 years, beginning in the second quarter of 2015. Also, as a result of the plan amendment, we recognized in our condensed consolidated statements of income $0.6 million of prior service credits that were previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss.
Effect on prior service credits by plan amendment	$ 600,000
Target allocation		100.00%	100.00%
Assumed health care cost trend rate		7.50%	7.50%
Assumed decrease in health care cost trend rate		4.50%
Effect of one percent increase in health care cost trend rate on other postretirement benefit obligation		$ 9,700,000
Effect of one percent decrease in health care cost trend rate on other postretirement benefit obligation		8,200,000
Effect of one percent increase in health care cost trend rate on service and interest cost components		500,000
Effect of one percent decrease in health care cost trend rate on service and interest cost components		400,000
Recognized compensation expense		$ 6,800,000	$ 9,200,000	$ 5,400,000
Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		49.00%	47.00%
Equity Securities [Member] | U S Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		33.00%
Equity Securities [Member] | Non-U.S. Equities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		16.00%
Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		36.00%	38.00%
Other Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		15.00%	15.00%
Other Securities [Member] | Hedge Fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		5.00%
Other Securities [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation		10.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Short Duration Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of investments | Bonds		2
Defined Pension Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contributions to defined benefit retirement plan		$ 16,435,000	$ 25,873,000
Estimated contributions to plan in next fiscal year		0
Accrued benefit costs		(109,004,000)	(151,593,000)
Accrued benefit costs included in other current liabilities		600,000	600,000
Accrued benefit costs included in other long-term liabilities		108,400,000	151,000,000
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contributions to defined benefit retirement plan		2,998,000	3,385,000
Estimated contributions to plan in next fiscal year		4,300,000
Accrued benefit costs		(90,583,000)	(116,086,000)
Accrued benefit costs included in other current liabilities		4,300,000	5,200,000
Accrued benefit costs included in other long-term liabilities		$ 86,300,000	$ 110,900,000

Retirement Plans and Other Re62

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Prior Service Credits and Actuarial Losses Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss to Net Periodic Pension Benefit Costs, Net of Tax (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of prior service credits reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	$ (248)	$ (109)	$ (107)
Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	5,244	6,510	12,320
Realized (gain) loss on investments	(340)	(390)	123
Direct Costs of Revenue Excluding Depreciation and Amortization [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of prior service credits reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	(141)	(68)	(63)
Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	3,196	4,070	7,302
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Amortization of prior service credits reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	(107)	(41)	(44)
Amortization of actuarial loss reclassified from other comprehensive loss to net periodic pension benefit costs	2,048	2,440	5,018
Other Expense, Net [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Realized (gain) loss on investments	$ (340)	$ (390)	$ 123

Retirement Plans and Other Re63

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Change in plan assets
Plan assets at beginning of period	$ 339,525
Plan assets at fair value at end of period	326,458	$ 339,525
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss recognized in net periodic benefit cost
Actuarial loss, net of tax	(5,244)	(6,510)	$ (12,320)
Prior service credits, net of tax	248	109	107
Defined Pension Benefit Plans [Member]
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of period	491,118	427,909
Service cost	780	2,854	3,318
Interest cost	18,734	19,904	18,244
Plan curtailments	(10,314)
Special termination benefits		48
Benefits paid	(30,204)	(24,842)
Actuarial (gain) loss	(34,652)	65,245
Benefit obligation at end of period	435,462	491,118	427,909
Change in plan assets
Plan assets at beginning of period	339,525	322,176
Employer contributions	16,435	25,873
Actual return on plan assets	607	16,318
Benefits paid	(30,204)	(24,842)
Plan assets at fair value at end of period	326,458	339,525	322,176
Accrued benefit costs and funded status of the plans	(109,004)	(151,593)
Accumulated benefit obligation	$ 435,462	$ 480,906
Weighted average assumptions used to determine accumulated benefit obligation and accrued benefit costs
Discount rate	4.53%	4.01%
Salary rate		3.25%
Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs
Discount rate	4.01%	4.83%
Expected rate of return on plan assets	7.80%	7.80%
Rate of compensation increase	3.25%	3.25%
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss recognized in net periodic benefit cost
Actuarial loss, net of tax	$ 4,883	$ 6,510
Prior service credits, net of tax	(383)	(109)
Total	4,500	6,401
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss not yet recognized in net periodic benefit cost
Actuarial loss, net of tax	84,866	101,829
Prior service credits, net of tax	(348)	(391)
Total	84,518	101,438
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost in the subsequent year
Actuarial loss	(3,370)	(18,018)
Prior service credits		172
Total	(3,370)	(17,846)
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of period	116,086	95,315
Service cost	70	128	293
Interest cost	4,592	4,562	4,295
Employee contributions	403	356
Plan amendments	(202)		(797)
Benefits paid	(3,401)	(3,741)
Actuarial (gain) loss	(26,965)	19,466
Benefit obligation at end of period	90,583	116,086	$ 95,315
Change in plan assets
Employer contributions	2,998	3,385
Employee contributions	403	356
Benefits paid	(3,401)	(3,741)
Accrued benefit costs and funded status of the plans	$ (90,583)	$ (116,086)
Weighted average assumptions used to determine accumulated benefit obligation and accrued benefit costs
Discount rate	4.50%	4.04%
Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs
Discount rate	4.04%	4.90%
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss recognized in net periodic benefit cost
Actuarial loss, net of tax	$ 361
Prior service credits, net of tax	135
Total	496
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss not yet recognized in net periodic benefit cost
Actuarial loss, net of tax	(4,320)	$ 13,221
Total	(4,320)	13,221
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost in the subsequent year
Actuarial loss		(596)
Prior service credits	8
Total	$ 8	$ (596)

Retirement Plans and Other Re64

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Target and Actual Asset Allocation of Pension Plan Assets (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation	100.00%	100.00%
Actual allocation	100.00%	100.00%
Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation	49.00%	47.00%
Actual allocation	49.00%	49.00%
Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation	36.00%	38.00%
Actual allocation	34.00%	36.00%
Other Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation	15.00%	15.00%
Actual allocation	17.00%	15.00%

Retirement Plans and Other Re65

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Fair Values of Pension Plan Assets by Asset Category (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	$ 326,458	$ 339,525
Short Duration Bonds [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	91,897	63,544
U.S. Large-Cap [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	87,383	89,593
U.S. Small/Mid-Cap [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	22,121	25,133
World Equity Ex-US [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	51,720	52,432
High Yield Bonds [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	13,638	14,133
Emerging Market Fixed income (Non-US) [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	4,463	10,041
Core Fixed Income [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets		32,502
Hedge Fund [Member] | Other Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	15,913	17,719
Core Property Fund [Member] | Other Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	39,176	34,236
Money Market Funds [Member] | Other Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets		14
Income Earned but not yet Received [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets	$ 147	$ 178

Retirement Plans and Other Re66

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Fair Values of Pension Plan Assets by Asset Category (Parenthetical) (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected investment of net assets in investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated debt instruments	100.00%	100.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Short Duration Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected investment of net assets in investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated debt instruments	80.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Short Duration Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Securities or fund's average portfolio maturity period	2 years
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Limited Duration Bond Fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Securities or fund's average portfolio maturity period	3 years
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Short Duration Bonds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Securities or fund's average portfolio maturity period	0 years

Retirement Plans and Other Re67

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Pension Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	$ 780	$ 2,854	$ 3,318
Interest cost	18,734	19,904	18,244
Expected return on plan assets	(25,926)	(24,130)	(21,263)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service credits	(43)	(172)	(172)
Amortization of unrecognized net loss	7,911	10,319	19,423
Curtailment (gain) loss	(564)
Special termination benefit recognized		48
Total benefit	892	8,823	19,550
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	70	128	293
Interest cost	4,592	4,562	4,295
Plan amendment	202		797
Amortization of unrecognized net loss	596		362
Total benefit	$ 5,258	$ 4,690	$ 5,747

Retirement Plans and Other Re68

Retirement Plans and Other Retiree Benefits - Benefits Expected to be Paid Next Five Years (Detail) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Defined Pension Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
2,016	$ 34,395
2,017	29,816
2,018	28,052
2,019	27,374
2,020	28,938
2021 to 2025	138,404
Total	286,979
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
2,016	4,277
2,017	4,647
2,018	4,948
2,019	5,235
2,020	5,498
2021 to 2025	29,970
Total	$ 54,575

Receivables - Summary of Receiv

Receivables - Summary of Receivables (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ (37,178)	$ (35,174)
Total	232,775	220,458
Services [Member] | Billed [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, gross	258,034	245,022
Services [Member] | Unbilled [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, gross	9,658	7,493
Other [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, gross	$ 2,261	$ 3,117

Satellites and Other Property70

Satellites and Other Property and Equipment - Schedule of Satellites and Other Property and Equipment, Net (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Satellites and other property and equipment, cost	$ 10,693,955	$ 9,973,711
Less: accumulated depreciation	(4,705,638)	(4,093,447)
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	5,988,317	5,880,264
Satellites And Launch Vehicles [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Satellites and other property and equipment, cost	9,810,941	9,154,751
Information Systems And Ground Segment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Satellites and other property and equipment, cost	641,741	582,115
Buildings and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Satellites and other property and equipment, cost	$ 241,273	$ 236,845

Satellites and Other Property71

Satellites and Other Property and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Feb. 01, 2013
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Construction-in-progress	$ 1,500,000	$ 1,100,000
Capitalized interest	86,300	70,900
Depreciation expense	627,500	611,100	$ 654,300
Insurance proceeds received			487,930
Gain On Satellite Insurance Recoveries			9,618
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	$ 5,988,317	$ 5,880,264
Solar Array Anomaly [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Insurance proceeds from Partial loss Claim			84,800
Recent Satellite Launches [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Insurance proceeds received			406,200
Gain On Satellite Insurance Recoveries			9,600
Satellites and other property and equipment, net				$ 396,600
Recent Satellite Launches [Member] | Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 11.25% Senior Notes due February 2017 [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Debt amount repurchased, redeemed or prepaid			$ 366,400

Investments - Additional Inform

Investments - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Nov. 04, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Total assets		$ 12,253,590	$ 16,326,434
Percentage of revenue to JSAT		50.00%
Guarantee expenses paid, net of fees and commissions		$ 13,900
OneWeb [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Cost method investments		25,000
Horizons Satellite Holdings [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Total assets		58,700	67,500
Total liabilities		300	100
Revenue share, net of applicable fees and commissions		$ 6,600	$ 5,700
Horizons-3 Satellite LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of revenue to JSAT	50.00%
Management authority and equal rights to profits and revenues	50.00%
Capital contribution in percent		50.00%
Payments for advance to affiliate		$ 19,100
Horizons-3 Satellite LLC [Member] | Other Assets [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investments		$ 19,100

Investments - Changes in Equity

Investments - Changes in Equity Attributable to Intelsat and Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				$ (742,567)				$ (934,667)	$ (742,567)	$ (934,667)
Net income	$ (4,115,321)	$ 78,967	$ 61,236	55,665	$ 17,220	$ 68,620	$ 67,771	82,896	(3,919,453)	236,506	$ (251,993)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests									(8,423)	(8,744)
Share-based compensation									25,921	26,389
Declaration of preferred stock dividend									(9,919)	(9,917)
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment									34,449	(52,002)
Other comprehensive income									(361)	(132)
Ending Balance	(4,620,353)				(742,567)				(4,620,353)	(742,567)	(934,667)
Intelsat S.A. Shareholders' Deficit [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				(776,268)				(975,353)	(776,268)	(975,353)
Net income									(3,923,387)	232,532
Acquisition of remaining interests in WP Com										2,215
Share-based compensation									25,921	26,389	28,553
Declaration of preferred stock dividend									(9,919)	(9,917)	(10,196)
Postretirement/pension liability adjustment									34,449	(52,002)
Other comprehensive income									(361)	(132)
Ending Balance	(4,649,565)				(776,268)				(4,649,565)	(776,268)	(975,353)
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Beginning Balance				$ 33,701				$ 40,686	33,701	40,686
Net income									3,934	3,974
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests									(8,423)	(8,744)	(8,671)
Acquisition of remaining interests in WP Com										(2,215)
Ending Balance	$ 29,212				$ 33,701				$ 29,212	$ 33,701	$ 40,686

Goodwill and Other Intangible74

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Schedule of Carrying Amounts of Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets not Subject to Amortization (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 2,620,627	$ 6,780,827
Intangible Assets	2,452,900	2,458,100
Orbital Locations [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible Assets	2,387,700	2,387,700
Trade Name [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible Assets	$ 65,200	$ 70,400

Goodwill and Other Intangible75

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)Segment	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Number of operating segments for impairment analysis | Segment		1
Goodwill impairment charges		$ 4,200,000,000
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles	$ 4,200,000,000	4,165,400,000
Amortization expense		60,200,000	$ 68,200,000	$ 82,300,000
Orbital Locations [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Impairment of indefinite lived intangible assets	$ 0
Trade Name [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles		$ 5,200,000

Goodwill and Other Intangible76

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Schedule of Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Acquired Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 1,277,790	$ 1,277,790
Accumulated Amortization	(837,460)	(777,245)
Net Carrying Amount	440,330	500,545
Backlog and Other [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	743,760	743,760
Accumulated Amortization	(647,534)	(615,285)
Net Carrying Amount	96,226	128,475
Customer Relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	534,030	534,030
Accumulated Amortization	(189,926)	(161,960)
Net Carrying Amount	$ 344,104	$ 372,070

Goodwill and Other Intangible77

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Scheduled Amortization Charges for Intangible Assets (Detail) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
2,016	$ 48,491
2,017	42,254
2,018	38,481
2,019	34,351
2,020	$ 31,103

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Ca

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Carrying Values and Fair Values of Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Apr. 26, 2012	Apr. 05, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	$ 14,611,379	$ 14,668,221
Current portion of long-term debt		49,000
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(121,700)	(142,900)
Total long-term debt, excluding current portion	14,611,379	14,619,221
Long-term debt, Fair Value	11,331,337	15,057,196
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	3,442,462	3,462,756
Total long-term debt, excluding current portion	3,442,462	3,462,756
Long-term debt, Fair Value	1,735,063	3,529,400
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	475,000	500,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	355,063	509,400
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(2,066)	(2,972)
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	2,000,000	2,000,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	930,000	2,005,000
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	0	0
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(19,602)	(22,385)
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	1,000,000	1,000,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	450,000	1,015,000
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(10,870)	(11,887)
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	11,168,917	11,205,465		$ 2,650,000
Current portion of long-term debt		49,000
Total long-term debt, excluding current portion	11,168,917	11,156,465
Long-term debt, Fair Value	9,596,274	11,527,796
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | Jackson Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and discount on Senior Credit Facilities and Jackson Revolver	0	0
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	2,200,000	2,200,000	$ 1,200,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	1,919,500	2,318,360
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium	(8,248)	(9,635)
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due April 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	1,500,000	1,500,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	1,368,750	1,563,750
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due April 2019 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(8,203)	(10,355)
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	1,150,000	1,150,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	1,000,500	1,227,625
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(8,137)	(9,350)
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 6.625 % Senior Notes due December 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	1,275,000	1,275,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	803,250	1,313,250
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 6.625 % Senior Notes due December 2022 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium	20,428	22,694
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 5.5% Senior Notes due August 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	2,000,000	2,000,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	1,560,000	1,980,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 5.5% Senior Notes due August 2023 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs	(16,719)	(18,439)
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | Senior Secured Credit Facilities Due June 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	3,095,000	3,095,000
Long-term debt, Fair Value	2,944,274	3,075,811
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | Senior Secured Credit Facilities Due June 2019 [Member] | Jackson Revolver [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value		49,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | Senior Secured Credit Facilities Due June 2019 [Member] | Jackson Revolver [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Fair Value		49,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | Senior Secured Credit Facilities Due June 2019 [Member] | Jackson Revolver [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized prepaid debt issuance costs and premium	$ (30,204)	$ (38,450)

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of 79

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Carrying Values and Fair Values of Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 [Member] | Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2018-06	2018-06
Senior Notes, Interest rate	6.75%	6.75%
7.75% Senior Notes due June 2021 [Member] | Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2021-06	2021-06
Senior Notes, Interest rate	7.75%	7.75%
8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 [Member] | Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2023-06	2023-06
Senior Notes, Interest rate	8.125%	8.125%
7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2020-10	2020-10
Senior Notes, Interest rate	7.25%	7.25%
7.25% Senior Notes due April 2019 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2019-04	2019-04
Senior Notes, Interest rate	7.25%	7.25%
7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2021-04	2021-04
Senior Notes, Interest rate	7.50%	7.50%
6.625 % Senior Notes due December 2022 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2022-12	2022-12
Senior Notes, Interest rate	6.625%	6.625%
5.5% Senior Notes due August 2023 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2023-08	2023-08
Senior Notes, Interest rate	5.50%	5.50%
Senior Secured Credit Facilities Due June 2019 [Member] | Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Maturity date	2019-06	2019-06

Long-Term Debt - Additional Inf

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail)	Nov. 01, 2014USD ($)	Nov. 27, 2013USD ($)	Jan. 12, 2011USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)Convenant	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)Convenant	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)	Apr. 26, 2012USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2011USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Reduction in long term debt, net of current portion					$ 121,700,000	$ 142,900,000	$ 121,700,000	$ 142,900,000
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt						(40,400,000)	7,061,000	(40,423,000)	$ (368,089,000)
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					14,611,379,000	14,668,221,000	14,611,379,000	14,668,221,000
Long-term debt, Aggregate principal outstanding					$ 14,695,000,000		$ 14,695,000,000
Number of financial covenants | Convenant					2		2
Intelsat Jackson Revolving Credit New Tranche [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments variable interest rate spread		2.75%
Intelsat Jackson Revolving Credit New Tranche [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments variable interest rate spread		1.00%
Intelsat Jackson Revolving Credit New Tranche [Member] | ABR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instruments variable interest rate spread		1.75%
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Availability remaining under revolving credit facility					$ 488,700,000		$ 488,700,000
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable interest rates, Minimum				3.00%
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | ABR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable interest rates, Minimum				2.00%
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan facility			$ 3,250,000,000
Quarterly payment percentage			0.25%
Debt, maturity date		Jun. 30, 2019
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility			$ 500,000,000
Maximum available of revolving credit facility					350,000,000		$ 350,000,000
Unused commitment fee percentage							0.375%
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Intelsat Jackson Revolving Credit New Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility		$ 450,000,000
Debt, maturity date		Jul. 12, 2017
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Intelsat Jackson Revolving Credit Tranche [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility		$ 50,000,000
Senior Secured Credit Facility [Member] | Swingline Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum available of revolving credit facility					70,000,000		$ 70,000,000
Financial Covenants [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated secured debt to consolidated EBITDA ratio							1.58
Consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense							2.59
Financial Covenants [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated secured debt to consolidated EBITDA ratio							3.50
Consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense							1.75
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt							$ 7,061,000		(341,351,000)
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					3,442,462,000	$ 3,462,756,000	$ 3,442,462,000	$ 3,462,756,000
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 6.75% Senior Notes due June 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount repurchased, redeemed or prepaid					25,000,000
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt					$ 7,100,000
Senior Notes, Interest rate					6.75%	6.75%	6.75%	6.75%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2018-06	2018-06
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 475,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 475,000,000	$ 500,000,000
Long-term debt, Aggregate principal outstanding					$ 500,000,000		$ 500,000,000
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on June 1 and December 1.
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					7.75%		7.75%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2021-06
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 2,000,000,000		$ 2,000,000,000
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on June 1 and December 1.
Early redemption price equal to percentage of principal amount of notes							100.00%
Early redemption price equal to percentage of aggregate principal amount of notes from equity offerings							40.00%
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member] | 8.125% Senior Notes due June 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					8.125%	8.125%	8.125%	8.125%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2023-06	2023-06
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on June 1 and December 1.
Early redemption price equal to percentage of principal amount of notes							100.00%
Early redemption price equal to percentage of aggregate principal amount of notes from equity offerings							40.00%
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt								(40,423,000)	$ (2,553,000)
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 11,168,917,000	$ 11,205,465,000	$ 11,168,917,000	$ 11,205,465,000			$ 2,650,000,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | New Jackson Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on April 1 and October 1.
Early redemption price equal to percentage of principal amount of notes							100.00%
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 5 1/2% Senior Notes due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					5.50%		5.50%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2023-08
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 2,000,000,000		$ 2,000,000,000
Early redemption price equal to percentage of principal amount of notes							100.00%
Early redemption price equal to percentage of aggregate principal amount of notes from equity offerings							40.00%
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					7.25%	7.25%	7.25%	7.25%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2020-10	2020-10
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 2,200,000,000	$ 2,200,000,000	$ 2,200,000,000	$ 2,200,000,000		$ 1,200,000,000
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on April 15 and October 15.
Aggregate principal amount of senior notes					$ 2,200,000,000		$ 2,200,000,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					7.25%		7.25%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2019-04
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 1,500,000,000		$ 1,500,000,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					7.50%	7.50%	7.50%	7.50%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2021-04	2021-04
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 1,150,000,000	$ 1,150,000,000	$ 1,150,000,000	$ 1,150,000,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 8.5% Senior Notes due November 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount repurchased, redeemed or prepaid	$ 500,000,000
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt						$ (40,400,000)
Senior Notes, Interest rate	8.50%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2019-11
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 6.625 % Senior Notes due December 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes, Interest rate					6.625%	6.625%	6.625%	6.625%
Senior Notes, Maturity date							2022-12	2022-12
Long-term debt, Carrying Value					$ 1,275,000,000	$ 1,275,000,000	$ 1,275,000,000	$ 1,275,000,000
Interest payment dates							Semi-annually on June 15 and December 15.
Early redemption price equal to percentage of principal amount of notes							100.00%
Aggregate principal amount of senior notes					$ 1,300,000,000		$ 1,300,000,000

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Pr

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Principal Repayments of Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
2,016	$ 0
2,017	0
2,018	475,000
2,019	4,595,000
2,020	2,200,000
2021 and thereafter	7,425,000
Total principal repayments	14,695,000
Unamortized discounts, premium and prepaid issuance costs	(83,621)
Total Intelsat S.A. long-term debt	$ 14,611,379	$ 14,668,221

Derivative Instruments and He82

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 15, 2015	Dec. 14, 2015
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Credit valuation adjustment	$ 0
Interest Rate Swap Maturing January 2016 [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Aggregate notional amount	$ 1,600,000,000
Derivative maturity date	January 2,016
Floating rate of interest basis, description	Three-month LIBOR
Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Interest rate utilized to compute interest		0.41%
Interest rate paid, averaged percentage			1.97%
Interest rate received, averaged percentage			0.34%

Derivative Instruments and He83

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Schedule of Fair Value of Derivatives by Category (Detail) - Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value	$ 2,013	$ 26,109
Other Current Liabilities [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value	$ 2,013	1,321
Other Long-term Liabilities [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value		$ 24,788

Derivative Instruments and He84

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Schedule of Effect of Derivative Instruments, Included in Interest Expense, Net in Consolidated Statements of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Included in Interest Expense, Net [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Undesignated interest rate swaps	$ 3,483	$ 5,649	$ 8,064

Income Taxes - Summary of Total

Income Taxes - Summary of Total Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Provision For Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes	$ (3,917,940)	$ 259,477	$ (282,830)
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Provision For Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes	(3,966,322)	199,682	(356,019)
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Provision For Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes	$ 48,382	$ 59,795	$ 73,189

Income Taxes - Provision for (B

Income Taxes - Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current income tax provision
Domestic		$ 2,306	$ 856
Foreign	$ 10,817	33,311	33,654
Total	10,817	35,617	34,510
Deferred income tax benefit:
Foreign	(9,304)	(12,646)	(65,347)
Total	(9,348)	(12,646)	(65,347)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	$ 1,513	$ 22,971	$ (30,837)

Income Taxes - Additional Infor

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset attributable to net operating loss carryforwards	$ (2,232,359,000)	$ (1,343,444,000)
Deferred tax assets attributable to tax credit carryforwards	36,656,000	58,643,000
Net operating loss carryforwards with expiration	59,500,000
Net operating loss carryforwards without expiration	2,200,000,000
Alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards	17,800,000
Foreign tax credit carryforward	20,400,000
Research and development credit carryforward	8,100,000
Valuation allowance amount	(2,861,011,000)	(1,397,237,000)
Gross unrecognized tax benefits	40,248,000	67,135,000	$ 65,111,000
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	29,600,000	45,600,000
Reserves for interest and penalties	5,000,000	17,300,000
Increase in prior period tax position	1,000,000
Increase related to current tax position	3,200,000
Decrease due to the settlement of an audit	1,100,000
Decrease due to the expiration of statute of limitations for assessment of taxes	30,018,000	2,971,000
Base tax amount for indemnification calculation per tax separation agreement	75,000,000
Maximum tax exposure related to periods prior to recapitalization per tax separation agreement	15,000,000
Taxes paid related to periods prior to recapitalization	4,000,000
Tax indemnification receivable		1,500,000
Future Benefit [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets attributable to tax credit carryforwards	$ 46,300,000	$ 67,900,000
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Enacted tax rate	29.22%
Minimum [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforward expiry Date	2,020
Tax Indemnification Percentage	80.00%
Minimum [Member] | Research and Development Tax Credit Carryforward [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforward expiry Date	2,030
Maximum [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforward expiry Date	2,035
Tax Indemnification Percentage	100.00%
Maximum [Member] | Research and Development Tax Credit Carryforward [Member]
Income Tax [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforward expiry Date	2,035

Income Taxes - Income Tax Provi

Income Taxes - Income Tax Provision (Benefit) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Expected tax provision (benefit) at Luxembourg statutory income tax rate	$ (1,144,822)	$ 75,819	$ (82,643)
Foreign income tax differential	42,339	40,099	35,511
Nontaxable interest income	(67,651)	(53,361)	(93,154)
Tax deductible impairment charge in Luxembourg subsidiaries	(854,393)
Goodwill impairment	599,974
Changes in unrecognized tax benefits	(15,465)	1,229	(3,997)
Changes in valuation allowance	1,463,774	(24,147)	171,433
Tax effect of 2011 intercompany sale	(6,112)	(6,740)	(6,865)
Foreign tax credits	(2,171)	(2,147)	(44,137)
Research and development tax credits	(2,103)	(5,564)	(5,890)
Other	(11,857)	(2,217)	(1,095)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	$ 1,513	$ 22,971	$ (30,837)

Income Taxes - Components of Ne

Income Taxes - Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Current deferred taxes, net		$ 76,315
Long-term deferred taxes, net	$ (160,802)	(211,680)
Other assets	12,203	9,157
Deferred tax assets:
Accruals and advances	26,672	27,586
Amortizable intangible assets	739,058	74,062
Performance incentives	17,596	22,308
Customer deposits	17,771	55,573
Bad debt reserve	3,607	3,081
Accrued retirement benefits	72,520	92,320
Interest rate swap		295
Satellites and other property and equipment		11,348
Disallowed interest expense carryforward	111,038	108,446
Net operating loss carryforward	2,232,359	1,343,444
Tax credits	36,656	58,643
Other	14,646	15,576
Total deferred tax assets	3,271,923	1,812,682
Deferred tax liabilities:
Satellites and other property and equipment	(172,574)	(32,811)
Amortizable intangible assets	(30,788)	(58,789)
Non-amortizable intangible assets	(116,526)	(223,878)
Tax basis differences in investments and affiliates	(218,583)	(219,049)
Other	(21,040)	(7,126)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(559,511)	(541,653)
Valuation allowance	(2,861,011)	(1,397,237)
Total net deferred tax liabilities	$ (148,599)	$ (126,208)

Income Taxes - Summary of Activ

Income Taxes - Summary of Activity Related to Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Balance at January 1	$ 67,135	$ 65,111
Increases related to current year tax positions	3,237	2,366
Increases related to prior year tax positions	962	2,629
Decreases related to prior year tax positions	(1,068)
Expiration of statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes	(30,018)	(2,971)
Balance at December 31	$ 40,248	$ 67,135

Contractual Commitments - Addit

Contractual Commitments - Additional Expenditures and Expected Year of Payment (Detail) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	$ 620,971
2,017	466,693
2,018	276,147
2,019	153,396
2,020	81,990
2021 and thereafter	388,847
Total contractual commitments	1,988,044
Satellite Construction and Launch Obligations [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	455,997
2,017	369,432
2,018	164,222
2,019	83,777
2,020	31,536
2021 and thereafter	136,478
Total contractual commitments	1,241,442
Satellite Performance Incentive Obligations [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	35,321
2,017	30,170
2,018	25,899
2,019	24,020
2,020	23,947
2021 and thereafter	133,091
Total contractual commitments	272,448
Horizons-3 Satellite LLC Contribution Obligations [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	14,000
2,017	21,700
2,018	36,400
Total contractual commitments	72,100
Operating Leases [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	15,057
2,017	13,868
2,018	13,451
2,019	13,370
2,020	12,825
2021 and thereafter	119,183
Total contractual commitments	187,754
Sublease Rental Income [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	(580)
2,017	(62)
2,018	(46)
2,019	(48)
2,020	(37)
2021 and thereafter	(181)
Total contractual commitments	(954)
Customer and Vendor Contracts [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
2,016	101,176
2,017	31,585
2,018	36,221
2,019	32,277
2,020	13,719
2021 and thereafter	276
Total contractual commitments	$ 215,254

Contractual Commitments - Add92

Contractual Commitments - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual commitments	$ 1,988,044
Total obligation related to operating leases	186,800
Total rental expense	14,900	$ 13,000	$ 13,100
Satellite Construction and Launch Obligations [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual commitments	1,241,442
Satellite Performance Incentive Obligations [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual commitments	272,448
Customer and Vendor Contracts [Member]
Contractual Commitments [Line Items]
Contractual commitments	$ 215,254

Business and Geographic Segme93

Business and Geographic Segment Information - Schedule of Geographic Distribution of Revenue (Detail) - Revenues [Member] - Geographic Concentration Risk [Member]	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
North America [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	47.00%	45.00%	45.00%
Europe [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	15.00%	17.00%	16.00%
Latin America and Caribbean [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	15.00%	16.00%	16.00%
Africa and Middle East [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	14.00%	14.00%	15.00%
Asia Pacific [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	9.00%	8.00%	8.00%

Business and Geographic Segme94

Business and Geographic Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail) - Customer	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of major customers	10
Revenues [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	7.00%	4.00%	4.00%
Largest customers accounted revenue in percentage	29.00%	26.00%	25.00%

Business and Geographic Segme95

Business and Geographic Segment Information - Schedule of Off-Network and On-Network Revenues (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 571,259	$ 580,847	$ 598,109	$ 602,306	$ 619,122	$ 608,625	$ 615,749	$ 628,890	$ 2,352,521	$ 2,472,386	$ 2,603,623
On-Network Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									2,149,770	2,253,396	2,356,441
On-Network Revenues [Member] | Transponder, MSS and Other Off-Network Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,705,568	1,779,458	1,873,192
On-Network Revenues [Member] | Managed Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									405,330	415,269	411,126
On-Network Revenues [Member] | Channel [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									38,872	58,669	72,123
Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									202,751	218,990	247,182
Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member] | Transponder, MSS and Other Off-Network Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									160,063	171,637	201,282
Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member] | Satellite-Related Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									$ 42,688	$ 47,353	$ 45,900
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | On-Network Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									91.00%	91.00%	91.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | On-Network Revenues [Member] | Transponder, MSS and Other Off-Network Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									73.00%	72.00%	72.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | On-Network Revenues [Member] | Managed Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									17.00%	17.00%	16.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | On-Network Revenues [Member] | Channel [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									2.00%	2.00%	3.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									9.00%	9.00%	9.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member] | Transponder, MSS and Other Off-Network Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									7.00%	7.00%	8.00%
Revenues [Member] | Service Concentration Risk [Member] | Off-Network and Other Revenues [Member] | Satellite-Related Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage									2.00%	2.00%	2.00%

Related Party Transactions - Ad

Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013
Horizons Satellite Holdings [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Equity method investment,ownership percentage	50.00%
2008 MFA [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fee paid for termination		$ 39.1
Write-off of prepaid fee		17.2
Expenses recorded for services		$ 64.2
Horizons-3 Satellite LLC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Equity method investment,ownership percentage	50.00%

Quarterly Results of Operatio97

Quarterly Results of Operations (unaudited) - Quarterly Results of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 571,259	$ 580,847	$ 598,109	$ 602,306	$ 619,122	$ 608,625	$ 615,749	$ 628,890	$ 2,352,521	$ 2,472,386	$ 2,603,623
Income (loss) from operations	(3,897,122)	284,999	290,842	292,762	292,707	310,811	315,060	328,700	(3,028,521)	1,247,280	1,212,438
Net income	(4,115,321)	78,967	61,236	55,665	17,220	68,620	67,771	82,896	(3,919,453)	236,506	(251,993)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.	(4,116,306)	77,982	60,220	54,717	16,194	67,624	66,768	81,946	(3,923,387)	232,532	(255,680)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (4,116,306)	$ 77,982	$ 50,301	$ 54,717	$ 16,194	$ 67,624	$ 56,851	$ 81,946	$ (3,933,306)	$ 222,615	$ (265,876)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Intelsat S.A.:
Basic	$ (38.29)	$ 0.73	$ 0.47	$ 0.51	$ 0.15	$ 0.63	$ 0.53	$ 0.77	$ (36.68)	$ 2.09	$ (2.70)
Diluted	$ (38.29)	$ 0.66	$ 0.47	$ 0.47	$ 0.14	$ 0.58	$ 0.53	$ 0.70	$ (36.68)	$ 1.99	$ (2.70)

Quarterly Results of Operatio98

Quarterly Results of Operations (unaudited) - Quarterly Results of Operations (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt		$ 40,400	$ (7,061)	$ 40,423	$ 368,089
Payment for development costs		$ 5,000
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles	$ 4,200,000		$ 4,165,400

Supplemental Consolidating Fi99

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 26, 2012	Apr. 05, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	$ 14,611,379	$ 14,668,221
Other comprehensive income (loss)	34,088	(52,134)	$ 58,035
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	11,168,917	11,205,465			$ 2,650,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	34,100	(52,100)	$ 58,000
Intelsat Jackson [Member] | 7.25% Senior Notes due October 2020 [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, Carrying Value	$ 2,200,000	$ 2,200,000		$ 1,200,000

Supplemental Consolidating F100

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 171,541	$ 123,147	$ 247,790	$ 187,485
Receivables, net of allowance	232,775	220,458
Deferred income taxes		76,315
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,784	35,945
Total current assets	440,100	455,865
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	5,988,317	5,880,264
Goodwill	2,620,627	6,780,827
Non-amortizable intangible assets	2,452,900	2,458,100
Amortizable intangible assets, net	440,330	500,545
Other assets	311,316	250,833
Total assets	12,253,590	16,326,434
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	211,484	205,582
Accrued interest payable	161,493	161,495
Current portion of long-term debt		49,000
Deferred satellite performance incentives	19,411	20,957
Other current liabilities	172,054	190,030
Total current liabilities	564,442	627,064
Long-term debt, net of current portion	14,611,379	14,619,221
Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion	162,177	163,360
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	1,010,242	967,318
Deferred income taxes	160,802	211,680
Accrued retirement benefits	195,385	262,906
Other long-term liabilities	169,516	217,452
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	1,076	1,067
Preferred shares	35	35
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	(4,621,464)	(743,669)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	12,253,590	16,326,434
Intelsat S.A. and Other Parent Guarantors [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	16,941	6,229	3,792	81
Receivables, net of allowance		12
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	919	940
Total current assets	17,860	7,181
Investment in affiliates	(4,120,570)	(270,172)
Other assets	87	88
Total assets	(4,102,623)	(262,903)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	28,622	28,818
Intercompany payables	489,108	450,846
Total current liabilities	517,730	479,664
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	1,076	1,067
Preferred shares	35	35
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	(4,621,464)	(743,669)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	(4,102,623)	(262,903)
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	760	1,068	139	91
Intercompany receivables	116,396	134,093
Total current assets	117,156	135,161
Investment in affiliates	(769,452)	3,084,655
Other assets		1
Total assets	(652,296)	3,219,817
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	10
Accrued interest payable	22,360	22,500
Total current liabilities	22,370	22,500
Long-term debt, net of current portion	3,442,462	3,462,756
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	7,202	7,202
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	(4,124,330)	(272,641)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	(652,296)	3,219,817
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	109,959	63,633	193,090	133,379
Receivables, net of allowance	173,869	167,621
Deferred income taxes		74,466
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	28,633	27,938
Intercompany receivables	49,539	356,680
Total current assets	362,000	690,338
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	5,897,103	5,761,839
Goodwill	2,620,627	6,780,827
Non-amortizable intangible assets	2,452,900	2,458,100
Amortizable intangible assets, net	440,330	500,545
Investment in affiliates	139,983	141,594
Other assets	278,771	240,844
Total assets	12,191,714	16,574,087
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	154,247	154,445
Accrued interest payable	139,133	138,971
Current portion of long-term debt		49,000
Deferred satellite performance incentives	19,411	19,793
Other current liabilities	168,261	183,677
Total current liabilities	481,052	545,886
Long-term debt, net of current portion	11,168,917	11,156,465
Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion	162,177	163,360
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	1,010,019	966,832
Deferred income taxes	150,283	201,212
Accrued retirement benefits	195,170	262,536
Other long-term liabilities	161,420	193,141
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	3,114,981	3,466,429
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	(4,252,305)	(381,774)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	12,191,714	16,574,087
Intelsat Jackson Subsidiaries Guarantors [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	89,641	63,144	167,800	131,107
Receivables, net of allowance	173,638	167,569
Deferred income taxes		74,466
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	28,593	27,880
Intercompany receivables		285,453
Total current assets	291,872	618,512
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	5,897,103	5,761,839
Goodwill	2,620,627	6,780,827
Non-amortizable intangible assets	2,452,900	2,458,100
Amortizable intangible assets, net	440,330	500,545
Investment in affiliates	139,983	141,594
Other assets	278,771	240,844
Total assets	12,121,586	16,502,261
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	154,861	154,124
Accrued interest payable	1,964	1,803
Deferred satellite performance incentives	19,411	19,793
Other current liabilities	166,248	182,356
Intercompany payables	2,038,908
Total current liabilities	2,381,392	358,076
Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion	162,177	163,360
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	1,010,019	966,832
Deferred income taxes	150,283	201,212
Accrued retirement benefits	195,170	262,536
Other long-term liabilities	161,420	168,353
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	5,558,066	7,535,655
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	2,503,059	6,846,237
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	12,121,586	16,502,261
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	43,881	52,217	50,769	53,934
Receivables, net of allowance	58,906	52,825
Deferred income taxes		1,849
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	6,680	9,334
Intercompany receivables	323,173
Total current assets	432,640	116,225
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	91,214	118,425
Other assets	32,458	9,900
Total assets	556,312	244,550
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	29,053	24,585
Accrued interest payable		24
Deferred satellite performance incentives		1,164
Other current liabilities	3,793	6,353
Intercompany payables		39,928
Total current liabilities	32,846	72,054
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	223	486
Deferred income taxes	10,519	10,468
Accrued retirement benefits	215	370
Other long-term liabilities	8,096	24,311
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	24	24
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	504,389	136,837
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	556,312	244,550
Consolidation and Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	(89,641)	(63,144)	$ (167,800)	$ (131,107)
Receivables, net of allowance	(173,638)	(167,569)
Deferred income taxes		(74,466)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(29,041)	(30,147)
Intercompany receivables	(489,108)	(776,226)
Total current assets	(781,428)	(1,111,552)
Satellites and other property and equipment, net	(5,897,103)	(5,761,839)
Goodwill	2,620,627	(6,780,827)
Non-amortizable intangible assets	(2,452,900)	(2,458,100)
Amortizable intangible assets, net	(440,330)	(500,545)
Investment in affiliates	4,610,056	(3,097,671)
Other assets	(278,771)	(240,844)
Total assets	(7,861,103)	(19,951,378)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(155,309)	(156,390)
Accrued interest payable	(1,964)	(1,803)
Deferred satellite performance incentives	(19,411)	(19,793)
Other current liabilities	(166,248)	(182,356)
Intercompany payables	(2,528,016)	(490,774)
Total current liabilities	(2,870,948)	(851,116)
Deferred satellite performance incentives, net of current portion	(162,177)	(163,360)
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	(1,010,019)	(966,832)
Deferred income taxes	(150,283)	(201,212)
Accrued retirement benefits	(195,170)	(262,536)
Other long-term liabilities	(161,420)	(168,353)
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
Common shares	(8,680,273)	(11,009,310)
Other shareholders' equity (deficit)	5,369,187	(6,328,659)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	$ (7,861,103)	$ (19,951,378)

Supplemental Consolidating F101

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 571,259	$ 580,847	$ 598,109	$ 602,306	$ 619,122	$ 608,625	$ 615,749	$ 628,890	$ 2,352,521	$ 2,472,386	$ 2,603,623
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									328,501	348,348	375,769
Selling, general and administrative									199,412	197,407	288,467
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles	4,200,000								4,165,400
Depreciation and amortization									687,729	679,351	736,567
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries											(9,618)
Total operating expenses									5,381,042	1,225,106	1,391,185
Income (loss) from operations	(3,897,122)	284,999	290,842	292,762	292,707	310,811	315,060	328,700	(3,028,521)	1,247,280	1,212,438
Interest (income) expense, net									890,279	944,787	1,122,261
Gain on early extinguishment of debt					(40,400)				7,061	(40,423)	(368,089)
Other income (expense), net									(6,201)	(2,593)	(4,918)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,917,940)	259,477	(282,830)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									1,513	22,971	(30,837)
Net income (loss)	(4,115,321)	78,967	61,236	55,665	17,220	68,620	67,771	82,896	(3,919,453)	236,506	(251,993)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									(3,934)	(3,974)	(3,687)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.	(4,116,306)	77,982	60,220	54,717	16,194	67,624	66,768	81,946	(3,923,387)	232,532	(255,680)
Cumulative preferred dividends									(9,919)	(9,917)	(10,196)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (4,116,306)	$ 77,982	$ 50,301	$ 54,717	$ 16,194	$ 67,624	$ 56,851	$ 81,946	(3,933,306)	222,615	(265,876)
Intelsat S.A. and Other Parent Guarantors [Member]
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative									7,912	7,547	62,861
Total operating expenses									7,912	7,547	62,861
Income (loss) from operations									(7,912)	(7,547)	(62,861)
Interest (income) expense, net									10,723	10,153	40,916
Gain on early extinguishment of debt											(24,185)
Subsidiary income (loss)									(3,904,747)	250,281	(85,180)
Other income (expense), net										2	(7)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,923,382)	232,583	(213,149)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									3	53
Net income (loss)									(3,923,385)	232,530	(213,149)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									(3,923,385)	232,530	(213,149)
Cumulative preferred dividends									(9,919)	(9,917)	(10,196)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									(3,933,304)	222,613	(223,345)
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative									193	139	8,167
Total operating expenses									193	139	8,167
Income (loss) from operations									(193)	(139)	(8,167)
Interest (income) expense, net									274,451	274,253	438,052
Gain on early extinguishment of debt									7,061		(341,351)
Subsidiary income (loss)									(3,614,952)	545,402	728,465
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,882,535)	271,010	(59,105)
Net income (loss)									(3,882,535)	271,010	(59,105)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									(3,882,535)	271,010	(59,105)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									(3,882,535)	271,010	(59,105)
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									2,160,235	2,281,331	2,382,169
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									241,603	257,999	266,869
Selling, general and administrative									126,331	132,379	155,035
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles									4,165,400
Depreciation and amortization									654,784	644,597	705,165
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries											(9,618)
Total operating expenses									5,188,118	1,034,975	1,117,451
Income (loss) from operations									(3,027,883)	1,246,356	1,264,718
Interest (income) expense, net									613,162	660,763	644,838
Gain on early extinguishment of debt										(40,423)	(2,553)
Subsidiary income (loss)									11,983	14,729	70,409
Other income (expense), net									4,367	2,864	577
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,624,695)	562,763	688,313
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									(1,871)	17,361	(40,152)
Net income (loss)									(3,622,824)	545,402	728,465
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									(3,622,824)	545,402	728,465
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									(3,622,824)	545,402	728,465
Intelsat Jackson Subsidiaries Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									2,160,251	2,281,348	2,382,201
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									241,603	257,999	266,869
Selling, general and administrative									125,494	131,874	152,961
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles									4,165,400
Depreciation and amortization									654,784	644,597	705,165
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries											(9,618)
Total operating expenses									5,187,281	1,034,470	1,115,377
Income (loss) from operations									(3,027,030)	1,246,878	1,266,824
Interest (income) expense, net									36,059	6,605	(10,042)
Subsidiary income (loss)									11,983	14,729	70,409
Other income (expense), net									(5,136)	2,770	42,772
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,056,242)	1,257,772	1,390,047
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									(1,885)	17,268	(38,819)
Net income (loss)									(3,054,357)	1,240,504	1,428,866
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									(3,054,357)	1,240,504	1,428,866
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									(3,054,357)	1,240,504	1,428,866
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									554,831	592,317	663,354
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									449,274	491,460	504,983
Selling, general and administrative									65,143	57,493	62,469
Depreciation and amortization									32,945	34,754	34,623
Total operating expenses									547,362	583,707	602,075
Income (loss) from operations									7,469	8,610	61,279
Interest (income) expense, net									(8,057)	(382)	(1,545)
Other income (expense), net									(10,568)	(5,461)	(5,488)
Income (loss) before income taxes									4,958	3,531	57,336
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									3,381	5,557	9,315
Net income (loss)									1,577	(2,026)	48,021
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									(3,934)	(3,974)	(3,687)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									(2,357)	(6,000)	44,334
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									(2,357)	(6,000)	44,334
Consolidation and Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue									(2,522,796)	(2,682,610)	(2,824,101)
Operating expenses:
Direct costs of revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)									(603,979)	(659,110)	(662,952)
Selling, general and administrative									(125,661)	(132,025)	(153,026)
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles									(4,165,400)
Depreciation and amortization									(654,784)	(644,597)	(708,386)
Gain on satellite insurance recoveries											9,618
Total operating expenses									(5,549,824)	(1,435,732)	(1,514,746)
Income (loss) from operations									3,027,028	(1,246,878)	(1,309,355)
Interest (income) expense, net									(36,059)	(6,605)	10,042
Subsidiary income (loss)									7,495,733	(825,141)	(784,103)
Other income (expense), net									5,136	(2,768)	(42,772)
Income (loss) before income taxes									10,563,956	(2,068,182)	(2,146,272)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes									1,885	(17,268)	38,819
Net income (loss)									10,562,071	(2,050,914)	(2,185,091)
Net income (loss) attributable to Intelsat S.A.									10,562,071	(2,050,914)	(2,185,091)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders									$ 10,562,071	$ (2,050,914)	$ (2,185,091)

Supplemental Consolidating F102

Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Apr. 23, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		$ 910,031	$ 1,046,170	$ 716,892
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)		(724,362)	(645,424)	(600,792)
Proceeds from insurance settlements				487,930
Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds				(19,199)
Purchase of cost method investment		(25,000)
Other investing activities		8	174	(2,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(749,354)	(645,250)	(134,061)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt		(496,829)	(610,418)	(6,904,162)
Repayment of notes payable to former shareholders				(868)
Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt			(21,250)	(311,224)
Proceeds from drawdown of long-term debt		430,000	135,000	6,254,688
Debt issuance costs				(84,845)
Proceeds from initial public offering	$ 572,500			572,500
Stock issuance costs				(26,683)
Dividends paid to preferred shareholders		(9,919)	(9,919)	(5,235)
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives		(19,568)	(19,774)	(17,503)
Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest			12,209	12,209
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest		(8,423)	(8,744)	(8,671)
Other financing activities		1,753	3,893	3,271
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(102,986)	(519,003)	(516,523)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(9,297)	(6,560)	(6,003)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		48,394	(124,643)	60,305
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		123,147	247,790	187,485
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		171,541	123,147	247,790
Intelsat S.A. and Other Parent Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		724	(1,366)	(108,561)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans		9,538	9,214	(23,644)
Investment in subsidiaries		(7,355)	(3,790)	(11,436)
Dividend from affiliates		19,000	8,300	20,181
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		21,183	13,724	(14,899)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt				(353,550)
Repayment of notes payable to former shareholders				(868)
Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt				(9,395)
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing		(1,430)	(4,233)	(52,391)
Proceeds from initial public offering				572,500
Stock issuance costs				(26,683)
Dividends paid to preferred shareholders		(9,919)	(9,919)	(5,235)
Other financing activities		154	4,231	2,800
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(11,195)	(9,921)	127,178
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents				(7)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		10,712	2,437	3,711
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		6,229	3,792	81
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		16,941	6,229	3,792
Intelsat Luxembourg [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		(251,879)	(270,171)	(622,489)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investment in subsidiaries		(610,000)		(17,248)
Dividend from affiliates		898,400	279,400	524,812
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		288,400	279,400	507,564
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt		(17,829)		(5,307,986)
Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt				(301,762)
Proceeds from drawdown of long-term debt				3,500,000
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing				2,289,335
Debt issuance costs				(44,433)
Dividends to shareholders		(19,000)	(8,300)	(20,181)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(36,829)	(8,300)	114,973
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		(308)	929	48
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		1,068	139	91
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		760	1,068	139
Intelsat Jackson [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		1,138,747	1,253,342	1,406,174
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)		(720,273)	(639,603)	(591,762)
Proceeds from insurance settlements				487,930
Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds				(19,199)
Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans		2,064	3,873	(2,223,001)
Investment in subsidiaries		(198)	(194)	(324)
Dividend from affiliates		28,423	33,943	9,811
Purchase of cost method investment		(25,000)
Other investing activities		432	174	(2,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(714,552)	(601,807)	(2,338,545)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt		(479,000)	(586,000)	(1,218,208)
Payment of premium on early extinguishment of debt			(21,250)	(67)
Proceeds from drawdown of long-term debt		430,000	135,000	2,754,688
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing		337,261	(9,214)	20,151
Debt issuance costs				(40,412)
Capital contribution from parent		250,000		17,248
Dividends to shareholders		(898,400)	(279,400)	(524,812)
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives		(18,405)	(18,705)	(16,509)
Other financing activities		1,600	(338)	471
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(376,944)	(779,907)	992,550
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(925)	(1,085)	(468)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		46,326	(129,457)	59,711
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		63,633	193,090	133,379
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		109,959	63,633	193,090
Intelsat Jackson Subsidiaries Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		1,629,412	1,887,340	1,785,702
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)		(720,273)	(639,603)	(591,762)
Proceeds from insurance settlements				487,930
Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds				(19,199)
Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans		2,064	3,873	(593,753)
Investment in subsidiaries		(40,444)	(194)	(324)
Dividend from affiliates		28,423	33,943	9,811
Purchase of cost method investment		(25,000)
Other investing activities		432	174	(2,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(754,798)	(601,807)	(709,297)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing				(44,111)
Capital contribution from parent		86,316	103,698	45,062
Dividends to shareholders		(916,697)	(1,473,781)	(1,024,160)
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives		(18,405)	(18,705)	(16,509)
Other financing activities		1,600	(338)	471
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(847,186)	(1,389,126)	(1,039,247)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(931)	(1,063)	(465)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		26,497	(104,656)	36,693
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		63,144	167,800	131,107
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		89,641	63,144	167,800
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		22,438	64,363	41,767
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)		(4,089)	(5,821)	(9,030)
Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans		(346,799)		3,493
Other investing activities		(424)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(351,312)	(5,821)	(5,537)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt			(24,418)	(24,418)
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing		(634)	360	(13,943)
Capital contribution from parent		367,553	3,984	11,760
Dividends to shareholders		(28,423)	(33,943)	(9,811)
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives		(1,163)	(1,069)	(993)
Capital contribution from noncontrolling interest			12,209	12,209
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest		(8,423)	(8,744)	(8,671)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		328,910	(51,621)	(33,867)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(8,372)	(5,473)	(5,528)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		(8,336)	1,448	(3,165)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		52,217	50,769	53,934
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		43,881	52,217	50,769
Consolidation and Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities:		(1,629,411)	(1,887,338)	(1,785,701)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for satellites and other property and equipment (including capitalized interest)		720,273	639,603	591,762
Proceeds from insurance settlements				(487,930)
Payment on satellite performance incentives from insurance proceeds				19,199
Repayment from (disbursements for) intercompany loans		333,133	(16,960)	2,836,905
Investment in subsidiaries		657,997	4,178	29,332
Dividend from affiliates		(974,246)	(355,586)	(564,615)
Purchase of cost method investment		25,000
Other investing activities		(432)	(174)	2,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		761,725	271,061	2,426,653
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from (repayment of) intercompany borrowing		(335,197)	13,087	(2,199,041)
Capital contribution from parent		(703,869)	(107,682)	(74,070)
Dividends to shareholders		1,862,520	1,795,424	1,578,964
Principal payments on deferred satellite performance incentives		18,405	18,705	16,508
Other financing activities		(1,601)	338	(471)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		840,258	1,719,872	(678,110)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		931	1,061	465
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		(26,497)	104,656	(36,693)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		(63,144)	(167,800)	(131,107)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period		$ (89,641)	$ (63,144)	$ (167,800)

Schedule II - Valuation and Qua

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Detail) - Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Valuation allowance, Balance at Beginning of Period	$ 35,174	$ 35,288	$ 23,583
Valuation allowance, Charged to Costs and Expenses	7,432	2,306	29,599
Valuation allowance, Deductions	(5,428)	(2,420)	(17,894)
Valuation allowance, Balance at End of Period	$ 37,178	$ 35,174	$ 35,288