Exhibit 1



                                  PACIFIC BELL

               U.S. $1,750,000,000 Medium-Term Notes, Series A
                  Due Nine Months or More From Date of Issue


                            Selling Agency Agreement


                                October 23, 1997


Merrill Lynch & Co.
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
  Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Salomon Brothers Inc

Dear Sirs:

      Pacific  Bell,  a California  corporation  (the  "Company"),  confirms its
agreement  with each of you  (collectively,  the "Agents" and  individually,  an
"Agent")  with  respect  to the  issue  and  sale by the  Company  of up to U.S.
$1,750,000,000  aggregate  principal amount (or the equivalent thereof in one or
more currencies or currency units) of its Medium-Term Notes,  Series A, Due Nine
Months or More From Date of Issue (the "Notes").  The Notes will be issued under
an indenture dated as of October 7, 1997 (the "Indenture"),  from the Company to
The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "Trustee").

      Unless otherwise specified in the applicable  supplement to the Prospectus
referred to below,  the Notes will be issued only in registered  form in minimum
denominations  of U.S.  $1,000  and any  amount  in  excess  thereof  that is an
integral  multiple  of U.S.  $1,000  or, in the case of Notes  denominated  in a
currency other than U.S. dollars, the authorized  denominations set forth in the
applicable supplement to the Prospectus.

      The Notes will have the maturities,  interest  rates,  if any,  redemption
provisions and other terms set forth in a supplement to the Prospectus  referred
to below.  The Notes  will be  issued,  and the terms  thereof  established,  in
accordance with the Indenture and the Medium-Term Notes, Series A Administrative
Procedures as may be agreed to from time to time by the Company,  each Agent and
the Trustee (the  "Procedures").  The  Procedures may only be amended by written
agreement of the Company, the Agents and the Trustee.




                                     

1.    Representations  and  Warranties.  The Company  represents  and warrants
      to, and agrees with, each of you that:

      (a)  The Company  meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3 under the
           Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"), and has
           filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  ("SEC")  two
           registration  statements (Nos. 33-49477 and 333-37513),  which have
           become effective,  for the registration under the Securities Act of
           the  Notes.  Each such  registration  statement,  as amended at the
           date of this Selling Agency Agreement (the "Agreement"),  meets the
           requirements  set forth in Rule  415(a)(1)(x)  under the Securities
           Act and  complies in all other  material  respects  with said Rule.
           In connection with the sale of the Notes,  the Company  proposes to
           file with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424 under the  Securities  Act a
           supplement  to the form of  prospectus  included in the most recent
           registration  statement  relating  to the  Notes  and  the  plan of
           distribution  thereof and has  previously  advised the Agent of all
           further  information  (financial  and  other)  with  respect to the
           Company  to be set forth  therein.  Such  registration  statements,
           including  the  exhibits  thereto,  as  amended to the date of this
           Agreement,   are  herein   collectively  called  the  "Registration
           Statement";  such  prospectus,  as  supplemented  pursuant  to  the
           previous   sentence,   is  herein  called  the   "Prospectus."  Any
           reference  herein to the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus
           shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents  incorporated
           by  reference   therein  which  were  filed  under  the  Securities
           Exchange  Act of 1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  on or
           before the date of this  Agreement  or the date of the  Prospectus,
           as the case may be; and any reference  herein to the terms "amend,"
           "amendment"  or  "supplement"  with  respect  to  the  Registration
           Statement  or the  Prospectus  shall  be  deemed  to  refer  to and
           include the filing of any  document  under the  Exchange  Act after
           the date of this  Agreement or the date of the  Prospectus,  as the
           case may be, incorporated therein by reference.







      (b)  As of the date  hereof,  when  any  amendment  to the  Registration
           Statement becomes  effective  (including the filing of any document
           incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement),  when any
           supplement  to the  Prospectus  is filed  with the SEC,  and at the
           date of  delivery  by the  Company of any Notes sold  hereunder  (a
           "Closing Date"), (i) the Registration  Statement,  as amended as of
           any such time, the Prospectus as  supplemented as of any such time,
           and the  Indenture  will comply in all material  respects  with the
           applicable  requirements of the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture
           Act of 1939,  as  amended  (the  "Trust  Indenture  Act"),  and the
           Exchange Act and the respective  rules and regulations  thereunder,
           and (ii) neither the Registration  Statement,  as amended as of any
           such time, nor the Prospectus as  supplemented as of any such time,
           will  contain any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to
           state any material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary
           in order to make the statements  therein not misleading;  provided,
           however,  that the  Company  does not make any  representations  or
           warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration  Statement which
           shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility  (Form T-l) under the
           Trust  Indenture  Act  of  the  Trustee  or  (ii)  the  information
           contained  in  or  omitted  from  the  Registration   Statement  or
           Prospectus  in reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  information
           furnished  in  writing  to  the  Company  by or on  behalf  of  you
           specifically  for use in  connection  with the  preparation  of the
           Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

      (c)  As of the date  hereof,  when  any  amendment  to the  Registration
           Statement becomes  effective  (including the filing of any document
           incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement),  when any
           supplement  to the  Prospectus  is filed  with the SEC,  and at the
           Closing  Date,   no  order,   consent,   approval,   authorization,
           registration or qualification  of or with any  governmental  agency
           or  body  having  jurisdiction  over  the  Company  or  any  of its
           properties  is required  for the issue and sale of the Notes or the
           consummation  by the Company of the  transactions  contemplated  by
           this Agreement or the Indenture,  except such as have been, or will
           have been prior to the  Closing  Date,  obtained  under the Act and
           the   Trust   Indenture   Act   and   such   consents,   approvals,
           authorizations,  registrations or qualifications as may be required
           under  state  securities  or Blue Sky laws in  connection  with the
           purchase and distribution of the Notes.

2.    Appointment of Agents;  Solicitations by the Agents of Offers to Purchase;
      Sales of Notes to a Purchaser.

      (a)  Subject to the terms and  conditions  set forth  herein,  the Company
           hereby  authorizes  each of the Agents to act as its agent to solicit
           offers for the purchase of all or part of the Notes from the Company.

           On the basis of the  representations  and warranties,  and subject to
           the terms and conditions set forth herein, each of the Agents agrees,
           as  agent of the  Company,  to use its  reasonable  best  efforts  to
           solicit  offers to purchase the Notes from the Company upon the terms
           and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
           and in the Procedures.

           The Company reserves the right, in its sole  discretion,  to instruct
           the  Agents  to  suspend  at any  time,  for  any  period  of time or
           permanently,  the solicitation of offers to purchase the Notes.  Upon
           receipt of instructions  from the Company,  the Agents will forthwith
           suspend  solicitation  of offers to  purchase  Notes from the Company
           until such time as the Company has advised it that such  solicitation
           may be resumed.

           The  Company  agrees  to pay each  Agent (or  jointly  to two or more
           Agents if such  solicitation  is jointly made) a  commission,  at the
           time of  settlement  of each sale of Notes by the Company as a result
           of a  solicitation  made by such  Agent,  in an amount  equal to that
           percentage  specified in Schedule I hereto of the aggregate principal
           amount of the Notes sold by the Company, and such commission shall be
           payable as specified in the Procedures.







           Subject to the  provisions  of this  Section  and to the  Procedures,
           offers  for the  purchase  of Notes may be  solicited  by an Agent as
           agent for the Company at such time and in such  amounts as such Agent
           deems advisable.

           The Company may appoint  other  agents for the purpose of  soliciting
           purchases of the Notes on a  continuous  or limited  basis,  provided
           that such  agent is engaged on the same  commission  schedule  as the
           Agents (set forth hereto as Schedule I).

      (b)  Subject to the terms and  conditions  stated  herein,  the  Company
           agrees  that,   whenever  the  Company  determines  to  sell  Notes
           directly to you as  principal  for resale to others,  it will enter
           into a Terms Agreement,  as defined below, relating to such sale in
           accordance  with  the  provisions  of this  Section  2(b).  For the
           purposes of this  Agreement,  the term "Agent"  shall refer to each
           of you  acting  solely in the  capacity  as agent  for the  Company
           hereunder and not as principal,  the term  "Purchaser"  shall refer
           to each of you  acting  solely as  principal  hereunder  and not as
           agent,  and the term "you" shall refer to any of you acting in both
           such capacities or in either such capacity.

           Each sale of Notes to the Purchaser  shall be made in accordance with
           the terms of this  Agreement and the  Procedures  and a  supplemental
           agreement  which will  provide for the sale of such Notes to, and the
           purchase  and  reoffering  thereof  by,  the  Purchaser.   Each  such
           supplemental  agreement (which may be in either oral or written form)
           is  herein  referred  to  as a  "Terms  Agreement."  The  Purchaser's
           commitment to purchase Notes pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be
           deemed  to have been  made on the  basis of the  representations  and
           warranties  of the Company  herein  contained and shall be subject to
           the terms and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall
           describe the Notes to be purchased by the Purchaser pursuant thereto,
           specify the aggregate principal amount of such Notes, the price to be
           paid to the Company for such Notes,  the maturity date of such Notes,
           the rate at which  interest  will be paid on the Notes,  the date and
           time of delivery of payment for such Notes (the "Purchase Date"), the
           place of delivery of the Notes and  payment  therefor,  the method of
           payment and the requirements, if any, for the delivery of the opinion
           of counsel, the certificates from the Company or their officers,  the
           letters from Ernst & Young LLP, and any other  accountants  that have
           audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
           the  Registration  Statement or Prospectus,  pursuant to Section 6(b)
           and such other  matters as determined  by the parties  thereto.  Such
           Terms  Agreement  may also specify the period of time  referred to in
           Section 4(m). Any written Terms Agreement may be in the form attached
           hereto as Exhibit A.

           Delivery of the certificates for Notes sold to the Purchaser pursuant
           to any Terms Agreement shall be made as agreed to between the Company
           and the Purchaser as set forth in the respective Terms Agreement, not
           later  than the  Purchase  Date set  forth in such  Terms  Agreement,
           against  payment of funds to the Company in the net amount due to the
           Company for such Notes by the method and in the form set forth in the
           respective Terms Agreement.







           Unless otherwise agreed to between the Company and the Purchaser in a
           Terms Agreement,  any Note sold to a Purchaser (i) shall be purchased
           by such  Purchaser at a price equal to 100% of the  principal  amount
           thereof less a percentage  equal to the  commission  applicable to an
           agency sale of a Note of identical maturity and (ii) may be resold by
           such  Purchaser at varying  prices from time to time, or if set forth
           in the applicable Terms Agreement and Pricing Supplement,  at a fixed
           public  offering  price.  In  connection  with  any  resale  of Notes
           purchased,  a  Purchaser  may use a selling  or dealer  group and may
           reallow  to any  broker or dealer  any  portion  of the  discount  or
           commission payable pursuant hereto.

      (c)  The Company reserves the right to sell Notes directly to investors on
           its own behalf or to  purchasers  (other than the  Agents)  acting as
           principal for resale to others.

3.    Offering  Procedure.  Each  of  the  Agents  shall  communicate  to  the
      Company,  orally or in writing, each offer to purchase Notes (other than
      those  offers  rejected  by  an  Agent  as  provided  herein)  on  terms
      previously  communicated  by the  Company to such  Agent,  and except as
      otherwise  provided in the  Procedures,  the Company shall have the sole
      right to  accept  such  offers to  purchase  Notes  and may  refuse  any
      proposed  purchase  of  Notes,  as a whole or in part,  for any  reason.
      Each of the Agents shall have the right,  in its  discretion  reasonably
      exercised,  to reject any proposed  purchase of Notes,  as a whole or in
      part,  and any such  rejection  shall  not be  deemed  a  breach  of its
      agreement  contained herein. Each of the Agents and the Company agree to
      perform the respective duties and obligations  specifically  provided to
      be performed by them in the Procedures.

4. Agreements. The Company agrees with each of you that:







      (a)  Prior  to the  termination  of the  offering  of  the  Notes  , the
           Company will not file any amendment of the  Registration  Statement
           nor will the Company file any supplement to the Prospectus  (except
           for (i) an amendment or supplement  consisting solely of the filing
           of a document  under the Exchange Act,  (ii) a supplement  relating
           to an  offering  of  securities  other than the  Notes,  or (iii) a
           supplement  relating  solely to  pricing  and  related  information
           concerning  a  particular  sale of Notes)  unless the  Company  has
           furnished you a copy of such proposed  amendment or supplement  for
           your  review  prior to filing  and will not file any such  proposed
           amendment or supplement  to which you  reasonably  object.  Subject
           to the foregoing  sentence,  the Company will cause each supplement
           to the Prospectus to be filed with the SEC as required  pursuant to
           Rule 424  under the  Securities  Act.  The  Company  will  promptly
           advise you (i) when each  supplement to the  Prospectus  shall have
           been filed with the SEC  pursuant to Rule 424 under the  Securities
           Act, (ii) when any amendment of the  Registration  Statement  shall
           have  become  effective,  (iii) of any  request  by the SEC for any
           amendment  of  the  Registration   Statement  or  amendment  of  or
           supplement  to the  Prospectus or for any  additional  information,
           (iv) of the  issuance by the SEC of any stop order  suspending  the
           effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement or the institution or
           threatening  of any  proceeding  for that  purpose,  and (v) of the
           receipt by the  Company  of any  notification  with  respect to the
           suspension  of the  qualification  of the  Notes  for  sale  in any
           jurisdiction  or the  initiation or  threatening  of any proceeding
           for such purpose.  The Company will promptly (upon filing  thereof)
           furnish  you  a  copy  of  any   amendment  or  supplement  to  the
           Prospectus  or  Registration  Statement  not  furnished  to you for
           prior  review  pursuant  to  exceptions  (i),  (ii) or (iii) of the
           first  sentence of this  subsection  (a).  The Company will use its
           best  efforts to prevent  the  issuance of any such stop order and,
           if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

      (b)  If,  at any  time  when a  prospectus  relating  to  the  Notes  is
           required  to be  delivered  under  the  Securities  Act,  any event
           occurs  as a result of which the  Registration  Statement,  as then
           amended,  or the Prospectus,  as then  supplemented,  would include
           any  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to  state  any
           material fact necessary to amend the  Registration  Statement or to
           make the  statements  therein in light of the  circumstances  under
           which they were made not  misleading,  or if it shall be  necessary
           to  amend  the   Registration   Statement  or  to  supplement   the
           Prospectus  to comply with the  Securities  Act or the Exchange Act
           or the respective  rules and  regulations  thereunder,  the Company
           promptly will (i) notify you to suspend  solicitation  of offers to
           purchase  Notes  (and,  if so notified  by the  Company,  you shall
           forthwith  suspend such solicitation and cease using the Prospectus
           as then  amended or  supplemented),  (ii) prepare and file with the
           SEC,  subject  to the  first  sentence  of  paragraph  (a) of  this
           Section 4, an  amendment  or  supplement  which will  correct  such
           statement  or omission or an  amendment  or  supplement  which will
           effect  such  compliance,  and (iii)  supply  any such  amended  or
           supplemented  Prospectus  to  you in  such  quantities  as you  may
           reasonably   request.   If  such  amendment  or   supplement,   and
           documents,  certificates and opinions  furnished to you pursuant to
           paragraph (g) of this Section 4 in connection  with the preparation
           or  filing  of  such   amendment  or  supplement   are   reasonably
           satisfactory  in all respects to you, you will,  upon the filing of
           such   amendment   or   supplement   with  the  SEC  and  upon  the
           effectiveness  of an  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement if
           such an amendment is required,  resume your  obligation  to solicit
           offers to purchase Notes hereunder.

      (c)  As soon as practicable,  the Company will make generally available to
           its security  holders and to you an earnings  statement or statements
           of the Company which will satisfy the  provisions of Section 11(a) of
           the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

      (d)  Until the termination of the offering of the Notes,  the Company will
           timely file all  documents,  and any  amendments to previously  filed
           documents,  required to be filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections
           13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

      (e)  The Company will furnish to you and to your counsel,  without charge,
           copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and
           each amendment  thereto which shall become  effective and, so long as
           delivery of a prospectus  may be required by the  Securities  Act, as
           many copies of any preliminary  Prospectus and the Prospectus and any
           amendments  thereof  and  supplements  thereto as you may  reasonably
           request.







      (f)  The Company  will  endeavor to qualify the Notes for sale under the
           laws of such  jurisdictions  as you may designate and will maintain
           such   qualifications  in  effect  so  long  as  required  for  the
           distribution  of the Notes , provided that in connection  therewith
           the  Company  shall  not  be  required  to  qualify  as  a  foreign
           corporation  or take any action  which would  subject it to general
           or  unlimited  service of process in any  jurisdiction  where it is
           not now so subject.

      (g)  The Company shall furnish to you such  documents,  certificates  of
           officers  of the  Company  and  opinions of counsel for the Company
           relating to the  business,  operations  and affairs of the Company,
           the  Registration  Statement,   any  preliminary  Prospectus,   the
           Prospectus,   and  any  amendments  or  supplements   thereto,  the
           Indenture,  the  Notes,  this  Agreement,  the  Procedures  and the
           performance  by the Company and you of the  respective  obligations
           of each  hereunder and  thereunder as you may from time to time and
           at any time prior to the  termination of this Agreement  reasonably
           request.

      (h)  The  Company  shall,  whether  or not  any  sale  of any  Notes  is
           consummated,  (i) pay all expenses  incident to the  performance of
           its  obligations  under  this  Agreement,  including  the  fees and
           disbursements of its accountants and counsel,  the cost of printing
           and delivery of the  Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus,  all
           amendments  thereof and supplements  thereto,  the Indenture,  this
           Agreement and all other  documents  relating to the  offering,  the
           cost of preparing,  printing,  packaging and  delivering the Notes,
           the fees and disbursements,  including fees of counsel, incurred in
           connection  with  the  qualification  of the  Notes  for  sale  and
           determination  of eligibility for investment of the Notes under the
           securities or Blue Sky laws of each such  jurisdiction as the Agent
           may  reasonably  designate,  the  fees  and  disbursements  of  the
           Trustee  and the fees of any  agency  that  rates the  Notes,  (ii)
           reimburse you on an as-needed basis for all out-of-pocket  expenses
           incurred  by  you  and  approved  by the  Company  in  advance,  in
           connection  with the offering and the sale of the Notes,  and (iii)
           be  responsible  for  the  reasonable  fees  and  expenses  of your
           counsel  incurred in  connection  with the offering and sale of the
           Notes.

      (i)  Each  acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase  Notes (the
           date of each such acceptance,  an "Acceptance Date") will be deemed
           to be a  representation  and  warranty to you by the  Company  that
           neither the  Registration  Statement  nor the  Prospectus,  as then
           amended  or  supplemented,  fails to  reflect  any  facts or events
           which,  individually  or in the aggregate,  represent a fundamental
           change in the information set forth in the  Registration  Statement
           or  the  Prospectus,  as  then  amended  or  supplemented,   and/or
           includes  any  untrue  statement  of a material  fact,  or omits to
           state any material fact necessary to make the  statements  therein,
           in the light of the  circumstances  under which they were made, not
           misleading,  except that the  foregoing  does not apply to (i) that
           part of the  Registration  Statement  which  shall  constitute  the
           Statement of Eligibility  (Form T-1) under the Trust  Indenture Act
           of the  Trustee  or (ii) the  information  contained  in or omitted
           from the Registration  Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment
           thereof or  supplement  thereto in reliance  upon and in conformity
           with  information  furnished  in  writing  to the  Company by or on
           behalf  of  you   specifically  for  use  in  connection  with  the
           preparation  of the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus or
           any amendments thereof or supplements thereto.







      (j)  Each time that the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  is
           amended  or  supplemented  (other  than  by  (i)  an  amendment  or
           supplement  consisting solely of the filing of a document under the
           Exchange  Act unless such  amendment  or  supplement  sets forth or
           incorporates  by  reference  financial   statements  for  a  fiscal
           quarter or unless  otherwise  requested  by you,  (ii) a supplement
           relating  to an  offering of  securities  other than the Notes,  or
           (iii)  a  supplement   relating   solely  to  pricing  and  related
           information  concerning  a particular  sale of Notes),  the Company
           will  deliver  or  cause  to  be  delivered   forthwith  to  you  a
           certificate  of it  signed  by its  Chairman  of the  Board  or its
           President  or a Vice  President  and its  Treasurer or an Assistant
           Treasurer,  dated the date of the  effectiveness  of such amendment
           or the  date of  filing  of  such  supplement,  in form  reasonably
           satisfactory  to you, to the effect that the  statements  contained
           in the  certificate  that was last  furnished to you by it pursuant
           to either  Section  5(d) or this  Section 4(j) are true and correct
           at the time of the  effectiveness  of such  amendment or the filing
           of such  supplement  as though made at and as of such time  (except
           that (i) the last day of the  fiscal  quarter  for which  financial
           statements  of the  Company  were last  filed with the SEC shall be
           substituted  for the  corresponding  date in such  certificate  and
           (ii) such statements  shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
           Statement  and the  Prospectus as amended and  supplemented  to the
           time of the  effectiveness  of such amendment or the filing of such
           supplement) or, in lieu of such  certificate,  a certificate of the
           same  tenor as the  certificate  referred  to in  Section  5(d) but
           modified to relate to the last day of the fiscal  quarter for which
           financial  statements  of the Company  were last filed with the SEC
           and to the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus as amended
           and  supplemented  to  the  time  of  the   effectiveness  of  such
           amendment or the filing of such supplement.







      (k)  Each time that the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  is
           amended  or  supplemented  (other  than  by  (i)  an  amendment  or
           supplement  consisting solely of the filing of a document under the
           Exchange  Act unless such  amendment  or  supplement  sets forth or
           incorporates  by  reference  financial   statements  for  a  fiscal
           quarter or unless  otherwise  requested  by you,  (ii) a supplement
           relating  to an  offering of  securities  other than the Notes,  or
           (iii)  a  supplement   relating   solely  to  pricing  and  related
           information  concerning  a particular  sale of Notes),  the Company
           shall  furnish or cause to be furnished  forthwith to you a written
           opinion of its counsel  satisfactory  to you,  and, at your option,
           Sullivan & Cromwell shall furnish to you a written  opinion,  dated
           the  date of the  effectiveness  of such  amendment  or the date of
           filing of such  supplement,  in form  satisfactory  to you,  of the
           same tenor as the opinion  referred  to in Sections  5(b) and 5(c),
           respectively,  but modified to relate to the Registration Statement
           and the Prospectus as amended and  supplemented  to the time of the
           effectiveness  of such  amendment or the filing of such  supplement
           or,  in lieu of  such  opinion,  counsel  last  furnishing  such an
           opinion to you may  furnish  you with a letter to the  effect  that
           you may rely on such last  opinion to the same  extent as though it
           were dated the date of such  letter  authorizing  reliance  (except
           that  statements  in such last  opinion will be deemed to relate to
           the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus  as  amended  and
           supplemented to the time of the  effectiveness of such amendment or
           the filing of such supplement).

      (l)  Each time that the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  is
           amended  or  supplemented  to set  forth  amended  or  supplemental
           financial  information or such amended or supplemental  information
           is incorporated by reference in the  Registration  Statement or the
           Prospectus,  the Company shall cause Ernst & Young LLP, independent
           auditors,  forthwith to furnish you a letter, dated the date of the
           effectiveness  of such  amendment  or the  date of  filing  of such
           supplement,  in form  satisfactory to you, of the same tenor as the
           letters  referred  to in Section  5(e) with such  changes as may be
           necessary  to  reflect  the  amended  and  supplemental   financial
           information   included  or   incorporated   by   reference  in  the
           Registration   Statement   and  the   Prospectus,   as  amended  or
           supplemented  to the  date of  such  letter,  provided  that if the
           Registration   Statement   or  the   Prospectus   is   amended   or
           supplemented   solely  to  include  or   incorporate  by  reference
           unaudited  financial  information  as of and for a fiscal  quarter,
           Ernst & Young LLP may limit the scope of its  letter,  which  shall
           be  satisfactory  in  form  to  you,  to  the  unaudited  financial
           statements  included or incorporated by reference in such amendment
           or   supplement,   unless  any  other   information   included   or
           incorporated  by reference  therein of an accounting,  financial or
           statistical  nature (which is limited to  accounting,  financial or
           statistical   information   derived  from  the  general  accounting
           records  of  the  Company)  is of  such  a  nature  that,  in  your
           reasonable   judgment,   such  letter   should   cover  such  other
           information.

      (m)  During the period,  if any,  specified  in any Terms  Agreement,  the
           Company shall not, without the prior consent of the Purchaser,  issue
           or announce  the  proposed  issuance  of any of its Debt  Securities,
           including  Notes,  which Debt  Securities  have  terms  substantially
           similar to those of the Notes being purchased  pursuant to such Terms
           Agreement.

5.    Conditions to the  Obligations of the Agents.  The obligation of each of
      the Agents to solicit  offers to purchase  the Notes shall be subject to
      the accuracy of the  representations  and  warranties on the part of the
      Company  contained  herein as of the date hereof,  as of the date of the
      effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration  Statement (including
      the filing of any document  incorporated  by reference  therein),  as of
      the date any  supplement to the  Prospectus is filed with the SEC, as of
      each  Acceptance  Date and as of each Closing  Date,  to the accuracy of
      the statements of the Company made in any  certificates  pursuant to the
      provisions  hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
      hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

      (a)  No  stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the  Registration
           Statement,  as amended from time to time,  shall have been issued and
           no  proceedings  for that  purpose  shall  have  been  instituted  or
           threatened.

      (b)  The Company shall have furnished to the Agents the opinion of counsel
           to the Company, dated the date hereof, to the effect that:







           (i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
               a  corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the state of
               California,  with full  corporate  power and authority to own its
               properties   and  conduct  its   business  as  described  in  the
               Prospectus,  and is duly  qualified  to do  business as a foreign
               corporation  and is in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of each
               jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or
               leases properties or conducts business,  except where the failure
               to so  qualify  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the
               Company;

          (ii) the Indenture has been duly  authorized,  executed and delivered,
               has been  duly  qualified  under  the Trust  Indenture  Act,  and
               constitutes  a legal,  valid and binding  instrument  enforceable
               against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject,  as to
               enforcement    of    remedies,    to    applicable    bankruptcy,
               reorganization,  insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
               moratorium and similar laws of general applicability  relating to
               or affecting  creditors'  rights,  generally from time to time in
               effect and to general principles of equity);  the Notes have been
               duly authorized and established in conformity with the Indenture,
               and,  when the terms of the Notes have been duly  established  in
               conformity  with the  Indenture  so as not to violate or conflict
               with  any  provisions  of  law  or any  agreement  or  instrument
               applicable  to the  Company  or any of its  properties,  when the
               Notes  have been duly  executed  by the  proper  officers  of the
               Company,  registered  and  duly  authenticated  pursuant  to  the
               Indenture  and  delivered  to and  paid  for  by  the  purchasers
               thereof,  the Notes  will  constitute  legal,  valid and  binding
               obligations  of  the  Company  entitled  to the  benefits  of the
               Indenture;

         (iii) to the best  knowledge  of such  counsel,  there is no pending or
               threatened  action,  suit  or  proceeding  before  any  court  or
               governmental agency,  authority, body or any arbitrator involving
               the  Company,  of a  character  required to be  disclosed  in the
               Registration  Statement which is not adequately  disclosed in the
               Prospectus, and there is no franchise, contract or other document
               of a  character  required  to be  described  in the  Registration
               Statement or Prospectus,  or to be filed as an exhibit,  which is
               not described or filed as required;  and the statements  included
               or   incorporated   in  the   Prospectus   describing  any  legal
               proceedings or material  contracts or agreements  relating to the
               Company fairly summarize such matters;







          (iv) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have become
               effective under the Securities Act; to the best knowledge of such
               counsel,  no  stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
               Registration  Statement has been issued,  no proceedings for that
               purpose have been instituted or threatened,  and the Registration
               Statement,   the  Prospectus   and  each  amendment   thereof  or
               supplement  thereto  as of their  respective  effective  or issue
               dates (other than the financial  statements  and other  financial
               and statistical  information  contained  therein as to which such
               counsel  need  express  no  opinion)  complied  as to form in all
               material  respects  with  the  applicable   requirements  of  the
               Securities  Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
               the respective rules and regulations thereunder; and such counsel
               has no reason to believe that the Registration  Statement, or any
               amendment thereof, at the time it became effective or at the date
               of this Agreement,  contained any untrue  statement of a material
               fact or omitted to state any material  fact required to be stated
               therein  or  necessary  to  make  the   statements   therein  not
               misleading  or that the  Prospectus,  at its issue date or at the
               date  of this  Agreement,  included  any  untrue  statement  of a
               material  fact or omitted to state a material  fact  necessary to
               make the statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances
               under which they were made, not misleading;

           (v) this Agreement has been duly  authorized,  executed and delivered
               by the Company;

          (vi) no  order,  consent,  approval,  authorization,  registration  or
               qualification of or with any  governmental  agency or body having
               jurisdiction  over  the  Company  or  any of  its  properties  is
               required for the issue and sale of the Notes or the  consummation
               by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
               or the  Indenture,  except  such as have been,  or will have been
               prior to the Closing Date,  obtained under the Securities Act and
               the   Trust   Indenture   Act  and  such   consents,   approvals,
               authorizations,   registrations  or   qualifications  as  may  be
               required  under state  securities  or Blue Sky laws in connection
               with the sale and distribution of the Notes; and

         (vii) neither  the  execution  and  delivery of the  Indenture  or this
               Agreement, the issue and sale of the Notes (when the terms of the
               Notes have been duly established in conformity with the Indenture
               so as not to violate or conflict  with any  provisions  of law or
               any agreement or  instrument  applicable to the Company or any of
               its  properties and when the Notes have been duly executed by the
               proper officers of the Company, registered and duly authenticated
               pursuant to the  Indenture  and  delivered to and paid for by the
               purchasers  thereof),  nor the  consummation  of any other of the
               transactions  herein or therein  contemplated nor the fulfillment
               of the terms hereof or thereof will  conflict  with,  result in a
               breach of, or constitute a default under,  the charter or by-laws
               of the Company or the terms of any  indenture or other  agreement
               or instrument known to such counsel and to which the Company is a
               party or by which the  Company or any of its assets is bound,  or
               any order or regulation known to such counsel to be applicable to
               the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
               governmental  body or  arbitrator  having  jurisdiction  over the
               Company.

           In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to the execution
           of the Indenture by the Trustee,  upon a  certificate  of the Trustee
           setting forth the facts as to such execution.







           In rendering  such  opinion,  such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
           involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction  other than the
           state of California or the United States, to the extent deemed proper
           and specified in such  opinion,  upon the opinion of other counsel of
           good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to the
           Agents and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on
           certificates  of  responsible  officers  of the  Company  and  public
           officials.

           In rendering such opinion with respect to clause (vi) above,  insofar
           as it relates to  regulatory  authorities  in the states in which the
           Company  operates,  such  counsel  may rely on the  opinions of local
           counsel satisfactory to such counsel.

      (c)  The Agents shall have received from Sullivan & Cromwell,  counsel for
           the Agents,  such  opinion or opinions,  dated the date hereof,  with
           respect to the issuance  and sale of the Notes,  the  Indenture,  the
           Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus and other related matters as
           the  Agents  may  reasonably  require,  and the  Company  shall  have
           furnished  to such  counsel  such  documents  as they request for the
           purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

      (d)  The Company shall have  furnished to the Agents a certificate  signed
           by its Chairman of the Board or its President or a Vice President and
           its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer stating that after reasonable
           investigation and to the best of their knowledge:

           (i) the  representations  and  warranties  of  the  Company  in  this
               Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as
               of the date  hereof  with the same  effect as if made on the date
               hereof;  the Company has  complied  with all the  agreements  and
               satisfied  all the  conditions  on its  part to be  performed  or
               satisfied  as a  condition  to the  obligation  of the  Agents to
               solicit  offers to purchase  the Notes;  and the  conditions  set
               forth in Paragraph 5(a) have been fulfilled;

          (ii) as of the date of the Prospectus,  the Registration Statement and
               the Prospectus did not include any untrue statement of a material
               fact and did not omit to state a  material  fact  required  to be
               stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not
               misleading; and

         (iii) since the date of the most recent financial  statements  included
               or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there has been no
               material  adverse  change in the condition  (financial or other),
               earnings,   business  or   properties  of  the  Company  and  its
               subsidiaries,  whether or not arising  from  transactions  in the
               ordinary   course  of  business,   except  as  set  forth  in  or
               contemplated in the Prospectus.







      (e)  The  Company  shall  have  furnished  to the Agents (i) a letter of
           Ernst & Young  LLP,  addressed  to the  Board of  Directors  of the
           Company  and the Agents and dated the later of the  effective  date
           of the  Registration  Statement  or the date of the  filing  of the
           Company's  latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, of the type described
           in  the  American   Institute  of  Certified  Public   Accountants'
           Statement  on  Auditing  Standards  No. 72 ("SAS 72") and  covering
           such  financial  statement  items of the  Company as the Agents may
           reasonably  have  requested;  (ii) a letter  of Ernst & Young  LLP,
           addressed to the Agents and dated the date hereof,  stating,  as of
           the date of such  letter  (or,  with  respect to matters  involving
           changes  or  developments  since the  respective  dates as of which
           specified financial  information is given in the Prospectus,  as of
           a date not more than five  business  days prior to the date of such
           letter),  the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to
           the financial  information and other matters of the Company covered
           by its letter  referred to in subclause (i) above and confirming in
           all  material  respects the  conclusions  and findings set forth in
           such prior letter;  and (iii) a letter,  dated the date hereof,  of
           any  other  accountants  that  have  audited  financial  statements
           included  or   incorporated   by  reference  in  the   Registration
           Statement  and  Prospectus,  addressed  to the Agents,  of the type
           described in SAS 72 and covering such financial  statement items as
           the Agents may reasonably request.

           References to the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus in this
           paragraph (e) are to such  documents as amended and  supplemented  at
           the date of the letter.

      (f)  Subsequent  to the  respective  dates  as of which  information  is
           given  in the  Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus  (with
           respect to Section 6(c) hereof, only as the Registration  Statement
           and the Prospectus are amended or supplemented  through the date of
           the Terms Agreement)  there shall not have been any change,  or any
           development  involving a  prospective  change,  in or affecting the
           business  or   properties   of  the   Company  and  its   principal
           subsidiaries the effect of which is, in the reasonable  judgment of
           the Agents,  so material and adverse as to make it  impractical  or
           inadvisable  to proceed with the  soliciting  of offers to purchase
           the Notes as  contemplated  by the  Registration  Statement and the
           Prospectus (or, in the case of a Terms  Agreement,  to proceed with
           the  offering  or the  delivery  of the  Notes to be  purchased  as
           contemplated by the Terms Agreement).

      (g)  Prior to the date  hereof,  the Company  shall have  furnished to the
           Agents such further  information,  certificates  and documents as the
           Agents may reasonably request.

      If any of the  conditions  specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
      fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement,
      or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in
      this  Agreement  shall  not  be  in  all  material   respects   reasonably
      satisfactory  in form and substance to the Agents,  this Agreement and all
      obligations  of the Agents  hereunder  may be  canceled at any time by the
      Agents.  Notice  of such  cancellation  shall be given to the  Company  in
      writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.

      The  documents  required  to be  delivered  by this  Section  5  shall  be
      delivered at the office of Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel for the Agents, at
      125 Broad  Street,  New York,  NY 10004,  or such  other  location  as the
      parties hereto agree, on the date hereof.

6.    Conditions to the  Obligations of the Purchaser.  The obligations of the
      Purchaser  to purchase  Notes  pursuant to any Terms  Agreement  will be
      subject to the accuracy of the  representations  and  warranties  on the
      part  of the  Company  herein  as of the  date of the  respective  Terms
      Agreement and as of the Purchase  Date  thereunder,  to the  performance
      and  observance by the Company of all covenants  and  agreements  herein
      contained  on  their  part  to be  performed  and  observed  and  to the
      following additional conditions precedent:







      (a)  No  stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the  Registration
           Statement,  as amended from time to time,  shall have been issued and
           no  proceedings  for that  purpose  shall  have  been  instituted  or
           threatened.

      (b)  To the extent  required  by the  respective  Terms  Agreement,  the
           Purchaser  shall  have  received,   appropriately  updated,  (i)  a
           certificate  of the Company,  dated as of the Purchase Date, to the
           effect set forth in Section  5(d),  (ii)  opinion of counsel to the
           Company,  dated as of the Purchase Date, to the effect set forth in
           Section  5(b),  (iii) the opinion of  Sullivan & Cromwell,  counsel
           for the  Purchaser,  dated as of the Purchase  Date,  to the effect
           set forth in Section  5(c),  and (iv) letters of Ernst & Young LLP,
           dated as of the Purchase  Date,  to the effect set forth in Section
           5(e).

      (c) The conditions set forth in Section 5(f) shall have been satisfied.

      (d)  Prior to the Purchase  Date,  the Company shall have furnished to the
           Purchaser such further information, certificates and documents as the
           Purchaser may reasonably request.

      (e)  Subsequent  to the  execution of any Terms  Agreement,  the Company
           shall  not  have  received  notice  that any  rating  of any of the
           Company's  unsecured senior debt securities shall have been lowered
           by any nationally  recognized  statistical rating  organization (as
           defined in Rule  15c3-1  under the  Exchange  Act) or that any such
           organization has publicly  announced that it has under surveillance
           or review, with possible negative implications,  the ratings of any
           of the Company's unsecured senior debt securities.

      If any of the  conditions  specified in this Section 6 shall not have been
      fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement,
      or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in
      this  Agreement  shall  not  be  in  all  material   respects   reasonably
      satisfactory  in form and substance to the Purchaser,  the Terms Agreement
      and all obligations of the Purchaser  thereunder may be canceled at, or at
      any time prior to, the respective  Purchase Date by the Purchaser.  Notice
      of such  cancellation  shall be  given to the  Company  in  writing  or by
      telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.

7.    Reimbursement   of  the  Agents'  and  the  Purchaser's   Expenses.   In
      connection  with the sale of any  Notes  under  this  Agreement,  if any
      condition  to the  obligations  of the  Agents  set  forth in  Section 5
      hereof is not  satisfied,  if any  condition to the  obligations  of the
      Purchaser  set forth in Section 6 (other than  Section  6(e))  hereof is
      not satisfied,  if any  termination  pursuant to Section  9(b)(i) hereof
      shall occur or in the case of any  refusal,  inability or failure on the
      part of the Company to perform any  agreement  herein or comply with any
      provision  hereof  other  than  by  reason  of a  default  by any of the
      Agents,   the  Company  will  (in  addition  to  any  other  obligations
      hereunder)  reimburse  each of the Agents or the  Purchaser  upon demand
      for all reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses  (including  reasonable fees
      and  disbursements of counsel but excluding  advertising  expenses) that
      shall have been  incurred by such Agent or the  Purchaser in  connection
      with such sale.







8.    Indemnification and Contribution.

      (a)  The Company  agrees to indemnify  and hold harmless each of you and
           each person,  if any, who controls any of you within the meaning of
           the  Securities  Act from and  against any loss,  claim,  damage or
           liability,  joint or several, and any action in respect thereof, to
           which  any of  you  or  any  such  controlling  person  may  become
           subject,  under the  Securities  Act or otherwise,  insofar as such
           loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action  arises  out of, or is
           based upon, any untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement of a
           material  fact  contained  in  the  Registration  Statement  or the
           Prospectus,  or arises out of, or is based  upon,  the  omission or
           alleged  omission to state  therein a material  fact required to be
           stated  therein or  necessary  to make the  statements  therein not
           misleading,  and shall  reimburse each of you and such  controlling
           person for any legal and other expenses  reasonably incurred by you
           or  such  controlling  person  in  investigating  or  defending  or
           preparing  to  defend  against  any  such  loss,   claim,   damage,
           liability  or action as such  expenses  are  incurred  (but no more
           frequently  than  annually),  provided,  however,  that the Company
           shall not be liable  in any such case to the  extent  that any such
           loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action  arises  out of, or is
           based upon,  any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement or
           omission or alleged omission made in the Registration  Statement or
           the  Prospectus,  in reliance upon and in  conformity  with written
           information   furnished  to  the  Company   specifically   for  use
           therein.  The foregoing  indemnity  agreement is in addition to any
           liability  which the  Company may  otherwise  have to any of you or
           any controlling person.

      (b)  Each of you shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company,  each of
           its  directors,  each of its officers  who signed the  Registration
           Statement  and any  person  who  controls  the  Company  within the
           meaning of the  Securities  Act from and against  any loss,  claim,
           damage or  liability,  joint or several,  and any action in respect
           thereof,  to which the Company,  or any such  director,  officer or
           controlling person may become subject,  under the Securities Act or
           otherwise,  insofar  as such  loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or
           action  arises out of, or is based upon,  any untrue  statement  or
           alleged  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact  contained  in the
           Registration  Statement or the Prospectus,  or arises out of, or is
           based upon,  the  omission or alleged  omission to state  therein a
           material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make
           the  statements  therein not  misleading,  but in each case only to
           the extent that the untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement
           or omission or alleged  omission  was made in reliance  upon and in
           conformity with information  furnished in writing to the Company by
           any of you  specifically  for use therein,  and shall reimburse the
           Company  for any legal and other  expenses  reasonably  incurred by
           the Company or any such director,  officer or controlling person in
           investigating  or defending or preparing to defend against any such
           loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action as such  expenses  are
           incurred  (but no more  frequently  than  annually).  The foregoing
           indemnity  agreement is in addition to any  liability  which any of
           you may  otherwise  have to the Company or any of their  directors,
           officers or controlling persons.







      (c)  Promptly after receipt by an  indemnified  party under this Section
           8 of notice of any claim or the  commencement  of any  action,  the
           indemnified  party  shall,  if a claim in respect  thereof is to be
           made  against the  indemnifying  party under this Section 8, notify
           the indemnifying  party in writing of the claim or the commencement
           of  that   action,   provided   that  the  failure  to  notify  the
           indemnifying  party shall not relieve it from any  liability  which
           it may have to an  indemnified  party  otherwise than under Section
           8(a) or  8(b).  If any  such  claim  or  action  shall  be  brought
           against an indemnified  party, and it shall notify the indemnifying
           party  thereof,   the  indemnifying  party  shall  be  entitled  to
           participate  therein,  and, to the extent  that it wishes,  jointly
           with any other  similarly  notified  indemnifying  party, to assume
           the defense  thereof with counsel  satisfactory  to the indemnified
           party.   After   notice   from  the   indemnifying   party  to  the
           indemnified  party of its  election  to assume the  defense of such
           claim or action,  the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the
           indemnified  party  under  this  Section  8 for any  legal or other
           expenses   subsequently   incurred  by  the  indemnified  party  in
           connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable  costs of
           investigation.  If  the  indemnifying  party  shall  not  elect  to
           assume the defense of such  action,  such  indemnifying  party will
           reimburse  such  indemnified  party  for the  reasonable  fees  and
           expenses  of any counsel  retained  by them.  In the event that the
           parties to any such action  (including  impleaded  parties) include
           the Company and one or more Agents and either (i) the  indemnifying
           party or parties and  indemnified  party or parties  mutually agree
           or (ii)  representation  of both the indemnifying  party or parties
           and the  indemnified  party  or  parties  by the  same  counsel  is
           inappropriate  under applicable  standards of professional  conduct
           due to actual or potential  differing  interests between them, then
           the  indemnifying  party  shall not have the  right to  assume  the
           defense  of such  action on behalf  of such  indemnified  party and
           will reimburse such  indemnified  party for the reasonable fees and
           expenses of any counsel  retained by them and  satisfactory  to the
           indemnifying  party,  it being  understood  that  the  indemnifying
           party shall not, in connection  with any one action or separate but
           similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction  arising out of
           the same general  allegations or  circumstances,  be liable for the
           reasonable  fees and  expenses  of more than one  separate  firm of
           attorneys  for all such  indemnified  parties,  which firm shall be
           designated in writing by the applicable  representative in the case
           of an  action  in  which  any  of you or  controlling  persons  are
           indemnified  parties  and by the  Company or any of its  directors,
           officers or controlling  persons in the case of any action in which
           any of them are  indemnified  parties.  The  indemnifying  party or
           parties  shall not be liable under this  Agreement  with respect to
           any settlement  made by any  indemnified  party or parties  without
           prior written consent by the indemnifying  party or parties to such
           settlement.







      (d)  If the  indemnification  provided  for in this  Section 8 shall for
           any reason be  unavailable  to an  indemnified  party under Section
           8(a) or 8(b)  hereof  in  respect  of any  loss,  claim,  damage or
           liability,  or any action in respect thereof,  referred to therein,
           then each  indemnifying  party shall, in lieu of indemnifying  such
           indemnified  party,  contribute  to the  amount  paid or payable by
           such indemnified party as a result of such loss,  claim,  damage or
           liability,  or action in respect thereof,  in such proportion as is
           appropriate  to  reflect  the  relative  benefits  received  by the
           Company,  on the one hand, and each of you, on the other hand, from
           the offering of the Notes.  If,  however,  this  allocation  is not
           permitted by  applicable  law, then each  indemnifying  party shall
           contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified  party
           as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability,  or action in
           respect  thereof,  in such  proportion as shall be  appropriate  to
           reflect the relative benefits  received by the Company,  on the one
           hand,  and each of you on the other hand,  from the offering of the
           Notes and the relative  fault of the Company,  on the one hand, and
           each of you, on the other hand,  with respect to the  statements or
           omissions which resulted in such loss, claim,  damage or liability,
           or  action  in  respect  thereof,  as  well as any  other  relevant
           equitable  considerations.  The relative  benefits  received by the
           Company,  on the one hand, and each of you, on the other hand, with
           respect  to  such  offering  shall  be  deemed  to be in  the  same
           proportion  as the  aggregate  commissions  received by each of you
           (in the case of a Terms  Agreement,  as if such commission had been
           payable)  pursuant to Section 2 to the aggregate  principal  amount
           of the Notes  sold.  The  relative  fault  shall be  determined  by
           reference  to whether the untrue or alleged  untrue  statement of a
           material  fact or omission or alleged  omission to state a material
           fact  relates to  information  supplied by the Company or by any of
           you,  the  intent  of the  parties  and their  relative  knowledge,
           access to  information  and  opportunity to correct or prevent such
           statement   or   omission.   The  amount  paid  or  payable  by  an
           indemnified  party  as a  result  of the  loss,  claim,  damage  or
           liability, or action in respect thereof,  referred to above in this
           Section  8(d)  shall be deemed to  include,  for  purposes  of this
           Section 8(d),  any legal or other expenses  reasonably  incurred by
           such  indemnified   party  in  connection  with   investigating  or
           defending   any  such   action   or  claim.   Notwithstanding   the
           provisions  of this  Section  8(d),  you shall not be  required  to
           contribute  any  amount in excess of the  amount by which the total
           price at which the Notes  purchased  by or through you were sold to
           the public  exceeds the amount of any damages which any of you have
           otherwise  paid or become  liable to pay by reason of any untrue or
           alleged  untrue  statement  or  omission  or alleged  omission.  No
           person guilty of fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning
           of  Section  11(f) of the  Securities  Act)  shall be  entitled  to
           contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
           misrepresentation.  Your  obligations  to contribute as provided in
           this  Section  8(d) are several in  proportion  to your  respective
           obligations and not joint.

9.    Termination.  This Agreement  will continue in effect until  terminated as
      provided in this Section 9.

      (a)  This  Agreement may be terminated by the Company as to any Agent or
           any Agent  insofar as this  Agreement  relates to such Agent giving
           written  notice of such  termination  to such Agent or the Company.
           This  Agreement  shall so terminate at the close of business on the
           first  business  day  following  the  receipt of such notice by the
           party  to  whom  such  notice  is  given.  In  the  event  of  such
           termination,  no  party  shall  have  any  liability  to the  other
           parties  hereto,  except as  provided  in the fourth  paragraph  of
           Section 2(a), Section 4(h), Section 7, Section 8 and Section 10.







      (b)  Each  Terms  Agreement  shall  be  subject  to  termination  in the
           absolute  discretion  of the  Purchaser,  by  notice  given  to the
           Company  prior to delivery of any payment for Notes to be purchased
           thereunder,  if prior to such time (i) there  shall  have  occurred
           any change, or any development  involving a prospective  change, in
           or  affecting  particularly  the  business  or  properties  of  the
           Company or its  subsidiaries  which, in the Purchaser's  reasonable
           judgment,  materially  impairs the investment quality of the Notes;
           (ii)  trading  in  securities  generally  on  the  New  York  Stock
           Exchange  shall have been  suspended or materially  limited and the
           effect  of  which,   in  the   Purchaser's   reasonable   judgment,
           materially  impairs the  investment  quality of the Notes;  (iii) a
           banking  moratorium  shall have been declared by either  federal or
           New York State  authorities;  or (iv) there shall have occurred any
           outbreak or escalation of  hostilities  or other calamity or crisis
           or the declaration by the United States of a national  emergency or
           war the  effect of which on the  financial  markets  of the  United
           States is  material  and  adverse and is such as to make it, in the
           reasonable judgment of the Purchaser,  impracticable or inadvisable
           to market  such Notes on the terms and in the  manner  contemplated
           by the Prospectus.

10.   Representations and Indemnities to Survive.  The respective  agreements,
      representations,  warranties,  indemnities  and other  statements of the
      Company and its  officers and of each of the Agents set forth in or made
      pursuant  to this  Agreement  will  remain  in full  force  and  effect,
      regardless  of any  investigation  made  by or on  behalf  of any of the
      Agents,  the Company or any of the  officers,  directors or  controlling
      persons  referred to in Section 8 hereof,  and will survive  delivery of
      and payment for the Notes.  The  provisions  of the fourth  paragraph of
      Section  2(a),  Section  4(h),  Section  7 and  Section  8 hereof  shall
      survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

11.   Right of Person Who Agreed to Purchase to Refuse to  Purchase.  A person
      who has agreed to purchase  and pay for Notes as a result of an offer to
      purchase  solicited by an Agent,  may refuse to purchase  such Notes if,
      on the  related  Closing  Date fixed  pursuant  to the  Procedures,  any
      condition  set forth in Section  5(a) or 5(f) shall not be  satisfied or
      if,  subsequent  to the  Acceptance  Date and on or prior to the Closing
      Date fixed pursuant to the  Procedures,  the Company shall have received
      notice  that any rating of any of the  Company's  unsecured  senior debt
      securities  shall  have  been  lowered  by  any  nationally   recognized
      statistical  rating  organization  (as defined in Rule 15c3-1  under the
      Exchange Act) or that any such organization has publicly  announced that
      it  has  under   surveillance   or  review,   with   possible   negative
      implications,  the ratings of any of the Company's unsecured senior debt
      securities.

12.   Notices.  All communications  hereunder will be in writing and effective
      only on receipt,  and, if sent to Merrill  Lynch & Co.,  Merrill  Lynch,
      Pierce,  Fenner & Smith  Incorporated  at World  Financial  Center,  250
      Vesey  Street,  North  Tower,  10th  Floor,  New York,  New York  10281,
      Attention:  Medium-Term Note Product Management; to Goldman, Sachs & Co.
      at 85 Broad St., New York, New York 10004,  Attention:  Medium-Term Note
      Management;  to Salomon  Brothers  Inc,  Seven World Trade  Center,  New
      York,  New  York  10048,  Telecopy  Number  (212)  783-2274,  Attention:
      Medium-Term   Management;   to  Pacific  Bell  at  2600  Camino   Ramon,
      Room 4CS100,  San  Ramon,  CA  94583,  Attention:  Vice  President;  and
      duplicate copies will be mailed,  delivered or telegraphed and confirmed
      to Pacific Bell at 175 E.  Houston,  7th Floor,  San Antonio,  TX 78205,
      Attention:  Treasurer,  and to SBC Communications  Inc., 175 E. Houston,
      12th  Floor,  San  Antonio,  TX 78205,  Attention:  General  Attorney  -
      Corporate/SEC.






                                     


13.   Successors.  This  Agreement  will inure to the  benefit of and be binding
      upon each of the parties  hereto and their  respective  successors and the
      officers and directors and  controlling  persons  referred to in Section 8
      hereof,  and no other  person  (other  than the  persons and to the extent
      referred  to in  Section  11  hereof)  will have any  right or  obligation
      hereunder.

14.   Applicable  Law.  This  Agreement  will be  governed by and  construed  in
      accordance with the laws of the state of New York.

15.   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by each of the parties hereto
      in any  number  of  counterparts,  each of which  shall be deemed to be an
      original,  but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the
      same instrument.






      If  the  foregoing  is  in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of  our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon
this letter and your acceptance  shall  represent a binding  agreement among the
Company and each of the Agents as of the date first set forth above.


                                Very truly yours,

                               PACIFIC BELL



                               By:      /s/Donald  E. Kiernan
                                    Donald E. Kiernan
                                    Vice President


The foregoing  Selling Agency  Agreement is hereby  confirmed and accepted as of
the date first set forth above.



                               MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                                  INCORPORATED

                               By: /s/ Scott Primrose
                                   __________________________
                                   Scott Primrose


                               GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
  
                               By: /s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                   _____________________________
                                   GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.  
                               

                               SALOMON BROTHERS INC

                               By: /s/Martha D. Bailey
                                   _________________________
                                   Martha D. Bailey






                                   SCHEDULE I


      Pursuant to Section  2(a) of the  Selling  Agency  Agreement,  the Company
agrees to pay each of the Agents a commission equal to the following  percentage
of the principal amount of each Note sold by such Agent:


- -----------------------------------------------------------------------

TERM                                                      COMMISSION
                                                            RATE

From 9 months to less than 1 year                           .125%

From 1 year to less than 18 months                          .150%

From 18 months to less than 2 years                         .200%

From 2 years to less than 3 years                           .250%

From 3 years to less than 4 years                           .350%

From 4 years to less than 5 years                           .450%

From 5 years to less than 6 years                           .500%

From 6 years to less than 7 years                           .525%

From 7 years to less than 10 years                          .575%

From 10 years up to and including 15 years                  .600%

From more than 15 years up to and including 20 years        .675%

From more than 20 years up to and including 30 years        .750%

More than 30 years                                            *


- --------------------
*  The commission will be negotiated.










                                    EXHIBIT A


                                  Pacific Bell
                           Medium-Term Notes, Series A
                  Due Nine Months or More From Date of Issue
                                 TERMS AGREEMENT

                                    _______________, 19____

Pacific Bell
175 E. Houston
San Antonio, Texas 78205

Attention:  Treasurer

      Subject in all respects to the terms and  conditions of the Selling Agency
Agreement  dated October 23, 1997,  among Merrill,  Lynch & Co.,  Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,  Goldman, Sachs & Co., Salomon Brothers Inc
and Pacific Bell (the "Agreement"), the undersigned agrees to
purchase the following Notes of Pacific Bell:

Aggregate Principal Amount:

Specified Currency:

Form of Note:                _____ Definitive Securities
                             _____ Permanent Global
                             _____ Temporary Global

Type of Note:                _____ Fixed Rate
                               _____ Floating Rate

For Fixed Rate Notes:
      Interest Rate:                _____% per annum

For Floating Rate Notes:
      Initial Interest Rate:        _____% per annum








                               

      Base Rate:             _____ Commercial Paper Rate
                             _____ LIBOR
                               _____ Treasury Rate
                             _____ Other (specify):

      Index Maturity:

      Spread (if applicable):      _____  basis points

      Spread Multiplier (if applicable):        _____%

      Maximum Interest Rate (if applicable):

      Minimum Interest Rate (if applicable):

      Interest Reset Dates (if applicable):

      Calculation Agent:

Maturity:

Initial Redemption Date:

Redemption Premium:

Interest Payment Dates:

Record Dates:

Purchase Price:   _________% of Principal Amount (plus accrued interest from
________________, 199__ )

Purchase Date and Time:

Place for Delivery of Notes and
Payment Therefor:

Method of Payment:





Redemption:






                               


      ____  The Notes are not redeemable prior to Maturity.

      ____  The  Notes  are   redeemable   prior  to   Maturity   on  and  after
            ________________,  19___ (the "Initial  Redemption  Date") at prices
            that shall initially be ____% of the principal amount of the Note to
            be redeemed and shall  decline at each one-year  anniversary  of the
            Initial  Redemption  Date by ____%  of the  principal  amount  to be
            redeemed  until  the  redemption  price  is 100%  of such  principal
            amount.

Additional terms, if any:

Modification,  if any, in the requirements to deliver the documents specified in
Section 6(b) of the Agreement:

Period during which Debt  Securities may not be sold pursuant to Section 4(m) of
the Agreement:





                                    By:  __________________________
                                         Title:


Accepted:

Pacific Bell


By:   _________________________
      Title: