BTI TELECOM CORP.,
BUSINESS TELECOM, INC.
and
FIRST TRUST OF NEW YORK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
Indenture
Dated as of September 22, 1997
10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
TIA Sections Indenture Sections
ss. 310(a)(1)............................................. 7.10
(a)(2)............................................. 7.10
(b)................................................ 7.08
ss. 313(c)................................................ 7.06; 11.02
ss. 314(a)................................................ 4.17; 11.02
(a)(4)............................................. 4.16; 11.02
(c)(1)............................................. 11.03
(c)(2)............................................. 11.03
(e)................................................ 11.04
ss. 315(b)................................................ 7.05; 11.02
ss. 316(a)(1)(A).......................................... 6.05
(a)(1)(B).......................................... 6.04
(b)................................................ 6.07
ss. 317(a)(1)............................................. 6.08
(a)(2)............................................. 6.09
ss. 318(a)................................................ 11.01
(c)................................................ 11.01
Note: The Cross-Reference Table shall not for any purpose be deemed to be a
part of the Indenture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01. Definitions............................................................. 1
SECTION 1.02. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.......................22
SECTION 1.03. Rules of Construction...................................................22
ARTICLE TWO
THE NOTES
SECTION 2.01. Form and Dating.........................................................23
SECTION 2.02. Restrictive Legends.....................................................24
SECTION 2.03. Execution, Authentication and Denominations.............................26
SECTION 2.04. Registrar and Paying Agent..............................................27
SECTION 2.05. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.....................................28
SECTION 2.06. Transfer and Exchange...................................................28
SECTION 2.07. Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes..................................29
SECTION 2.08. Special Transfer Provisions.............................................31
SECTION 2.09. Replacement Notes.......................................................34
SECTION 2.10. Outstanding Notes.......................................................35
SECTION 2.11. Temporary Notes.........................................................35
SECTION 2.12. Cancellation............................................................36
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers...........................................................36
SECTION 2.14. Defaulted Interest......................................................36
SECTION 2.15. Issuance of Additional Notes............................................36
ARTICLE THREE
REDEMPTION
SECTION 3.01. Right of Redemption; Mandatory Redemption...............................37
SECTION 3.02. Notices to Trustee......................................................37
SECTION 3.03. Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed.......................................38
SECTION 3.04. Notice of Redemption....................................................38
SECTION 3.05. Effect of Notice of Redemption..........................................39
SECTION 3.06. Deposit of Redemption Price.............................................39
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Note: The Table of Contents shall not for any purposes be deemed to be a part
of the Indenture.
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Page
SECTION 3.07. Payment of Notes Called for Redemption..................................40
SECTION 3.08. Notes Redeemed in Part..................................................40
ARTICLE FOUR
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01. Payment of Notes........................................................40
SECTION 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency.........................................40
SECTION 4.03. Limitation on Indebtedness..............................................41
SECTION 4.04. Limitation on Restricted Payments.......................................44
SECTION 4.05. Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting
Restricted Subsidiaries.........................................48
SECTION 4.06. Limitation on the Issuance and Sale of Capital Stock of Restricted
Subsidiaries....................................................49
SECTION 4.07. Limitation on Issuances of Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries........50
SECTION 4.08. Limitation on Transactions with Stockholders and Affiliates.............50
SECTION 4.09. Limitation on Liens.....................................................51
SECTION 4.10. Limitation on Asset Sales...............................................52
SECTION 4.11. Repurchase of Notes upon a Change of Control............................53
SECTION 4.12. Existence...............................................................53
SECTION 4.13. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.......................................53
SECTION 4.14. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance.................................54
SECTION 4.15. Notice of Defaults......................................................54
SECTION 4.16. Compliance Certificates.................................................54
SECTION 4.17. Commission Reports and Reports to Holders...............................55
SECTION 4.18. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws.................................55
SECTION 4.19. Limitation on Sale-Leaseback Transactions...............................56
SECTION 4.20. Special Repurchase Offer................................................56
ARTICLE FIVE
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
SECTION 5.01. When Company May Merge, Etc.............................................57
SECTION 5.02. Successor Substituted...................................................58
ARTICLE SIX
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default.......................................................58
SECTION 6.02. Acceleration............................................................59
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SECTION 6.03. Other Remedies..........................................................60
SECTION 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults.................................................60
SECTION 6.05. Control by Majority.....................................................61
SECTION 6.06. Limitation on Suits.....................................................61
SECTION 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment....................................61
SECTION 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee..............................................62
SECTION 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim........................................62
SECTION 6.10. Priorities..............................................................62
SECTION 6.11. Undertaking for Costs...................................................63
SECTION 6.12. Restoration of Rights and Remedies......................................63
SECTION 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative..........................................63
SECTION 6.14. Delay or Omission Not Waiver............................................63
ARTICLE SEVEN
TRUSTEE
SECTION 7.01. General ................................................................64
SECTION 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee...............................................64
SECTION 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee............................................65
SECTION 7.04. Trustee's Disclaimer....................................................65
SECTION 7.05. Notice of Default.......................................................65
SECTION 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders...........................................66
SECTION 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity..............................................66
SECTION 7.08. Replacement of Trustee..................................................67
SECTION 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc........................................68
SECTION 7.10. Eligibility.............................................................68
SECTION 7.11. Money Held in Trust.....................................................68
SECTION 7.12. Withholding Taxes.......................................................68
ARTICLE EIGHT
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
SECTION 8.01. Termination of Company's Obligations....................................69
SECTION 8.02. Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture...................................70
SECTION 8.03. Defeasance of Certain Obligations.......................................72
SECTION 8.04. Application of Trust Money..............................................74
SECTION 8.05. Repayment to Company....................................................74
SECTION 8.06. Reinstatement...........................................................74
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ARTICLE NINE
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Holders..............................................75
SECTION 9.02. With Consent of Holders.................................................75
SECTION 9.03. Revocation and Effect of Consent........................................77
SECTION 9.04. Notation on or Exchange of Notes........................................77
SECTION 9.05. Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.........................................77
SECTION 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.....................................78
ARTICLE TEN
SECURITY
SECTION 10.01. Security...............................................................78
ARTICLE ELEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 11.01. Trust Indenture Act of 1939............................................79
SECTION 11.02. Notices................................................................79
SECTION 11.03. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.....................81
SECTION 11.04. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion..........................81
SECTION 11.05. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar............................81
SECTION 11.06. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day.................................81
SECTION 11.07. Governing Law..........................................................82
SECTION 11.08. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements..........................82
SECTION 11.09. No Recourse Against Others.............................................82
SECTION 11.10. Successors.............................................................82
SECTION 11.11. Duplicate Originals....................................................82
SECTION 11.12. Separability...........................................................82
SECTION 11.13. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.......................................83
ARTICLE TWELVE
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS
SECTION 12.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called..............................83
SECTION 12.02. Manner of Calling Meetings.............................................83
SECTION 12.03. Call of Meetings by the Company or Holders.............................84
SECTION 12.04. Who May Attend and Vote at Meetings....................................84
SECTION 12.05. Quorum; Action.........................................................84
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SECTION 12.06. Regulations May Be Made by Trustee; Conduct of the Meeting;
Voting Rights; Adjournment......................................85
SECTION 12.07. Voting at the Meeting and Record to Be Kept............................86
SECTION 12.08. Exercise of Rights of Trustee or Holders May Not Be Hindered or
Delayed by Call of Meeting......................................86
SECTION 12.09. Procedures Not Exclusive...............................................86
EXHIBIT A Form of Note.........................................................A-1
EXHIBIT B Form of Certificate..................................................B-1
EXHIBIT C Form of Certificate to Be Delivered in Connection with
Transfers Pursuant to Non-QIB Accredited Investors........C-1
EXHIBIT D Form of Certificate to Be Delivered in Connection with
Transfers Pursuant to Regulation S........................D-1
INDENTURE, dated as of September 22, 1997, between BTI TELECOM CORP., a
North Carolina corporation ("BTI Telecom"), BUSINESS TELECOM, INC., a North
Carolina corporation ("BTI"), and First Trust of New York, National Association,
a national banking association (the "Trustee").
RECITALS
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance initially of up to $250,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of BTI Telecom's 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Notes")
issuable as provided in this Indenture. The Notes will be partially secured
pursuant to the terms of a Pledge Agreement (as defined herein) as provided by
Article Ten of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a
valid agreement of BTI Telecom and BTI, in accordance with its terms, have been
done, and BTI Telecom has done all things necessary to make the Notes, when
executed by BTI Telecom and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee hereunder
and duly issued by BTI Telecom, the valid obligations of BTI Telecom as
hereinafter provided.
This Indenture is subject to, and shall be governed by, the provisions
of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 that are required to be a part of and to
govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
AND THIS INDENTURE FURTHER WITNESSETH
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes
by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and
proportionate benefit of all Holders, BTI Telecom, BTI and the Trustee, as
follows.
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01. Definitions.
"Acquired Assets" means (i) the Capital Stock of any Person that
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date and (ii) the real or
personal property of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the
Closing Date.
"Acquired Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of a Person existing at the
time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or assumed in connection with
an Asset Acquisition by a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that Indebtedness of
such Person which is redeemed, defeased, retired or otherwise repaid at the time
of or immediately upon consummation of the
2
transactions by which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or such Asset
Acquisition shall not be Acquired Indebtedness.
"Adjusted Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, the aggregate
net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period determined in conformity with GAAP; provided that the following items
shall be excluded in computing Adjusted Consolidated Net Income (without
duplication): (i) the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a
Restricted Subsidiary) in which any Person (other than the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) has a joint interest and the net income (or loss) of
any Unrestricted Subsidiary, except (x) with respect to net income, to the
extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by such other Person or such
Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period and (y) with respect to net losses,
to the extent of the amount of cash contributed by the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary to such Person during such period; (ii) solely for the purposes of
calculating the amount of Restricted Payments that may be made pursuant to
clause (C) of the first paragraph Section 4.04 (and in such case, except to the
extent includable pursuant to clause (i) above), the net income (or loss) of any
Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged
into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or
all or substantially all of the property and assets of such Person are acquired
by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; (iii) the net income of
any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of such net
income is not at the time permitted by the operation of the terms of its charter
or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or
governmental regulation applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary; (iv) any gains
or losses (on an after-tax basis) attributable to Asset Sales; (v) except for
purposes of calculating the amount of Restricted Payments that may be made
pursuant to clause (C) of the first paragraph of Section 4.04, any amount paid
or accrued as dividends on Preferred Stock (other than accrued dividends which,
pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Stock, will not be payable prior to the
first anniversary after the Stated Maturity of the Notes) of the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary owned by Persons other than the Company and any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; (vi) all extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses;
and (vii) any compensation expense paid or payable solely with Capital Stock
(other than Redeemable Stock) of the Company or any options, warrants or other
rights to acquire Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) of the Company.
"Affiliate" means, as applied to any Person, any other Person directly
or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common
control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, "control"
(including, with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling," "controlled by"
and "under common control with"), as applied to any Person, means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
3
"Agent" means any Registrar, Co-Registrar, Paying Agent or
authenticating agent.
"Agent Members" has the meaning provided in Section 2.07(a).
"Asset Acquisition" means (i) an investment by the Company or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries in any other Person pursuant to which such Person
shall become a Restricted Subsidiary or shall be merged into or consolidated
with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that such
Person's primary business is related, ancillary or complementary to the
businesses of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of such
investment or (ii) an acquisition by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of the property and assets of any Person other than the Company or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that constitute substantially all of a
division or line of business of such Person; provided that the property and
assets acquired are related, ancillary or complementary to the businesses of the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of such acquisition.
"Asset Disposition" means the sale or other disposition by the Company
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than to the Company or another
Restricted Subsidiary) of (i) all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of
any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) all or substantially all of the assets that
constitute a division or line of business of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Asset Sale" means any sale, transfer or other disposition (including
by way of merger, consolidation or sale-leaseback transaction) in one
transaction or a series of related transactions by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to any Person other than the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of (i) all or any of the Capital Stock of any Restricted
Subsidiary, (ii) all or substantially all of the property and assets of an
operating unit or business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
or (iii) any other property and assets (other than the Capital Stock of or other
Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries outside the ordinary course of business of the Company
or such Restricted Subsidiary and, in each case, that is not governed by Article
Five; provided that "Asset Sale" shall not include (a) sales, transfers or other
dispositions of inventory, receivables and other current assets, (b) sales,
transfers or other dispositions of assets with a Fair Market Value (as certified
in an Officers' Certificate) not in excess of $1 million in any transaction or
series of related transactions or (c) sales, transfers or other dispositions of
assets for consideration at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets
sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of to the extent the consideration
received would satisfy clause (B) of the first paragraph of Section 4.10,
provided that after giving pro forma effect to such exchange, the Consolidated
Leverage Ratio shall be no greater than the Consolidated Leverage Ratio
immediately prior to such exchange.
"Average Life" means, at any date of determination with respect to any
debt security, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products of
(a) the number of years from
4
such date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal
payment of such debt security and (b) the amount of such principal payment by
(ii) the sum of all such principal payments.
"Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company or any
committee of such Board of Directors duly authorized to act under this
Indenture.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by
the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
"Business Day" means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on
which commercial banks in The City of New York, or in the city of the Corporate
Trust Office of the Trustee, are authorized by law to close.
"BTI" means the party named in the first paragraph of this Indenture.
"BTI Refinancing" means the execution and delivery, on or prior to the
Closing Date, of the Credit Agreement.
"BTI Telecom" means the party named in the first paragraph of this
Indenture.
"Capital Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting) in equity of such Person, whether outstanding on the
Closing Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all Common
Stock and Preferred Stock.
"Capitalized Lease" means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any
property (whether real, personal or mixed) of which the discounted present value
of the rental obligations of such Person as lessee, in conformity with GAAP, is
required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person.
"Capitalized Lease Obligations" means the discounted present value of
the rental obligations under a Capitalized Lease.
"Change of Control" means such time as (i) (a) prior to the occurrence
of a Public Market, a "person" or "group" (within the meaning of Sections 13(d)
and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) becomes the ultimate "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Voting Stock representing a
greater percentage of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company,
on a fully diluted basis, than is held by Peter T. Loftin and his Affiliates on
such date and (b) after the occurrence of a Public Market, a "person" or "group"
(within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other
than
5
Peter T. Loftin and his Affiliates, becomes the ultimate "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of more than 35% of the total
voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company on a fully diluted basis and
such ownership represents a greater percentage of the total voting power of the
Voting Stock of the Company, on a fully diluted basis, than is held by Peter T.
Loftin and his Affiliates on such date; or (ii) individuals who on the Closing
Date constitute the Board of Directors (together with any new directors whose
election by the Board of Directors or whose nomination by the Board of Directors
for election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors then in office who either
were members of the Board of Directors on the Closing Date or whose election or
nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to
constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors then in office.
"Closing Date" means the date on which the Notes are originally issued
under this Indenture.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time
to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time after the
execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the
duties now assigned to it under the TIA, then the body performing such duties at
such time.
"Common Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting) of such Person's equity, other than Preferred Stock of
such Person, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter,
including, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.
"Company" means, (i) prior to the consummation of the Reorganization,
collectively BTI Telecom and BTI and (ii) following the consummation of the
Reorganization, BTI Telecom, in each case until a successor replaces it pursuant
to Article Five and thereafter means the successor.
"Company Order" means a written request or order signed in the name of
the Company (i) by its Chairman, a Vice Chairman, its President or a Vice
President and (ii) by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary and delivered to the Trustee; provided, however, that such
written request or order may be signed by any two of the officers or directors
listed in clause (i) above in lieu of being signed by one of such officers or
directors listed in such clause (i) and one of the officers listed in clause
(ii) above.
"Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, the sum of the amounts for
such period of (i) Adjusted Consolidated Net Income, (ii) Consolidated Interest
Expense to the extent such amount was deducted in calculating Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income, (iii)
6
income taxes, to the extent such amount was deducted in calculating Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income (other than income taxes (either positive or negative)
attributable to extraordinary and non-recurring gains or losses or sales of
assets), (iv) depreciation expense, to the extent such amount was deducted in
calculating Adjusted Consolidated Net Income, (v) amortization expense, to the
extent such amount was deducted in calculating Adjusted Consolidated Net Income,
and (vi) all other non-cash items reducing Adjusted Consolidated Net Income
(other than items that will require cash payments and for which an accrual or
reserve is, or is required by GAAP to be, made), less all non-cash items
increasing Adjusted Consolidated Net Income, all as determined on a consolidated
basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP;
provided that, if any Restricted Subsidiary is not a Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary, Consolidated EBITDA shall be reduced (to the extent not otherwise
reduced in accordance with GAAP) by an amount equal to (A) the amount of the
Adjusted Consolidated Net Income attributable to such Restricted Subsidiary
multiplied by (B) the quotient of (1) the number of shares of outstanding Common
Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary not owned on the last day of such period by
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries divided by (2) the total
number of shares of outstanding Common Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary on
the last day of such period.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, the aggregate
amount of interest in respect of Indebtedness (including, without limitation,
amortization of original issue discount on any Indebtedness and the interest
portion of any deferred payment obligation, calculated in accordance with the
effective interest method of accounting; all commissions, discounts and other
fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance
financing; the net costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements; and
Indebtedness that is Guaranteed or secured by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) and all but the principal component of rentals in
respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid
or to be accrued by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such
period; excluding, however, (i) any amount of such interest of any Restricted
Subsidiary if the net income of such Restricted Subsidiary is excluded in the
calculation of Adjusted Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (iii) of the
definition thereof (but only in the same proportion as the net income of such
Restricted Subsidiary is excluded from the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated
Net Income pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition thereof) and (ii) any
premiums, fees and expenses (and any amortization thereof) payable in connection
with the Transactions, all as determined on a consolidated basis (without taking
into account Unrestricted Subsidiaries) in conformity with GAAP.
"Consolidated Leverage Ratio" means, on any Transaction Date, the ratio
of (i) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis outstanding on such Transaction Date to
(ii) the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDA for the then most recent four
fiscal quarters for which financial statements of the Company have been filed
with the Commission or provided to the Trustee
7
pursuant to Section 4.17 (such four fiscal quarter period being the "Four
Quarter Period"); provided that, in making the foregoing calculation, (A) pro
forma effect shall be given to any Indebtedness to be Incurred or repaid on the
Transaction Date; (B) pro forma effect shall be given to Asset Dispositions and
Asset Acquisitions (including giving pro forma effect to the application of
proceeds of any Asset Disposition) that occur from the beginning of the Four
Quarter Period through the Transaction Date (the "Reference Period"), as if they
had occurred and such proceeds had been applied on the first day of such
Reference Period; (C) pro forma effect shall be given to asset dispositions and
asset acquisitions (including giving pro forma effect to the application of
proceeds of any asset disposition) that have been made by any Person that has
become a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged with or into the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary during such Reference Period and that would have
constituted Asset Dispositions or Asset Acquisitions had such transactions
occurred when such Person was a Restricted Subsidiary as if such asset
dispositions or asset acquisitions were Asset Dispositions or Asset Acquisitions
that occurred on the first day of such Reference Period; provided that, to the
extent that clause (B) or (C) of this sentence requires that pro forma effect be
given to an Asset Acquisition or Asset Disposition, such pro forma calculation
shall be based upon the four full fiscal quarters immediately preceding the
Transaction Date of the Person, or division or line of business of the Person,
that is acquired or disposed of for which financial information is available;
and (D) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness outstanding as of the end of the
Reference Period will be deemed to include the total amount of funds outstanding
and/or available on the Transaction Date under any revolving credit or similar
facilities of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Consolidated Net Worth" means, at any date of determination,
stockholders' equity as set forth on the most recently available quarterly or
annual consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries
(which shall be as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date of such
computation and which shall not take into account Unrestricted Subsidiaries),
less any amounts attributable to Redeemable Stock or any equity security
convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness, the cost of treasury stock
and the principal amount of any promissory notes receivable from the sale of the
Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, each item to
be determined in conformity with GAAP (excluding the effects of foreign currency
exchange adjustments under Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 52).
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at which the
corporate trust business of the Trustee shall, at any particular time, be
principally administered, which office is, at the date of this Indenture,
located at 100 Wall Street, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10005, Attention:
Corporate Trust Department.
"Credit Agreement" means the amended and restated credit agreement
contemplated by the Commitment Letter dated August 29, 1997 between BTI and
General Electric Capital Corporation, together with any agreements, instruments
and documents executed or delivered
8
pursuant to or in connection with such credit agreement, in each case as such
credit agreement or such agreements, instruments or documents may be amended,
supplemented, extended, renewed, replaced or otherwise modified from time to
time.
"Credit Facilities" means revolving credit or working capital
facilities or similar facilities made available from time to time to the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Currency Agreement" means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap
agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement.
"Default" means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time
or both would be, an Event of Default.
"Depositary" means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees, and
their respective successors.
"Event of Default" has the meaning provided in Section 6.01.
"Excess Proceeds" has the meaning provided in Section 4.10.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
"Exchange Notes" means any securities of the Company containing terms
identical to the Notes (except that such Exchange Notes shall be registered
under the Securities Act) that are issued and exchanged for the Notes pursuant
to the Registration Rights Agreement and this Indenture.
"Fair Market Value" means the price that would be paid in an
arm's-length transaction between an informed and willing seller under no
compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy,
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall
be conclusive if evidenced by a Board Resolution; provided that for purposes of
clause (viii) of the second paragraph of Section 4.03(a), (x) the Fair Market
Value of any security registered under the Exchange Act shall be the average of
the closing prices, regular way, of such security for the 20 consecutive trading
days immediately preceding the capital contribution or sale of Capital Stock and
(y) in the event the aggregate Fair Market Value of any other property (other
than cash or cash equivalents) received by the Company exceeds $10 million, the
Fair Market Value of such property shall be determined by a nationally
recognized investment banking firm and set forth in their written opinion which
shall be delivered to the Trustee.
"FiberSouth" means FiberSouth, Inc., a North Carolina corporation.
9
"FiberSouth Acquisition" means the acquisition by BTI of substantially
all the assets of FiberSouth (other than its cable television assets) for
approximately $31.0 million and the repayment of up to $5.5 million of
indebtedness of FiberSouth in connection therewith.
"FiberSouth Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel" means
collectively the FiberSouth Officers' Certificate (as defined in the Pledge
Agreement) and the Opinion of Counsel (as defined in the Pledge Agreement) with
respect to the FiberSouth Acquisition.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States of America as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation,
those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles
Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements
and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the
accounting profession. All ratios and computations contained or referred to in
this Indenture shall be computed in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent
basis, except that computations made for purposes of determining compliance with
the terms of the covenants and with other provisions of this Indenture shall be
made without giving effect to (i) the amortization of any expenses incurred in
connection with the Transactions and (ii) except as otherwise provided, the
amortization of any amounts required or permitted by Accounting Principles Board
Opinions Nos. 16 and 17.
"Global Notes" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"Guarantee" means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any
Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person
and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or
indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or
advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of
such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by
agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services
(unless such purchase arrangements are on arm's-length terms and are entered
into in the ordinary course of business), to take-or-pay, or to maintain
financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for purposes
of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment
thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or
in part); provided that the term "Guarantee" shall not include endorsements for
collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term "Guarantee"
used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
"Guaranteed Indebtedness" has the meaning provided in Section 4.07.
"Holder" means the registered holder of any Note.
10
"Incur" means, with respect to any Indebtedness, to incur, create,
issue, assume, Guarantee or otherwise become liable for or with respect to, or
become responsible for, the payment of, contingently or otherwise, such
Indebtedness, including an Incurrence of Acquired Indebtedness; provided that
neither the accrual of interest nor the accretion of original issue discount
shall be considered an Incurrence of Indebtedness. The terms "Incurrence" and
"Incurred" shall have corresponding meanings.
"Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person at any date of
determination (without duplication), (i) all indebtedness of such Person for
borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) all obligations of such
Person in respect of letters of credit or other similar instruments (including
reimbursement obligations with respect thereto), but excluding obligations with
respect to letters of credit (including trade letters of credit) securing
obligations (other than obligations described in (i) or (ii) above or (v), (vi)
or (vii) below) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person
to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if drawn upon, to
the extent such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day
following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement), (iv) all
obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of
property or services, which purchase price is due more than six months after the
date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto or
the completion of such services, except Trade Payables, (v) all Capitalized
Lease Obligations of such Person, (vi) all Indebtedness of other Persons secured
by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is
assumed by such Person; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness shall be
the lesser of (A) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of
determination and (B) the amount of such Indebtedness, (vii) all Indebtedness of
other Persons Guaranteed by such Person to the extent such Indebtedness is
Guaranteed by such Person and (viii) to the extent not otherwise included in
this definition, obligations under Currency Agreements and Interest Rate
Agreements. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the
outstanding balance at such date (or, in the case of a revolving credit or other
similar facility, the total amount of funds outstanding and/or available on the
date of determination) of all unconditional obligations as described above and,
with respect to contingent obligations as described above, the maximum liability
upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation, provided
that (A) the amount outstanding at any time of any Indebtedness issued with
original issue discount is the face amount of such Indebtedness less the
remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such
Indebtedness at the time of its issuance as determined in conformity with GAAP,
(B) money borrowed and set aside at the time of the Incurrence of any
Indebtedness in order to prefund the payment of the interest on such
Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be "Indebtedness" and (C) Indebtedness shall
not include any liability (including any liability arising under a tax
indemnification agreement with a shareholder of the Company at the time the
Company was an S corporation) for federal, state, local or other taxes
(including penalties and interest, if any).
11
"Indenture" means this Indenture as originally executed or as it may be
amended or supplemented from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental
to this Indenture entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Indenture.
"Institutional Accredited Investor" means an institution that is an
"accredited investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7)
under the Securities Act.
"Interest Payment Date" means each semiannual interest payment date on
March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing March 15, 1998.
"Interest Rate Agreement" means any interest rate protection agreement,
interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate
swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement,
interest rate hedge agreement, option or future contract or other similar
agreement or arrangement.
"Investment" in any Person means any direct or indirect advance, loan
or other extension of credit (including, without limitation, by way of Guarantee
or similar arrangement; but excluding advances to customers in the ordinary
course of business that are, in conformity with GAAP, recorded as accounts
receivable on the balance sheet of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries)
or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property
to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of
others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, bonds, notes,
debentures or other similar instruments issued by, such Person and shall include
(i) the designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and
(ii) the Fair Market Value of the Capital Stock (or any other Investment), held
by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, of (or in) any Person that
has ceased to be a Restricted Subsidiary, including, without limitation, by
reason of any transaction permitted by clause (iii) of Section 4.06. For
purposes of the definition of "Unrestricted Subsidiary" and Section 4.04, (i)
"Investment" shall include the Fair Market Value of the assets (net of
liabilities (other than liabilities to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries))
of any Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is
designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (ii) the Fair Market Value of the assets
(net of liabilities (other than liabilities to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries)) of any Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time that such Unrestricted
Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary shall be considered a reduction
in outstanding Investments and (iii) any property transferred to or from any
Person shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer.
"Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien
or charge of any kind (including, without limitation, any conditional sale or
other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof or any agreement
to give any security interest).
12
"Net Cash Proceeds" means, (a) with respect to any Asset Sale, the
proceeds of such Asset Sale in the form of cash or cash equivalents, including
payments in respect of deferred payment obligations (to the extent corresponding
to the principal, but not interest, component thereof) when received in the form
of cash or cash equivalents (except to the extent such obligations are financed
or sold with recourse to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) and proceeds
from the conversion of other property received when converted to cash or cash
equivalents, net of (i) brokerage commissions and other fees and expenses
(including fees and expenses of counsel and investment bankers) related to such
Asset Sale, (ii) provisions for all taxes (whether or not such taxes will
actually be paid or are payable) as a result of such Asset Sale without regard
to the consolidated results of operations of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (iii) payments made to repay Indebtedness or any
other obligation outstanding at the time of such Asset Sale that either (A) is
secured by a Lien on the property or assets sold or (B) is required to be paid
as a result of such sale and (iv) appropriate amounts to be provided by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as a reserve against any liabilities
associated with such Asset Sale, including, without limitation, pension and
other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental
matters and liabilities under any indemnification obligations associated with
such Asset Sale, all as determined in conformity with GAAP, and (b) with respect
to any capital contribution or issuance or sale of Capital Stock, options,
warrants or other rights to acquire Capital Stock or Indebtedness, the proceeds
of such capital contribution or issuance or sale in the form of cash or cash
equivalents, including payments in respect of deferred payment obligations (to
the extent corresponding to the principal, but not interest, component thereof)
when received in the form of cash or cash equivalents (except to the extent such
obligations are financed or sold with recourse to the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary) and proceeds from the conversion of other property received when
converted to cash or cash equivalents, net of attorney's fees, accountants'
fees, underwriters' or placement agents' fees, discounts or commissions and
brokerage, consultant and other fees incurred in connection with such issuance
or sale and net of taxes or payable as a result thereof.
"Non-U.S. Person" means a person who is not a "U.S. person" (as defined
in Regulation S).
"Notes" means any of the securities, as defined in the first paragraph
of the recitals hereof, that are authenticated and delivered under this
Indenture. For all purposes of this Indenture, the term "Notes" shall include
the Notes initially issued on the Closing Date, any Exchange Notes to be issued
and exchanged for any Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and
this Indenture and any other Notes issued after the Closing Date under this
Indenture. For purposes of this Indenture, all Notes shall vote together as one
series of Notes under this Indenture.
"Offer to Purchase" means an offer by the Company to purchase Notes
from the Holders commenced by mailing a notice to the Trustee and each Holder
stating: (i) the
13
covenant pursuant to which the offer is being made and that all Notes validly
tendered will be accepted for payment on a pro rata basis; (ii) the purchase
price and the date of purchase (which shall be a Business Day no earlier than 30
days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed) (the "Payment
Date"); (iii) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest
pursuant to its terms; (iv) that, unless the Company defaults in the payment of
the purchase price, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer to
Purchase shall cease to accrue interest on and after the Payment Date; (v) that
Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to the Offer to Purchase will
be required to surrender the Note, together with the form entitled "Option of
the Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse side of the Note completed, to the
Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of
business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Payment Date; (vi) that
Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent
receives, not later than the close of business on the third Business Day
immediately preceding the Payment Date, a facsimile transmission or letter
setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered
for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to
have such Notes purchased; and (vii) that Holders whose Notes are being
purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the
unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered; provided that each Note purchased
and each new Note issued shall be in a principal amount of $1,000 or integral
multiples thereof. On the Payment Date, the Company shall (i) accept for payment
on a pro rata basis Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to an Offer to
Purchase; (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the
purchase price of all Notes or portions thereof so accepted; and (iii) deliver,
or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee all Notes or portions thereof so
accepted together with an Officers' Certificate specifying the Notes or portions
thereof accepted for payment by the Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly
mail to the Holders of Notes so accepted payment in an amount equal to the
purchase price, and the Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail to such
Holders a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the
Note surrendered; provided that each Note purchased and each new Note issued
shall be in a principal amount of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. The
Company will publicly announce the results of an Offer to Purchase as soon as
practicable after the Payment Date. The Trustee shall act as the Paying Agent
for an Offer to Purchase. The Company will comply with Rule 14e-1 under the
Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the
extent such laws and regulations are applicable, in the event that the Company
is required to repurchase Notes pursuant to an Offer to Purchase.
"Officer" means, with respect to the Company, (i) the Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President or the
Chief Financial Officer, and (ii) the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by one Officer
listed in clause (i) of the definition thereof and one Officer listed in clause
(ii) of the definition thereof or two officers listed in clause (i) of the
definition thereof. Each Officers' Certificate (other than
14
certificates provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall include the
statements provided for in TIA Section 314(e).
"Offshore Global Note" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"Offshore Notes Exchange Date" has the meaning provided in Section
2.01.
"Offshore Physical Notes" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion signed by legal counsel,
who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, that meets the requirements
of Section 11.04 hereof. Each such Opinion of Counsel shall include the
statements provided for in TIA Section 314(e).
"Paying Agent" has the meaning provided in Section 2.04, except that,
for the purposes of Article Eight, the Paying Agent shall not be the Company or
a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of any of them. The term "Paying
Agent" includes any additional Paying Agent.
"Permanent Offshore Global Notes" has the meaning provided in Section
2.01.
"Permitted Investment" means (i) an Investment in the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary or a Person which will, upon the making of such
Investment, become a Restricted Subsidiary or be merged or consolidated with or
into or transfer or convey all or substantially all its assets to, the Company
or a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that such Person's primary business is
related, ancillary or complementary to the businesses of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of such Investment; (ii) a Temporary Cash
Investment; (iii) commission, payroll, travel and similar advances to cover
matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated
as expenses in accordance with GAAP; (iv) stock, obligations or securities
received in satisfaction of judgments; (v) Investments in prepaid expenses,
negotiable instruments held for collection, and lease, utility and workers'
compensation, performance and other similar deposits; and (vi) Interest Rate
Agreements and Currency Agreements to the extent permitted under clause (iv) of
Section 4.03(a).
"Permitted Liens" means (i) Liens for taxes, assessments, governmental
charges or claims that are being contested in good faith by appropriate legal
proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted and for which a reserve
or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required in conformity with
GAAP shall have been made; (ii) statutory and common law Liens of landlords and
carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen or other
similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and with respect to
amounts not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith by appropriate
15
legal proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted and for which a
reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in
conformity with GAAP shall have been made; (iii) Liens incurred or deposits made
in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers' compensation,
unemployment insurance and other types of social security; (iv) Liens incurred
or deposits made to secure the performance of tenders, bids, leases, statutory
or regulatory obligations, bankers' acceptances, surety and appeal bonds,
government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other
obligations of a similar nature incurred in the ordinary course of business
(exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money); (v) easements,
rights-of-way, municipal and zoning ordinances and similar charges,
encumbrances, title defects or other irregularities that do not materially
interfere with the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; (vi) Liens (including extensions and renewals thereof)
upon real or personal property (including, without limitation, Acquired Assets)
acquired after the Closing Date; provided that (a) such Lien is created solely
for the purpose of securing Indebtedness Incurred, in accordance with Section
4.03, to finance the cost (including, without limitation, the cost of design,
development, construction, acquisition, installation, improvement,
transportation or integration) of the real or personal property subject thereto
and such Lien is created prior to, at the time of or within six months after the
latest of the acquisition, the completion of construction or the commencement of
full operation of such real or personal property; provided that in the case of
Acquired Assets, the Lien secures the Indebtedness Incurred to purchase the
Capital Stock of the Person to make such Person a Restricted Subsidiary, (b) the
principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien does not exceed 100%
of such cost and (c) any such Lien shall not extend to or cover any real or
personal property other than such real or personal property and any improvements
on such real or personal property and any proceeds thereof; (vii) leases or
subleases granted to others that do not materially interfere with the ordinary
course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole; (viii) Liens encumbering property or assets under construction arising
from progress or partial payments by a customer of the Company or its Restricted
Subsidiaries relating to such property or assets; (ix) any interest or title of
a lessor in the property subject to any Capitalized Lease or operating lease;
(x) Liens arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements
regarding leases; (xi) Liens on property of, or on shares of Capital Stock or
Indebtedness of, any Person existing at the time such Person becomes, or becomes
a part of, any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens do not extend to
or cover any property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
other than the property or assets acquired and any proceeds thereof; (xii) Liens
in favor of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; (xiii) Liens arising from
the rendering of a final judgment or order against the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary that does not give rise to an Event of Default; (xiv) Liens securing
reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit that encumber
documents and other property relating to such letters of credit and the products
and proceeds thereof; (xv) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities
arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection
with the importation of goods; (xvi) Liens encumbering customary initial
deposits and margin
16
deposits, and other Liens that are either within the general parameters
customary in the industry and incurred in the ordinary course of business, in
each case securing Indebtedness under Interest Rate Agreements and Currency
Agreements and forward contracts, options, future contracts, futures options or
similar agreements or arrangements designed solely to protect the Company or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries from fluctuations in interest rates, currencies
or the price of commodities; (xvii) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title
retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered
into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course
of business in accordance with the past practices of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries prior to the Closing Date; (xviii) Liens on or sales of
receivables, including related intangible assets and proceeds thereof; and (xix)
Liens that secure Indebtedness with an aggregate principal amount not to exceed
$5 million at any time outstanding.
"Person" means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited
liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity or organization,
including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality
thereof.
"Physical Notes" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"Pledge Account" means the accounts established with the Trustee
pursuant to the terms of the Pledge Agreement for the purchase of the Pledged
Securities.
"Pledge Agreement" means the Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of
the Closing Date, made by BTI and Business Telecom in favor of the Trustee,
governing the disbursement of funds from the Pledge Account, as such agreement
may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Pledged Securities" means the U.S. Government Securities to be
purchased and held in the Pledge Account in accordance with the Pledge
Agreement.
"Preferred Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any and all
shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated,
whether voting or non-voting) of such Person's preferred or preference equity,
whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter, including, without
limitation, all series and classes of such preferred or preference stock.
"principal" of a debt security, including the Notes, means the
principal amount due on the Stated Maturity as shown on such debt security.
"Private Placement Legend" means the legend initially set forth on the
Notes in the form set forth in Section 2.02.
17
"Public Equity Offering" means an underwritten primary public offering
of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to an effective registration statement
under the Securities Act.
A "Public Market" shall be deemed to exist if (i) a Public Equity
Offering has been consummated and (ii) at least 15% of the total issued and
outstanding Common Stock of the Company has been distributed by means of an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act or sales pursuant to
Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
"QIB" means a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A.
"Redeemable Stock" means any class or series of Capital Stock of any
Person that by its terms or otherwise is (i) required to be redeemed prior to
the Stated Maturity of the Notes, (ii) redeemable at the option of the holder of
such class or series of Capital Stock at any time prior to the Stated Maturity
of the Notes or (iii) convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock
referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above or Indebtedness having a scheduled
maturity prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes; provided that any Capital
Stock that would not constitute Redeemable Stock but for provisions thereof
giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to repurchase or redeem
such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an "asset sale" or "change of control"
occurring prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes shall not constitute
Redeemable Stock if the "asset sale" or "change of control" provisions
applicable to such Capital Stock are no more favorable in any material respect
to the holders of such Capital Stock than the provisions contained in Section
4.10 and Section 4.11 are to the Holders and such Capital Stock specifically
provides that such Person will not repurchase or redeem any such stock pursuant
to such provision prior to the Company's repurchase of such Notes as are
required to be repurchased pursuant to Section 4.10 and Section 4.11.
"Redemption Date" means, when used with respect to any Note to be
redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
"Redemption Price" means, when used with respect to any Note to be
redeemed, the price at which such Note is to be redeemed pursuant to this
Indenture.
"Registrar" has the meaning provided in Section 2.04.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, between BTI Telecom, Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and
certain permitted assigns specified therein.
"Registration Statement" means the Registration Statement as defined
and described in the Registration Rights Agreement.
18
"Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date means the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the
case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
"Regulation S" means Regulation S under the Securities Act.
"Reorganization" means the merger of BTI with a wholly owned subsidiary
of BTI Telecom pursuant to which (i) the shareholders of BTI receive shares of
Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) of BTI Telecom, (ii) BTI becomes a
wholly owned subsidiary of BTI Telecom and (iii) BTI will be converted from an S
corporation to a C corporation.
"Reorganization Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel" means
collectively the Reorganization Officer's Certificate (as defined in the Pledge
Agreement) and the Opinion of Counsel (as defined in the Pledge Agreement) with
respect to the Reorganization.
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Trustee, means the
chairman or any vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman or any
vice chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the chairman
of the trust committee, the president, any vice president, any assistant vice
president, the secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant
treasurer, the cashier, any assistant cashier, any trust officer or assistant
trust officer, the controller or any assistant controller or any other officer
of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Department customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above-designated officers and
in each case having direct responsibility for the administration of this
Indenture or the Pledge Agreement and also means, with respect to a particular
corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred
because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Restricted Payments" has the meaning provided in Section 4.04.
"Restricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company other than
an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
"Rule 144A" means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933.
"Security Register" has the meaning provided in Section 2.04.
"Share Repurchase" means the purchase, on or prior to the Closing Date,
by BTI of all outstanding Capital Stock of BTI not owned by Peter T. Loftin for
approximately $28.5 million.
19
"Significant Subsidiary" means, at any date of determination, any
Restricted Subsidiary that, together with its Subsidiaries, (i) for the most
recent fiscal year of the Company, accounted for more than 10% of the
consolidated revenues of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) as of
the end of such fiscal year, was the owner of more than 10% of the consolidated
assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, all as set forth on the
most recently available consolidated financial statements of the Company for
such fiscal year.
"Special Repurchase Offer" means an Offer to Purchase pursuant to
Section 4.20 of this Indenture.
"Stated Maturity" means (i) with respect to any debt security, the date
specified in such debt security as the fixed date on which the final installment
of principal of such debt security is due and payable and (ii) with respect to
any scheduled installment of principal of or interest on any debt security, the
date specified in such debt security as the fixed date on which such installment
is due and payable.
"Strategic Subordinated Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of the Company
Incurred to finance the acquisition of a Person engaged in the
Telecommunications Business that by its terms, or by the terms of any agreement
or instrument pursuant to which such Indebtedness is Incurred, (i) is expressly
made subordinate in right of payment to the Notes and (ii) provides that no
payment of principal, premium or interest on, or any other payment with respect
to, such Indebtedness may be made prior to the payment in full of all of the
Company's obligations under the Notes; provided that such Indebtedness may
provide for and be repaid at any time from the proceeds of the sale of Capital
Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) of the Company after the Incurrence of such
Indebtedness.
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, any corporation,
association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the voting power
of the outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person
and one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person.
"Subsidiary Guarantee" has the meaning provided in Section 4.07.
"Telecommunications Business" means the development, ownership or
operation of one or more telephone, telecommunications or information systems or
the provision of telephony, telecommunications or information services
(including, without limitation, any voice, video transmission, data or Internet
services) and any related, ancillary or complementary business.
"Temporary Cash Investment" means any of the following: (i) direct
obligations of the United States of America or any agency thereof or obligations
fully and unconditionally
20
guaranteed by the United States of America or any agency thereof; (ii) time
deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and money market deposits maturing
within one year of the date of acquisition thereof issued by a bank or trust
company which is organized under the laws of the United States of America, any
state thereof or any foreign country recognized by the United States of America,
which may include Affiliates of the Trustee or entities in whom the Trustee may
otherwise be interested, and which bank or trust company has capital, surplus
and undivided profits aggregating in excess of $50 million (or the foreign
currency equivalent thereof) and has outstanding debt which is rated "A" (or
such similar equivalent rating) or higher by at least one nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (as defined in Rule 436 under the Securities
Act) or any money-market fund sponsored by a registered broker dealer or mutual
fund distributor, which may include Affiliates of the Trustee or entities in
whom the Trustee may otherwise be interested; (iii) repurchase obligations with
a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities of the types described
in clause (i) above entered into with a bank meeting the qualifications
described in clause (ii) above; (iv) commercial paper, maturing not more than
one year after the date of acquisition, issued by a corporation (other than an
Affiliate of the Company) organized and in existence under the laws of the
United States of America, any state thereof or any foreign country recognized by
the United States of America with a rating at the time as of which any
investment therein is made of "P-1" (or higher) according to Moody's Investors
Service, Inc. or "A-1" (or higher) according to Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services; and (v) securities with maturities of six months or less from the date
of acquisition issued or fully and unconditionally guaranteed by any state,
commonwealth or territory of the United States of America, or by any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof, and rated at least "A" by Standard &
Poor's Ratings Services or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
"Temporary Offshore Global Notes" has the meaning provided in Section
2.01.
"TIA" or "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
(15 U.S. Code ss.ss. 77aaa-77bbbb), as in effect on the date this Indenture was
executed, except as provided in Section 9.06.
"Trade Payables" means, with respect to any Person, any accounts
payable or any other indebtedness or monetary obligation to trade creditors
created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries arising
in the ordinary course of business in connection with the acquisition of goods
or services.
"Transaction Date" means, with respect to the Incurrence of any
Indebtedness by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, the date such
Indebtedness is to be Incurred and, with respect to any Restricted Payment, the
date such Restricted Payment is to be made.
"Transactions" means, collectively, the BTI Refinancing, the FiberSouth
Acquisition, the Reorganization, the Share Repurchase and the sale of the Notes.
21
"Trustee" means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this
Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the provisions of
Article Seven of this Indenture and thereafter means such successor.
"United States Bankruptcy Code" means the Bankruptcy Reform Act of
1978, as amended and as codified in Title 11 of the United States Code, as
amended from time to time hereafter, or any successor federal bankruptcy law.
"U.S. Global Notes" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"U.S. Government Securities" means securities that are (i) direct
obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full
faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or
supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of
America (x) the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith
and credit obligation by the United States of America or (y) that are rated at
least "Aaa" (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or
"AAA" (or the then equivalent grade) by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.
"U.S. Physical Notes" has the meaning provided in Section 2.01.
"Unrestricted Subsidiary" means (i) any Subsidiary of the Company that
at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by
the Board of Directors in the manner provided below and (ii) any Subsidiary of
an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors may designate any Restricted
Subsidiary (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary of the
Company) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary owns any
Capital Stock of, or owns or holds any Lien on any property of, the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that either (A) the Subsidiary to be so
designated has total assets of $1,000 or less or (B) if such Subsidiary has
assets greater than $1,000, such designation would be permitted under Section
4.04. The Board of Directors may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a
Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving effect to such
designation and (ii) all Liens and Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary
outstanding immediately after such designation would, if Incurred at such time,
have been permitted to be Incurred for all purposes of this Indenture. Any such
designation by the Board of Directors shall be evidenced to the Trustee by
promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the Board Resolution giving effect to
such designation and an Officers' Certificate certifying that such designation
complied with the foregoing provisions.
"Voting Stock" means with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any
class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors,
managers or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.
22
"Wholly Owned" means, with respect to any Subsidiary of any Person, the
ownership of all of the outstanding Capital Stock of such Subsidiary (other than
any director's qualifying shares or Investments by foreign nationals mandated by
applicable law) by such Person or one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such
Person.
SECTION 1.02. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is
incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following
TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
"indenture securities" means the Notes;
"indenture security holder" means a Holder or a Noteholder;
"indenture to be qualified" means this Indenture;
"indenture trustee" or "institutional trustee" means the
Trustee; and
"obligor" on the indenture securities means the Company or any
other obligor on the Notes.
All other TIA terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA,
defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by a rule of the
Commission and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them
therein.
SECTION 1.03. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(i) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(ii) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning
assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(iii) "or" is not exclusive;
(iv) words in the singular include the plural, and words in
the plural include the singular;
(v) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;
(vi) "herein," "hereof" and other words of similar import
refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article,
Section or other subdivision;
23
(vii) all ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in
this Indenture shall be computed in accordance with the definition of
GAAP set forth in Section 1.01; and
(viii) all references to Sections or Articles refer to
Sections or Articles of this Indenture unless otherwise indicated.
ARTICLE TWO
THE NOTES
SECTION 2.01. Form and Dating. The Notes and the Trustee's certificate
of authentication shall be substantially in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A
with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations
as are required or permitted by this Indenture. The Notes may have notations,
legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange agreements to which the
Company is subject or usage. The Company shall approve the form of the Notes and
any notation, legend or endorsement on the Notes. Each Note shall be dated the
date of its authentication.
The terms and provisions contained in the form of the Notes annexed
hereto as Exhibit A shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of
this Indenture. To the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their
execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and
provisions and to be bound thereby.
Notes offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A shall be issued
initially in the form of one or more permanent global Notes in registered form,
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A (the "U.S. Global Notes"),
registered in the name of the nominee of the Depositary, deposited with the
Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and
authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. The aggregate principal
amount of the U.S. Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased
by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the
Depositary or its nominee, in accordance with the instructions given by the
Holder thereof, as hereinafter provided.
Notes offered and sold in offshore transactions in reliance on
Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of one or more temporary
global Notes in registered form substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A
(the "Temporary Offshore Global Notes"), registered in the name of the nominee
of the Depositary, deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary,
duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter
provided. At any time following November 1, 1997 (the "Offshore Notes Exchange
Date"), upon receipt by the Trustee and the Company of a certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, one or more permanent global
Notes in registered form
24
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A (the "Permanent Offshore Global
Notes"; and together with the Temporary Offshore Global Notes, the "Offshore
Global Notes") duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as
hereinafter provided shall be deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for the
Depositary, and the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date
and a decrease in the principal amount of the Temporary Offshore Global Notes in
an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the
Temporary Offshore Global Notes transferred.
Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation D under the Securities
Act shall be issued in the form of permanent certificated Notes in registered
form in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit A (the "U.S. Physical
Notes"). Notes issued pursuant to Section 2.07 in exchange for interests in the
Offshore Global Notes shall be in the form of permanent certificated Notes in
registered form substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A (the "Offshore
Physical Notes").
The Offshore Physical Notes and U.S. Physical Notes are sometimes
collectively herein referred to as the "Physical Notes." The U.S. Global Notes
and the Offshore Global Notes are sometimes referred to herein as the "Global
Notes."
The definitive Notes shall be typed, printed, lithographed or engraved
or produced by any combination of these methods or may be produced in any other
manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange on which the Notes may
be listed, all as determined by the Officers executing such Notes, as evidenced
by their execution of such Notes.
SECTION 2.02. Restrictive Legends. Unless and until a Note is exchanged
for an Exchange Note in connection with an effective Registration Statement
pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the U.S. Global Notes, Temporary
Offshore Global Notes and each U.S. Physical Note shall bear the following
legend on the face thereof:
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE
OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR
BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE.
BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A
"QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" AS
DEFINED IN RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT (AN "INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR") OR (C) IT IS
NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION
IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES
THAT IT
25
WILL NOT, WITHIN TWO YEARS AFTER THE INITIAL SALE OF THE NOTES, RESELL
OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY
SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN
COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE
UNITED STATES TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO
SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING
CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM
THE TRUSTEE) AND IF SUCH TRANSFER IS IN RESPECT OF AN AGGREGATE
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOTES OF LESS THAN $100,000, AN OPINION OF COUNSEL
ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
SECURITIES ACT, (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE
TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 904 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E)
PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) OR (F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT
WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS NOTE IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE
SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY
TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO ABOVE, THE
HOLDER MUST CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX SET FORTH ON THE REVERSE HEREOF
RELATING TO THE MANNER OF SUCH TRANSFER AND SUBMIT THIS CERTIFICATE TO
THE TRUSTEE. IF THE PROPOSED TRANSFEREE IS AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED
INVESTOR, THE HOLDER MUST, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISH TO THE
TRUSTEE AND THE COMPANY SUCH CERTIFICATIONS, LEGAL OPINIONS OR OTHER
INFORMATION AS EITHER OF THEM MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT
SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A
TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE
SECURITIES ACT. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION",
"UNITED STATES" AND "U.S. PERSON" HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY
REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A
PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF
THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.
Each Global Note, whether or not an Exchange Note, shall also bear the
following legend on the face thereof:
26
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY
AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST
COMPANY OR SUCH OTHER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY OR
SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO.
OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE
HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE
REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE,
BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF CEDE & CO. OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR
SUCH SUCCESSOR'S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE
SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS
SET FORTH IN SECTION 2.08 OF THE INDENTURE.
SECTION 2.03. Execution, Authentication and Denominations. Subject to
Article Four, the aggregate principal amount of Notes which may be authenticated
and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Notes shall be executed by
two Officers of the Company. The signature of these Officers on the Notes may be
by facsimile or manual signature in the name and on behalf of the Company.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office
at the time the Trustee or authenticating agent authenticates the Note, the Note
shall be valid nevertheless.
A Note shall not be valid until the Trustee or authenticating agent
manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note. The signature
shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this
Indenture.
At any time and from time to time after the execution of this
Indenture, the Trustee or an authenticating agent shall upon receipt of a
Company Order authenticate for original issue Notes in the aggregate principal
amount specified in such Company Order; provided that the Trustee shall be
entitled to receive an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel of the
Company in connection with such authentication of Notes. Such Company Order
shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the
27
original issue of Notes is to be authenticated and in case of an issuance of
Notes pursuant to Section 2.15, shall certify that such issuance is in
compliance with Article Four.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent to authenticate Notes.
An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so.
Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes
authentication by such authenticating agent. An authenticating agent has the
same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
The Trustee shall not be liable for the misconduct or negligence of any
authenticating agent appointed with due care.
The Notes shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons and
only in denominations of $1,000 in principal amount and any integral multiple of
$1,000 in excess thereof.
SECTION 2.04. Registrar and Paying Agent. The Company shall maintain an
office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or
for exchange (the "Registrar"), an office or agency where Notes may be presented
for payment (the "Paying Agent") and an office or agency where notices and
demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be
served, which shall be in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and, in
the event the Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, in Luxembourg.
The Company shall cause the Registrar to keep a register of the Notes and of
their transfer and exchange (the "Security Register"). The Company may have one
or more co-Registrars and one or more additional Paying Agents.
The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any
Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the
provisions of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Company shall give
prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address of any such Agent
and any change in the address of such Agent. If the Company fails to maintain a
Registrar, Paying Agent and/or agent for service of notices and demands, the
Trustee shall act as such Registrar, Paying Agent and/or agent for service of
notices and demands. The Company may remove any Agent upon written notice to
such Agent and the Trustee; provided that no such removal shall become effective
until (i) the acceptance of an appointment by a successor Agent to such Agent as
evidenced by an appropriate agency agreement entered into by the Company and
such successor Agent and delivered to the Trustee or (ii) notification to the
Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as such Agent until the appointment of a
successor Agent in accordance with clause (i) of this proviso. The Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Affiliate of any of them may act as Paying
Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar, and/or agent for service of notice and
demands.
The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent,
authenticating agent and agent for service of notice and demands. The Trustee
shall preserve in as current
28
a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the
names and addresses of Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA ss. 312(a).
If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee as
of each Regular Record Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request
in writing a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably
require of the names and addresses of Holders, including the aggregate principal
amount of Notes held by each Holder.
SECTION 2.05. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. Not later than 11:00
a.m. (New York City time) each due date of the principal, premium, if any, and
interest on any Notes, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money in
immediately available funds sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any,
and interest so becoming due. The Company shall require each Paying Agent other
than the Trustee to agree in writing that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust
for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent
for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes
(whether such money has been paid to it by the Company or any other obligor on
the Notes), and such Paying Agent shall promptly notify the Trustee of any
default by the Company (or any other obligor on the Notes) in making any such
payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money
held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee
may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written
request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to pay all money held by it
to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying
Agent shall have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.
If the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any Affiliate of any of them
acts as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date of any principal of,
premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, segregate and hold in a separate
trust fund for the benefit of the Holders a sum of money sufficient to pay such
principal, premium, if any, or interest so becoming due until such sum of money
shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this
Indenture, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure to act.
SECTION 2.06. Transfer and Exchange. The Notes are issuable only in
registered form. A Holder may transfer a Note only by written application to the
Registrar stating the name of the proposed transferee and otherwise complying
with the terms of this Indenture. No such transfer shall be effected until, and
such transferee shall succeed to the rights of a Holder only upon, final
acceptance and registration of the transfer by the Registrar in the Security
Register. Prior to the registration of any transfer by a Holder as provided
herein, the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company shall treat the
person in whose name the Note is registered as the owner thereof for all
purposes whether or not the Note shall be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee, nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
Furthermore, any Holder of a Global Note shall, by acceptance of such Global
Note, agree that transfers of beneficial interests in such Global Note may be
effected only through a book entry system maintained by the Holder of such
Global Note (or
29
its agent) and that ownership of a beneficial interest in the Note shall be
required to be reflected in a book entry. When Notes are presented to the
Registrar or a co-Registrar with a request to register the transfer or to
exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other authorized
denominations (including an exchange of Notes for Exchange Notes), the Registrar
shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its
requirements for such transactions are met (including that such Notes are duly
endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory
to the Trustee and Registrar duly executed by the Holder thereof or by an
attorney who is authorized in writing to act on behalf of the Holder); provided
that no exchanges of Notes for Exchange Notes shall occur until a Registration
Statement shall have been declared effective by the Commission and that any
Notes that are exchanged for Exchange Notes shall be cancelled by the Trustee.
To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute
and the Trustee shall authenticate Notes at the Registrar's request. No service
charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange or redemption
of the Notes, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith
(other than any such transfer taxes or other similar governmental charge payable
upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.08 or 9.04).
The Registrar shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer
of or exchange any Note during a period beginning at the opening of business 15
days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes selected
for redemption under Section 3.03 and ending at the close of business on the day
of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note so
selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of
any Note being redeemed in part.
SECTION 2.07. Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes. (a) The U.S.
Global Notes and Offshore Global Notes initially shall (i) be registered in the
name of the Depositary for such Global Notes or the nominee of such Depositary,
(ii) be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for such Depositary and (iii) bear
legends as set forth in Section 2.02.
Members of, or participants in, the Depositary ("Agent Members") shall
have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on
their behalf by the Depositary, or the Trustee as its custodian, or under the
Global Note, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and
any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global
Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein
shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the
Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other
authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary
and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the
exercise of the rights of a holder of any Note. Neither the Company nor the
Trustee shall be liable for any delay by the Depositary in identifying the
beneficial owners of the Notes and the Company and the Trustee may conclusively
rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, instructions from the
30
Depositary for all purposes (including with respect to the registration and
delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of any Notes to be issued).
(b) Transfers of a Global Note shall be limited to transfers of such
Global Note in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or
their respective nominees. Interests of beneficial owners in a Global Note may
be transferred in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Depositary and
the provisions of Section 2.08. In addition, U.S. Physical Notes and Offshore
Physical Notes shall be transferred to all beneficial owners in exchange for
their beneficial interests in the U.S. Global Notes or the Offshore Global
Notes, respectively, if (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the U.S. Global Notes or the
Offshore Global Notes, as the case may be, and a successor depositary is not
appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice, (ii) an Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing and the Registrar has received a request from the
Depositary or (iii) in accordance with the rules and procedures of the
Depositary and the provisions of Section 2.08.
(c) Any beneficial interest in one of the Global Notes that is
transferred to a person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the
other Global Note will, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in such Global
Note and become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, will
thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions, if any, and other procedures
applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it
remains such an interest.
(d) In connection with any transfer of a portion of the beneficial
interests in one of the Global Notes to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph
(b) of this Section 2.07, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records
the date and a decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note in an amount
equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note to
be transferred, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, one or more U.S. Physical Notes or Offshore Physical
Notes, as the case may be, of like tenor and amount.
(e) In connection with the transfer of an entire Global Note to
beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 2.07, such Global
Note shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to each
beneficial owner identified by the Depositary in exchange for its beneficial
interest in such Global Note an equal aggregate principal amount of U.S.
Physical Notes or Offshore Physical Notes, as the case may be, of authorized
denominations.
(f) Any U.S. Physical Note delivered in exchange for an interest in the
U.S. Global Note pursuant to paragraph (b), (d) or (e) of this Section 2.07
shall, except as
31
otherwise provided by paragraph (f) of Section 2.08, bear the legend regarding
transfer restrictions applicable to the U.S. Physical Note set forth in Section
2.02.
(g) Any Offshore Physical Note delivered in exchange for an interest in
the Offshore Global Note pursuant to paragraph (b), (d) or (e) of this Section
2.07 shall, except as otherwise provided by paragraph (f) of Section 2.08, bear
the legend regarding transfer restrictions applicable to the Offshore Physical
Note set forth in Section 2.02.
(h) The registered holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and
otherwise authorize any person, including Agent Members and persons that may
hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is
entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes.
SECTION 2.08. Special Transfer Provisions. Unless and until a Note is
exchanged for an Exchange Note in connection with an effective Registration
Statement pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the following
provisions shall apply:
(a) Transfers to Non-QIB Institutional Accredited Investors. The
following provisions shall apply with respect to the registration of any
proposed transfer of a Note to any Institutional Accredited Investor which is
not a QIB (excluding Non-U.S. Persons):
(i) The Registrar shall register the transfer of any Note,
whether or not such Note bears the Private Placement Legend, if (x) the
requested transfer is after two years following the Closing Date or (y)
the proposed transferee has delivered to the Registrar (A) a
certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto and (B) if
the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being transferred is less
than $100,000, an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that
such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act.
(ii) If the proposed transferor is an Agent Member holding a
beneficial interest in the U.S. Global Note, upon receipt by the
Registrar of (x) the documents, if any, required by paragraph (i) and
(y) instructions given in accordance with the Depositary's and the
Registrar's procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and
records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of the U.S.
Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the
beneficial interest in the U.S. Global Note to be transferred, and the
Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver,
one or more U.S. Physical Notes of like tenor and amount.
(b) Transfers to QIBs. The following provisions shall apply with
respect to the registration of any proposed transfer of a U.S. Physical Note or
an interest in the U.S. Global Note to a QIB (excluding Non-U.S. Persons):
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(i) If the Note to be transferred consists of (x) U.S.
Physical Notes, the Registrar shall register the transfer if such
transfer is being made by a proposed transferor who has checked the box
provided for on the form of Note stating, or has otherwise advised the
Company and the Registrar in writing, that the sale has been made in
compliance with the provisions of Rule 144A to a transferee who has
signed the certification provided for on the form of Note stating, or
has otherwise advised the Company and the Registrar in writing, that it
is purchasing the Note for its own account or an account with respect
to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any
such account is a QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware
that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and
acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the
Company as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not
to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is
relying upon its foregoing representations in order to claim the
exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A or (y) an interest in
the U.S. Global Note, the transfer of such interest may be effected
only through the book entry system maintained by the Depositary.
(ii) If the proposed transferee is an Agent Member, and the
Note to be transferred consists of U.S. Physical Notes, upon receipt by
the Registrar of the documents referred to in clause (i) and
instructions given in accordance with the Depositary's and the
Registrar's procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and
records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the U.S.
Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the U.S.
Physical Notes to be transferred, and the Trustee shall cancel the U.S.
Physical Note so transferred.
(c) Transfers of Interests in the Temporary Offshore Global Note. The
following provisions shall apply with respect to registration of any proposed
transfer of interests in the Temporary Offshore Global Note:
(i) The Registrar shall register the transfer of any Note (x)
if the proposed transferee is a Non-U.S. Person and the proposed
transferor has delivered to the Registrar a certificate substantially
in the form of Exhibit D hereto or (y) if the proposed transferee is a
QIB and the proposed transferor has checked the box provided for on the
form of Note stating, or has otherwise advised the Company and the
Registrar in writing, that the sale has been made in compliance with
the provisions of Rule 144A to a transferee who has signed the
certification provided for on the form of Note stating, or has
otherwise advised the Company and the Registrar in writing, that it is
purchasing the Note for its own account or an account with respect to
which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such
account is a QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware that the
sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that
it has received such information regarding the Company as it has
requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has
33
determined not to request such information and that it is aware that
the transferor is relying upon its foregoing representations in order
to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.
(ii) If the proposed transferee is an Agent Member, upon
receipt by the Registrar of the documents referred to in clause (i)(y)
above and instructions given in accordance with the Depositary's and
the Registrar's procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books
and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the
U.S. Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the
Temporary Offshore Global Note to be transferred, and the Trustee shall
decrease the amount of the Temporary Offshore Global Note.
(d) Transfers of Interests in the Permanent Offshore Global Note or
Offshore Physical Notes to U.S. Persons. The following provisions shall apply
with respect to any transfer of interests in the Permanent Offshore Global Note
or Offshore Physical Notes to U.S. Persons: The Registrar shall register the
transfer of any such Note without requiring any additional certification.
(e) Transfers to Non-U.S. Persons at Any Time. The following provisions
shall apply with respect to any transfer of a Note to a Non-U.S. Person:
(i) Prior to November 1, 1997, the Registrar shall register
any proposed transfer of a Note to a Non-U.S. Person upon receipt of a
certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto from the
proposed transferor.
(ii) On and after November 1, 1997, the Registrar shall
register any proposed transfer of a Note to any Non-U.S. Person if the
Note to be transferred is a U.S. Physical Note or an interest in the
U.S. Global Note, upon receipt of a certificate substantially in the
form of Exhibit D hereto from the proposed transferor.
(iii) (a) If the proposed transferor is an Agent Member
holding a beneficial interest in the U.S. Global Note, upon receipt by
the Registrar of (x) the documents, if any, required by paragraph (ii)
and (y) instructions in accordance with the Depositary's and the
Registrar's procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and
records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of the U.S.
Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the
beneficial interest in the U.S. Global Note to be transferred, and (b)
if the proposed transferee is an Agent Member, upon receipt by the
Registrar of instructions given in accordance with the Depositary's and
the Registrar's procedures, the Registrar shall reflect on its books
and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the
Offshore Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the
U.S. Physical Notes or the U.S. Global Note, as the case may be, to be
transferred, and the Trustee shall cancel
34
the Physical Note, if any, so transferred or decrease the amount of the
U.S. Global Note.
(f) Private Placement Legend. Upon the transfer, exchange or
replacement of Notes not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the Registrar
shall deliver Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend. Upon the
transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend,
the Registrar shall deliver only Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend
unless either (i) the circumstances contemplated by the fourth paragraph of
Section 2.01 or paragraph (a)(i)(x) or (e)(ii) of this Section 2.08 exist or
(ii) there is delivered to the Registrar an Opinion of Counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee to the effect that neither such
legend nor the related restrictions on transfer are required in order to
maintain compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act.
(g) General. By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Private
Placement Legend, each Holder of such a Note acknowledges the restrictions on
transfer of such Note set forth in this Indenture and in the Private Placement
Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note only as provided in this
Indenture. The Registrar shall not register a transfer of any Note unless such
transfer complies with the restrictions on transfer of such Note set forth in
this Indenture. In connection with any transfer of Notes, each Holder agrees by
its acceptance of the Notes to furnish the Registrar or the Company such
certifications, legal opinions or other information as either of them may
reasonably require to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an
exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements
of the Securities Act; provided that the Registrar shall not be required to
determine (but may rely on a determination made by the Company with respect to)
the sufficiency of any such certifications, legal opinions or other information.
The Registrar shall retain copies of all letters, notices and other
written communications received pursuant to Section 2.07 or this Section 2.08.
The Company shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such letters,
notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the giving
of reasonable written notice to the Registrar.
SECTION 2.09. Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to
the Trustee or if the Holder claims that the Note has been lost, destroyed or
wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a
replacement Note of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding; provided that the requirements of the second
paragraph of Section 2.10 are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an
indemnity bond must be furnished that is sufficient in the judgment of both the
Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee or any Agent from
any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may
charge such Holder for its expenses and the expenses of the Trustee in replacing
a Note. In case any
35
such mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about
to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay such Note
instead of issuing a new Note in replacement thereof.
Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and
shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
SECTION 2.10. Outstanding Notes. Notes outstanding at any time are all
Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled by
it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section
2.10 as not outstanding.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.09, it ceases to be
outstanding unless and until the Trustee and the Company receive proof
satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company or an Affiliate of the
Company) holds on the maturity date money sufficient to pay Notes payable on
that date, then on and after that date such Notes cease to be outstanding and
interest on them shall cease to accrue.
A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of
its Affiliates holds such Note, provided, however, that in determining whether
the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Notes have
given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder, Notes owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes or any
Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and
deemed not to be outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee
shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Notes which a Responsible Officer of
the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so
owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding if
the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right
so to act with respect to such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company or
any other obligor upon the Notes or any Affiliate of the Company or of such
other obligor.
SECTION 2.11. Temporary Notes. Until definitive Notes are ready for
delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary
Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of definitive Notes
but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations
determined to be appropriate by the Officers executing the temporary Notes, as
evidenced by their execution of such temporary Notes. If temporary Notes are
issued, the Company will cause definitive Notes to be prepared without
unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Notes, the temporary
Notes shall be exchangeable for definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary
Notes at the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose
pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge
36
to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary
Notes the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver
in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of authorized
denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall be entitled to the
same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Notes.
SECTION 2.12. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the
Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered
hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may
deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated
hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. The Registrar and the
Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for
transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Notes surrendered
for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and shall destroy them in
accordance with its normal procedure. Except as expressly permitted by this
Indenture, the Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid in
full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use
"CUSIP", "CINS" or "ISIN" numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee
shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of
redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such
notice shall state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such
numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of
redemption or exchange and that reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed on the Notes. The Company will promptly notify
the Trustee of any change in "CUSIP", "CINS" or "ISIN" numbers for the Notes.
SECTION 2.14. Defaulted Interest. If the Company defaults in a payment
of interest on the Notes, it shall pay, or shall deposit with the Paying Agent
money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay, the defaulted interest,
plus (to the extent lawful) any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to
the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date. A special
record date, as used in this Section 2.14 with respect to the payment of any
defaulted interest, shall mean the 15th day next preceding the date fixed by the
Company for the payment of defaulted interest, whether or not such day is a
Business Day. At least 15 days before the subsequent special record date, the
Company shall mail to each Holder and to the Trustee a notice that states the
subsequent special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted
interest to be paid.
SECTION 2.15. Issuance of Additional Notes. The Company may, subject to
Article Four of this Indenture, issue additional Notes under this Indenture. The
Notes issued on the Closing Date and any additional Notes subsequently issued
shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture.
37
ARTICLE THREE
REDEMPTION
SECTION 3.01. Right of Redemption; Mandatory Redemption. (a) The Notes
will be redeemable, at the Company's option, in whole or in part, at any time or
from time to time, on or after September 15, 2002 and prior to maturity, upon
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' prior notice mailed by first class mail
to each Holder's last address, as it appears in the Security Register, at the
following Redemption Prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount), plus
accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date (subject to the right of
Holders of record on the relevant Regular Record Date that is prior to the
Redemption Date to receive interest due on an Interest Payment Date), if
redeemed during the 12-month period commencing September 15 of the years set
forth below:
Redemption
Year Price
---- ----------
2002............................... 105.250%
2003............................... 102.625%
2004 and thereafter................ 100.000%
(b) At any time prior to September 15, 2000, the Company may redeem up
to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes from the proceeds of one
or more Public Equity Offerings following which a Public Market occurs, at any
time or from time to time in part, at a Redemption Price (expressed as a
percentage of principal amount) of 110.50%, plus accrued interest to the
Redemption Date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant
Regular Record Date that is prior to the Redemption Date to receive interest due
on an Interest Payment Date); provided that after any such redemption at least
$162.5 million aggregate principal amount of Notes remains outstanding.
(c) In the event the Reorganization is not consummated and the
Reorganization Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel is not delivered by
December 31, 1997, or within five Business Days of the Trustee receiving an
officers' certificate stating that the Reorganization Officers' Certificate and
Opinion of Counsel will not be delivered by December 31, 1997, if it appears in
the sole judgment of the Company that the Reorganization will not be
consummated, the Company will redeem the Notes in whole on 10 days' prior notice
mailed by first class mail to each Holder's last address as it appears in the
Security Register, at a Redemption Price equal to 101% of their principal
amount, plus accrued interest to the Redemption Date.
SECTION 3.02. Notices to Trustee. If the Company elects to redeem Notes
pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (b), it shall notify the Trustee in writing of
the Redemption Date and the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed.
38
The Company shall give each notice provided for in this Section 3.02 in
an Officers' Certificate at least 45 days before the Redemption Date (unless a
shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee for its convenience).
SECTION 3.03. Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed. If less than all of
the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee shall select the Notes to
be redeemed in compliance with the requirements, as certified to it by the
Company, of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the
Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not listed on a national securities
exchange, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in
its sole discretion shall deem fair and appropriate; provided that no Notes of
$1,000 in principal amount or less shall be redeemed in part.
The Trustee shall make the selection from the Notes outstanding and not
previously called for redemption. Notes in denominations of $1,000 in principal
amount may only be redeemed in whole. The Trustee may select for redemption
portions (equal to $1,000 in principal amount or any integral multiple thereof)
of Notes that have denominations larger than $1,000 in principal amount.
Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also
apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. The Trustee shall notify the
Company and the Registrar promptly in writing of the Notes or portions of Notes
to be called for redemption.
SECTION 3.04. Notice of Redemption. With respect to any redemption of
Notes (a) pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (b), at least 30 days but not more than
60 days before a Redemption Date, the Company shall mail and (b) pursuant to
Section 3.01(c), on the earlier of (x) December 31, 1997, if the Trustee has not
received the Reorganization Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel and (y)
such date on which the Trustee receives an officer's certificate stating that
the Reorganization Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel will not be
delivered by December 31, 1997, the Trustee shall mail, a notice of redemption
by first-class mail to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed.
The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Redemption Price;
(iii) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(iv) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to
the Paying Agent in order to collect the Redemption Price;
39
(v) that, unless the Company defaults in making the redemption
payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on
and after the Redemption Date and the only remaining right of the
Holders is to receive payment of the Redemption Price plus accrued
interest to the Redemption Date upon surrender of the Notes to the
Paying Agent;
(vi) that, if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion
of the principal amount (equal to $1,000 in principal amount or any
integral multiple thereof) of such Note to be redeemed and that, on and
after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or
Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will
be reissued; and
(vii) that, if any Note contains a CUSIP, CINS or ISIN number
as provided in Section 2.13, no representation is being made as to the
correctness of the CUSIP, CINS or ISIN number either as printed on the
Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that reliance may
be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the
Notes.
At the Company's request (which request may be revoked by the Company
at any time prior to the time at which the Trustee shall have given such notice
to the Holders), made in writing to the Trustee at least 45 days (or such
shorter period as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) before a Redemption
Date, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption pursuant to Section
3.01(a) or (b) in the name and at the expense of the Company. If, however, the
Company gives such notice to the Holders, the Company shall concurrently deliver
to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that such notice has been given.
SECTION 3.05. Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption
is mailed, Notes called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption
Date and at the Redemption Price. Upon surrender of any Notes to the Paying
Agent, such Notes shall be paid at the Redemption Price, plus accrued interest,
if any, to the Redemption Date.
Notice of redemption shall be deemed to be given when mailed, whether
or not the Holder receives the notice. In any event, failure to give such
notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings
for the redemption of Notes held by Holders to whom such notice was properly
given.
SECTION 3.06. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any
Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the
Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust as
provided in Section 2.05) money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and
accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date other than Notes or
portions thereof called for redemption on that date that have been delivered by
the Company to the Trustee for cancellation.
40
SECTION 3.07. Payment of Notes Called for Redemption. If notice of
redemption has been given in the manner provided above, the Notes or portion of
Notes specified in such notice to be redeemed shall become due and payable on
the Redemption Date at the Redemption Price stated therein, together with
accrued interest to such Redemption Date, and on and after such date (unless the
Company shall default in the payment of such Notes at the Redemption Price and
accrued interest to the Redemption Date, in which case the principal, until
paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed in the
Notes), such Notes shall cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any Note
for redemption in accordance with a notice of redemption, such Note shall be
paid and redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued
interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided that installments of interest
whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to
the Holders registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Regular
Record Date.
SECTION 3.08. Notes Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of any Note that
is redeemed in part, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver to the Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to
the unredeemed portion of such surrendered Note.
ARTICLE FOUR
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01. Payment of Notes. The Company shall pay the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner
provided in the Notes and this Indenture. An installment of principal, premium,
if any, or interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the Trustee or
Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company, or any
Affiliate of any of them) holds on that date money designated for and sufficient
to pay the installment. If the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any
Affiliate of any of them acts as Paying Agent, an installment of principal,
premium, if any, or interest shall be considered paid on the due date if the
entity acting as Paying Agent complies with the last sentence of Section 2.05.
As provided in Section 6.09, upon any bankruptcy or reorganization procedure
relative to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as the Paying Agent, if any,
for the Notes.
The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal, premium, if any,
and interest on overdue installments of interest, to the extent lawful, at the
rate per annum specified in the Notes.
SECTION 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will
maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency
where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for
presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in
respect of the Notes and this
41
Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the
Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or
agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required
office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof,
such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the
address of the Trustee set forth in Section 11.02.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or
all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided
that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company
of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written
notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in
the location of any such other office or agency.
The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of
the Trustee as such office of the Company in accordance with Section 2.04.
SECTION 4.03. Limitation on Indebtedness. (a) The Company will not, and
will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness
(other than the Notes and Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date); provided
that the Company may Incur Indebtedness if, after giving effect to the
Incurrence of such Indebtedness and the receipt and application of the proceeds
thereof, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be less than or equal to 7 to 1,
for Indebtedness Incurred on or prior to September 30, 1999, or less than or
equal to 5 to 1, for Indebtedness Incurred thereafter.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company, and (except as specified
below) any Restricted Subsidiary, may Incur each and all of the following:
(i) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount outstanding
or available at any time not to exceed $100 million, less any amount of
such Indebtedness permanently repaid as provided under Section 4.10;
(ii) Indebtedness owed (A) to the Company and evidenced by a
promissory note or (B) to any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any
event which results in such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a
Restricted Subsidiary or any subsequent transfer of such Indebtedness
(other than to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be
deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness
not permitted by this clause (ii);
(iii) Indebtedness issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds
of which are used to refinance or refund, then outstanding Indebtedness
(other than Indebtedness Incurred under clause (i), (ii), (iv), (vi),
(ix), (x) or (xi) of this paragraph) and any
42
refinancings of such new Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed the
amount so refinanced or refunded (plus premiums, accrued interest, fees
and expenses); provided that Indebtedness the proceeds of which are
used to refinance or refund the Notes or Indebtedness that is pari
passu in right of payment with, or subordinated in right of payment to,
the Notes shall only be permitted under this clause (iii) if (A) in
case the Notes are refinanced in part or the Indebtedness to be
refinanced is pari passu in right of payment with the Notes, such new
Indebtedness, by its terms or by the terms of any agreement of
instrument pursuant to which such new Indebtedness is outstanding, is
expressly made pari passu in right of payment with, or subordinate in
right of payment to the remaining Notes, (B) in case the Indebtedness
to be refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such
new Indebtedness, by its terms or by the terms of any agreement or
instrument pursuant to which such new Indebtedness is issued or remains
outstanding, is expressly made subordinate in right of payment to the
Notes at least to the extent that the Indebtedness to be refinanced is
subordinated to the Notes and (C) such new Indebtedness, determined as
of the date of Incurrence of such new Indebtedness, does not mature
prior to the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness to be refinanced or
refunded, and the Average Life of such new Indebtedness is at least
equal to the remaining Average Life of the Indebtedness to be
refinanced or refunded; and provided further that in no event may
Indebtedness of the Company be refinanced by means of any Indebtedness
of any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to this clause (iii);
(iv) Indebtedness (A) in respect of performance, surety or
appeal bonds provided in the ordinary course of business, (B) under
Currency Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements; provided that such
agreements (a) are designed solely to protect the Company or its
Subsidiaries against fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or
interest rates and (b) do not increase the Indebtedness of the obligor
outstanding at any time other than as a result of fluctuations in
foreign currency exchange rates or interest rates or by reason of fees,
indemnities and compensation payable thereunder or (C) arising from
agreements providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price
or similar obligations, or from Guarantees or letters of credit, surety
bonds or performance bonds securing any obligations of the Company or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to such agreements, in each
case Incurred in connection with the disposition of any business,
assets or Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantees of Indebtedness
Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business,
assets or Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such
acquisition), in a principal amount not to exceed the gross proceeds
actually received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in
connection with such disposition;
(v) Indebtedness of the Company, to the extent the net
proceeds thereof are promptly (A) used to purchase Notes tendered in an
Offer to Purchase made as a
43
result of a Change of Control or (B) deposited to defease all of the
Notes in accordance with Article Eight;
(vi) Guarantees of the Notes and Guarantees of Indebtedness of
the Company by any Restricted Subsidiary, provided the Guarantee of
such Indebtedness is permitted by and made in accordance with Section
4.07;
(vii) Indebtedness Incurred to finance the cost (including the
cost of design, development, acquisition, construction, installation,
improvement, transportation or integration) to acquire equipment,
inventory or network assets (including acquisitions by way of a
Capitalized Lease and acquisitions of the Capital Stock of a Person
that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent of the Fair Market
Value of the equipment, inventory or network assets so acquired) by the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date;
(viii) Indebtedness of the Company not to exceed, at any one
time outstanding, two times (A) the Net Cash Proceeds received by the
Company after the Closing Date as a capital contribution or from the
issuance and sale of its Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) to
a Person that is not a Subsidiary of the Company, to the extent such
Net Cash Proceeds have not been used pursuant to clause (C)(2) of the
first paragraph or clause (iii), (iv) or (vi) of the second paragraph
of Section 4.04 to make a Restricted Payment and (B) 80% of the Fair
Market Value of property (other than cash and cash equivalents)
received by the Company after the Closing Date from a contribution of
capital or the sale of its Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock)
to a Person that is not a Subsidiary of the Company, to the extent such
capital contribution or sale of Capital Stock has not been used
pursuant to clause (iii), (iv) or (ix) of the second paragraph of
Section 4.04 to make a Restricted Payment; provided that such
Indebtedness does not mature prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes
and has an Average Life longer than the Notes;
(ix) Strategic Subordinated Indebtedness;
(x) Indebtedness Incurred to finance Asset Acquisitions (and
refinancings of such Indebtedness) in an aggregate principal amount
outstanding at any time not to exceed $50 million, less the amount of
such Indebtedness permanently repaid as provided under Section 4.10;
provided that immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such
Indebtedness and the consummation of such Asset Acquisition, the
Company's Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be (A) less than or equal
to the Company's Consolidated Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such
transactions and (B) less than or equal to 7 to 1; and
44
(xi) Indebtedness of the Company (in addition to Indebtedness
permitted under clauses (i) through (x) above) in an aggregate
principal amount outstanding or available at any time not to exceed $25
million, less any amount of such Indebtedness permanently repaid as
provided under Section 4.10.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 4.03, the
maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may
Incur pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall not be deemed to be exceeded due
solely to the result of fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies.
(c) For purposes of determining any particular amount of Indebtedness
under this Section 4.03, (1) Indebtedness Incurred under the Credit Agreement on
or prior to the Closing Date shall be treated as Incurred pursuant to clause (i)
of the second paragraph of this Section 4.03, (2) Guarantees, Liens or
obligations with respect to letters of credit supporting Indebtedness otherwise
included in the determination of such particular amount shall not be included
and (3) any Liens granted pursuant to the equal and ratable provisions referred
to in Section 4.09 shall not be treated as Indebtedness. For purposes of
determining compliance with this Section 4.03, in the event that an item of
Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness
described in the above clauses (other than Indebtedness referred to in clause
(1) of the preceding sentence), the Company, in its sole discretion, may
classify such item of Indebtedness in one or more of such clauses.
SECTION 4.04. Limitation on Restricted Payments. The Company will not,
and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, (i)
declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on or with respect to its
Capital Stock (other than (x) dividends or distributions payable solely in
shares of its Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock) or in options,
warrants or other rights to acquire shares of such Capital Stock and (y) pro
rata dividends or distributions on Common Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries held
by minority stockholders, provided that such dividends do not in the aggregate
exceed the minority stockholders' pro rata share of such Restricted
Subsidiaries' net income from the first day of the fiscal quarter beginning
immediately following the Closing Date) held by Persons other than the Company
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) purchase, redeem, retire or
otherwise acquire for value any shares of Capital Stock of (A) the Company or an
Unrestricted Subsidiary (including options, warrants or other rights to acquire
such shares of Capital Stock) held by any Person or (B) a Restricted Subsidiary
(including options, warrants or other rights to acquire such shares of Capital
Stock) held by any Affiliate of the Company (other than a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary) or any holder (or any Affiliate of such holder) of 5% or
more of the Capital Stock of the Company, (iii) make any voluntary or optional
principal payment, or voluntary or optional redemption, repurchase, defeasance,
or other acquisition or retirement for value, of Indebtedness of the Company
that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes (other than, in each case,
the purchase, repurchase or acquisition of Indebtedness in anticipation of
satisfying a sinking fund
45
obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in any case due within one
year after the date of such purchase, repurchase or acquisition) or (iv) make
any Investment, other than a Permitted Investment, in any Person (such payments
or any other actions described in clauses (i) through (iv) above being
collectively "Restricted Payments") if, at the time of, and after giving effect
to, the proposed Restricted Payment: (A) a Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, (B) the Company could not Incur at least $1.00
of Indebtedness under the first paragraph of Section 4.03 or (C) the aggregate
amount of all Restricted Payments (the amount, if other than in cash, to be
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be
conclusive and evidenced by a Board Resolution) made after the Closing Date
shall exceed the sum of (1) 50% of the aggregate amount of the Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income (or, if the Adjusted Consolidated Net Income is a loss,
minus 100% of the amount of such loss) (excluding, for purposes of such
computation, income resulting from transfers of assets by the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary to an Unrestricted Subsidiary) accrued on a cumulative
basis during the period (taken as one accounting period) beginning on the first
day of the fiscal quarter immediately following the Closing Date and ending on
the last day of the last fiscal quarter preceding the Transaction Date for which
reports have been filed with the Commission or provided to the Trustee pursuant
to Section 4.17 plus (2) the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds received by the Company
after the Closing Date from a capital contribution or the issuance and sale
permitted by this Indenture to a Person who is not a Subsidiary of the Company
of (a) its Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock), (b) any options,
warrants or other rights to acquire Capital Stock of the Company (in each case,
exclusive of any Redeemable Stock or any options, warrants or other rights that
are redeemable at the option of the holder, or are required to be redeemed,
prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes) and (c) Indebtedness of the Company
that has been exchanged for or converted into Capital Stock of the Company
(other than Redeemable Stock), in each case except to the extent such Net Cash
Proceeds are used to Incur Indebtedness pursuant to clause (viii) of the second
paragraph of Section 4.03, plus (3) an amount equal to the net reduction in
Investments (other than reductions in Permitted Investments and reductions in
Investments made pursuant to clause (vi) of the second paragraph of this Section
4.04) in any Person resulting from payments of interest on Indebtedness,
dividends, repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of assets, in
each case to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or from the Net Cash
Proceeds from the sale of any such Investment (except, in each case, to the
extent any such payment or proceeds is included in the calculation of Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income), or from redesignations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as
Restricted Subsidiaries (valued in such case as provided in the definition of
"Investments"), not to exceed, in each case, the amount of Investments
previously made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Person or
Unrestricted Subsidiary.
The foregoing provision shall not be violated by reason of:
46
(i) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date
of declaration thereof if, at such date of declaration, such payment
would comply with the foregoing paragraph;
(ii) the redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other
acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness that is
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes including premium, if
any, and accrued and unpaid interest, with the proceeds of, or in
exchange for, Indebtedness Incurred under clause (iii) of the second
paragraph of Section 4.03(a);
(iii) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition of
Capital Stock of the Company (or options, warrants or other rights to
acquire such Capital Stock) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of
a substantially concurrent offering of, shares of Capital Stock (other
than Redeemable Stock) of the Company (or options, warrants or other
rights to acquire such Capital Stock);
(iv) the making of any principal payment or the repurchase,
redemption, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition for value of
Indebtedness of the Company which is subordinated in right of payment
to the Notes in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of, a
substantially concurrent offering of shares of the Capital Stock (other
than Redeemable Stock) of the Company (or options, warrants or other
rights to acquire such Capital Stock);
(v) payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders
pursuant to applicable law in connection with a consolidation, merger
or transfer of assets that complies with the provisions of Article
Five;
(vi) Investments in any Person the primary business of which
is related, ancillary or complementary to the business of the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of such Investments;
provided that the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to this
clause (vi) does not exceed the sum of (x) $25 million plus (y) the
amount of Net Cash Proceeds received by the Company after the Closing
Date as a capital contribution or from the sale of its Capital Stock
(other than Redeemable Stock) to a Person who is not a Subsidiary of
the Company, except to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds are used to
Incur Indebtedness pursuant to clause (viii) of Section 4.03(a) or to
make Restricted Payments pursuant to clause (C)(2) of the first
paragraph, or clause (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph, of this Section
4.04, plus (z) the net reduction in Investments made pursuant to this
clause (vi) resulting from distributions on or repayments of such
Investments or from the Net Cash Proceeds from the sale of any such
Investment (except in each case to the extent any such payment or
proceeds is included in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated Net
Income) or from such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary (valued in
each case
47
as provided in the definition of "Investments"), provided that the net
reduction in any Investment shall not exceed the amount of such
Investment;
(vii) the purchase, redemption, acquisition, cancellation or
other retirement for value of shares of Capital Stock of the Company to
the extent necessary, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, to
prevent the loss or secure the renewal or reinstatement of any license
or franchise held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from any
governmental agency;
(viii) the purchase, redemption, retirement or other
acquisition for value of shares of Capital Stock of the Company, or
options to purchase such shares, held by directors, employees, or
former directors or employees of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary (or their estates or beneficiaries under their estates),
other than an Affiliate of the Company, upon their death, disability,
retirement, termination of employment or pursuant to the terms of any
agreement under which such shares of Capital Stock or options were
issued; provided that the aggregate consideration paid for such
purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of such
shares of Capital Stock or options after the Closing Date does not
exceed $5 million in the aggregate (unless such repurchases are made
with the proceeds of insurance policies and the shares of Capital Stock
are repurchased from the executors, administrators, testamentary
trustees, heirs, legatees or beneficiaries);
(ix) Investments acquired as a capital contribution to the
Company or in exchange for Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Stock)
of the Company;
(x) distributions to shareholders (or former shareholders of
BTI) in respect of any liability for federal, state, local or other
taxes (including penalties and interest, if any) under a tax
indemnification agreement relating to the time BTI was an S
corporation; or
(xi) the Share Repurchase and the Reorganization;
provided that, except in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), no Default or
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or occur as a
consequence of the actions or payments set forth therein.
Each Restricted Payment permitted pursuant to the preceding paragraph
(other than the Restricted Payment referred to in clause (ii) thereof, an
exchange of Capital Stock for Capital Stock or Indebtedness referred to in
clause (iii) or (iv) thereof and an Investment referred to in clause (ix)
thereof), and the Net Cash Proceeds from any issuance of Capital Stock referred
to in clauses (iii), (iv) and (vi) thereof, shall be included in calculating
whether the conditions of clause (C) of the first paragraph of this Section 4.04
have been met
48
with respect to any subsequent Restricted Payments. In the event the proceeds of
an issuance of Capital Stock of the Company are used for the redemption,
repurchase or other acquisition of the Notes, or Indebtedness that is pari passu
in right of payment with the Notes, then the Net Cash Proceeds of such issuance
shall be included in clause (C) of the first paragraph of this Section 4.04 only
to the extent such proceeds are not used for such redemption, repurchase or
other acquisition of Indebtedness.
SECTION 4.05. Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions
Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries. The Company will not, and will not permit any
Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become
effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability
of any Restricted Subsidiary to (i) pay dividends or make any other
distributions permitted by applicable law on any Capital Stock of such
Restricted Subsidiary owned by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary,
(ii) pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any other Restricted
Subsidiary, (iii) make loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted
Subsidiary or (iv) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any
other Restricted Subsidiary.
The foregoing provisions shall not restrict any encumbrances or
restrictions:
(i) existing on the Closing Date in the Credit Agreement, this
Indenture or any other agreements in effect on the Closing Date, and
any extensions, refinancings, renewals or replacements of such
agreements; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions in any such
extensions, refinancings, renewals or replacements are no less
favorable in any material respect to the Holders than those
encumbrances or restrictions that are then in effect and that are being
extended, refinanced, renewed or replaced;
(ii) existing under or by reason of applicable law;
(iii) existing with respect to any Person or the property or
assets of such Person acquired by the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary and existing at the time of such acquisition and not
incurred in contemplation thereof, which encumbrances or restrictions
are not applicable to any Person or the property or assets of any
Person other than such Person or the property or assets of such Person
so acquired, and any extensions, refinancings, renewals or replacements
of such agreements; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions in
any such extensions, refinancings, renewals or replacements are no less
favorable in any material respect to the Holders than those
encumbrances or restrictions that are then in effect and that are being
extended, refinanced, renewed or replaced;
(iv) in the case of clause (iv) of the first paragraph of this
Section 4.05, (A) that restrict in a customary manner the subletting,
assignment or transfer of any
49
property or asset that is a lease, license, conveyance or contract or
similar property or asset, (B) existing by virtue of any transfer of,
agreement to transfer, option or right with respect to, or Lien on, any
property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary not
otherwise prohibited by this Indenture or (C) arising or agreed to in
the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and
that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value
of property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in
any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(v) with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary and imposed
pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or
disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of, or
property and assets of, such Restricted Subsidiary; or
(vi) contained in the terms of any Indebtedness or any
agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was issued if (A) the
encumbrance or restriction applies only in the event of a payment
default or a default with respect to a financial covenant contained in
such Indebtedness or agreement, (B) the encumbrance or restriction is
not materially more disadvantageous to the Holders than is customary in
comparable financings (as determined by the Company) and (C) the
Company determines that any such encumbrance or restriction will not
materially affect the Company's ability to make principal or interest
payments on the Notes.
Nothing contained in this Section 4.05 shall prevent the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary from (1) creating, incurring, assuming or suffering to
exist any Liens otherwise permitted in Section 4.09 or (2) restricting the sale
or other disposition of property or assets of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries that secure Indebtedness of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
SECTION 4.06. Limitation on the Issuance and Sale of Capital Stock of
Restricted Subsidiaries. The Company will not sell, and will not permit any
Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to issue or sell, any shares of
Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (including options, warrants or other
rights to purchase shares of such Capital Stock) except (i) to the Company or a
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) issuances of director's qualifying
shares, or sales to foreign nationals of shares of Capital Stock of foreign
Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent required by applicable law, (iii) if,
immediately after giving effect to such issuance or sale, such Restricted
Subsidiary would no longer constitute a Restricted Subsidiary and any Investment
in such Person remaining after giving effect to such issuance or sale would have
been permitted to be made under Section 4.04 if made on the date of such
issuance or sale or (iv) issuances or sales of Common Stock of a Restricted
Subsidiary, provided that the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary applies the
Net Cash Proceeds, if any, of any such sale in accordance with clause (A) or (B)
of the first paragraph of Section 4.10.
50
SECTION 4.07. Limitation on Issuances of Guarantees by Restricted
Subsidiaries. The Company will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, to Guarantee any Indebtedness of the Company which is pari passu in
right of payment with, or subordinate in right of payment to, the Notes
("Guaranteed Indebtedness"), unless (i) such Restricted Subsidiary
simultaneously executes and delivers a supplemental indenture to this Indenture
providing for a Guarantee (a "Subsidiary Guarantee") of payment of the Notes by
such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) such Restricted Subsidiary waives, and will
not in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any
rights of reimbursement, indemnity or subrogation or any other rights against
the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary as a result of any payment by
such Restricted Subsidiary under its Subsidiary Guarantee; provided that this
paragraph shall not be applicable to (x) any Guarantee of any Restricted
Subsidiary that existed at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary
and was not Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person
becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or (y) any Guarantee of any Restricted
Subsidiary of Indebtedness Incurred (I) under Credit Facilities pursuant to
clause (i) of the second paragraph of Section 4.03 or (II) pursuant to clause
(vii) of the second paragraph of Section 4.03(a). If the Guaranteed Indebtedness
is (A) pari passu in right of payment with the Notes, then the Guarantee of such
Guaranteed Indebtedness shall be pari passu in right of payment with, or
subordinated in right of payment to, the Subsidiary Guarantee or (B)
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, then the Guarantee of such
Guaranteed Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to the
Subsidiary Guarantee at least to the extent that the Guaranteed Indebtedness is
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Subsidiary Guarantee by a Restricted
Subsidiary may provide by its terms that it shall be automatically and
unconditionally released and discharged upon (i) any sale, exchange or transfer,
to any Person not an Affiliate of the Company, of all of the Company's and each
Restricted Subsidiary's Capital Stock in, or all or substantially all the assets
of, such Restricted Subsidiary (which sale, exchange or transfer is not
prohibited by this Indenture) or (ii) the release or discharge of the Guarantee
which resulted in the creation of such Subsidiary Guarantee, except a discharge
or release by or as a result of payment under such Guarantee.
SECTION 4.08. Limitation on Transactions with Stockholders and
Affiliates. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary
to, directly or indirectly, enter into, renew or extend any transaction
(including, without limitation, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of
property or assets, or the rendering of any service) with any holder (or any
Affiliate of such holder) of 5% or more of any class of Capital Stock of the
Company or with any Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary,
except upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable in any material respect
to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than could be obtained, at the time
of such transaction or, if such transaction is pursuant to a written agreement,
at the time of the execution of the agreement providing
51
therefor, in a comparable arm's-length transaction with a Person that is not
such a holder or an Affiliate.
The foregoing limitation does not limit, and shall not apply to:
(i) transactions (A) approved by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board of Directors or (B) for which the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary delivers to the Trustee a written
opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm stating that
the transaction is fair to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary
from a financial point of view;
(ii) any transaction solely between the Company and any of its
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries or solely between Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiaries;
(iii) the payment of reasonable and customary regular fees to
directors of the Company who are not employees of the Company;
(iv) any payments or other transactions pursuant to (x) any
tax-sharing agreement between the Company and any other Person with
which the Company files a consolidated tax return or with which the
Company is part of a consolidated group for tax purposes and (y) any
tax-indemnity agreement between the Company and any shareholder (or
former shareholder of BTI) at the time BTI was an S corporation;
(v) any Restricted Payments not prohibited by Section 4.04; or
(vi) the Transactions.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any transaction covered by the first paragraph of
this Section 4.08 and not covered by clauses (ii) through (vi) of this
paragraph, the aggregate amount of which exceeds $1 million in value, must be
approved or determined to be fair in the manner provided for in clause (i)(A) or
(B) above.
SECTION 4.09. Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not
permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist
any Lien on any of its assets or properties of any character, or any shares of
Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary, without making
effective provision for all of the Notes and all other amounts due under this
Indenture to be directly secured equally and ratably with (or, if the obligation
or liability to be secured by such Lien is subordinated in right of payment to
the Notes, prior to) the obligation or liability secured by such Lien.
The foregoing limitation does not apply to:
52
(i) Liens existing on the Closing Date;
(ii) Liens granted after the Closing Date on any assets or
Capital Stock of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries created in
favor of the Holders;
(iii) Liens with respect to the assets of a Restricted
Subsidiary granted by such Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or a
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary to secure Indebtedness owing to the
Company or such other Restricted Subsidiary;
(iv) Liens securing Indebtedness which is Incurred to
refinance secured Indebtedness which is permitted to be Incurred under
clause (iii) of the second paragraph of Section 4.03(a); provided that
such Liens do not extend to or cover any property or assets of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the property or assets
securing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(v) Liens securing obligations under Credit Facilities
Incurred under clause (i) of the second paragraph of Section 4.03(a);
or
(vi) Permitted Liens.
SECTION 4.10. Limitation on Asset Sales. The Company will not, and will
not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, consummate any Asset Sale, unless (i)
the consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is at
least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets sold or disposed of and (ii)
at least 75% of the consideration received consists of cash or Temporary Cash
Investments. In the event and to the extent that the Net Cash Proceeds received
by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from one or more Asset
Sales occurring on or after the Closing Date in any period of 12 consecutive
months exceed $10 million, then the Company shall or shall cause the relevant
Restricted Subsidiary to (i) within 12 months after the date Net Cash Proceeds
so received exceed $10 million (A) apply an amount equal to such excess Net Cash
Proceeds to permanently repay unsubordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary providing a Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to Section 4.07
or Indebtedness of any other Restricted Subsidiary, in each case owing to a
Person other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (B) invest an
amount equal to such excess Net Cash Proceeds, or the amount of such Net Cash
Proceeds not so applied pursuant to clause (A) (or enter into a definitive
agreement committing to so invest within 12 months after the date of such
agreement), in capital assets of a nature or type or that are used in a business
(or in a Person having capital assets of a nature or type, or engaged in a
business) similar or related to the nature or type of the property and assets
of, or the business of, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on
the date of such investment (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and evidenced by a Board
Resolution) and (ii) apply (no later than the end of the 12-month period
referred to in clause (i)) such excess
53
Net Cash Proceeds (to the extent not applied pursuant to clause (i)) as provided
in the following paragraph of this Section 4.10. The amount of such excess Net
Cash Proceeds required to be applied (or to be committed to be applied) during
such 12-month period as set forth in clause (i) of the preceding sentence and
not applied as so required by the end of such period shall constitute "Excess
Proceeds."
If, as of the first day of any calendar month, the aggregate amount of
Excess Proceeds not theretofore subject to an Offer to Purchase pursuant to this
Section 4.10 totals at least $5 million, the Company must commence, not later
than the fifteenth Business Day of such month, and consummate an Offer to
Purchase from the Holders on a pro rata basis an aggregate principal amount of
Notes equal to the Excess Proceeds on such date, at a purchase price equal to
100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus, in each case, accrued interest
to the Payment Date.
SECTION 4.11. Repurchase of Notes upon a Change of Control. The Company
shall commence, within 30 days after the occurrence of a Change of Control, and
consummate an Offer to Purchase for all Notes then outstanding, at a purchase
price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to
the Payment Date.
SECTION 4.12. Existence. Subject to Articles Four and Five of this
Indenture, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to
preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence and the existence of
each of its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the respective
organizational documents of the Company and each such Subsidiary and the rights
(whether pursuant to charter, partnership certificate, agreement, statute or
otherwise), material licenses and franchises of the Company and each such
Subsidiary; provided that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such
right, license or franchise, or the existence of any Restricted Subsidiary, if
the maintenance or preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of
the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
SECTION 4.13. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims. The Company will pay
or discharge and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay or discharge, or
cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent (i) all
material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon (a)
the Company or any such Subsidiary, (b) the income or profits of any such
Subsidiary which is a corporation or (c) the property of the Company or any such
Subsidiary and (ii) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies
that, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or
any such Subsidiary; provided that the Company shall not be required to pay or
discharge, or cause to be paid or discharged, any such tax, assessment, charge
or claim the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been
established.
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SECTION 4.14. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance. The Company will
cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the
business of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good
condition, repair and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment
and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements,
betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may
be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be
properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided that nothing in
this Section 4.14 shall prevent the Company or any such Subsidiary from
discontinuing the use, operation or maintenance of any of such properties or
disposing of any of them, if such discontinuance or disposal is, in the judgment
of the Company, desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company or such
Subsidiary.
The Company will provide or cause to be provided, for itself and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, insurance (including appropriate self-insurance)
against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by corporations
similarly situated and owning like properties, including, but not limited to,
products liability insurance and public liability insurance, with reputable
insurers or with the government of the United States of America, or an agency or
instrumentality thereof, in such amounts, with such deductibles and by such
methods as shall be customary for corporations similarly situated in the
industry in which the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may
be, is then conducting business.
SECTION 4.15. Notice of Defaults. In the event that the Company becomes
aware of any Default or Event of Default, the Company, promptly after it becomes
aware thereof, will give written notice thereof to the Trustee.
SECTION 4.16. Compliance Certificates. (a) The Company shall deliver to
the Trustee, within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter (90 days after
the end of the last fiscal quarter of each year), an Officers' Certificate
stating whether or not the signers know of any Default or Event of Default that
occurred during such fiscal quarter. In the case of the Officers' Certificate
delivered within 90 days after the end of the Company's fiscal year, such
certificate shall contain a certification from the principal executive officer,
principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company that
a review has been conducted of the activities of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries and the Company's and its Restricted Subsidiaries' performance
under this Indenture and that the Company has complied with all conditions and
covenants under this Indenture. For purposes of this Section 4.16, such
compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or
requirement of notice provided under this Indenture. If the officers of the
Company signing such certificate do know of such a Default or Event of Default,
the certificate shall describe any such Default or Event of Default and its
status. The first certificate to be delivered pursuant to this Section 4.16(a)
shall be for the first fiscal quarter beginning after the execution of this
Indenture.
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(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the
end of the Company's fiscal year, a certificate signed by the Company's
independent certified public accountants stating (i) that their audit
examination has included a review of the terms of this Indenture and the Notes
as they relate to accounting matters, (ii) that they have read the most recent
Officers' Certificate delivered to the Trustee pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 4.16 and (iii) whether, in connection with their audit examination,
anything came to their attention that caused them to believe that the Company
was not in compliance with any of the terms, covenants, provisions or conditions
of Article Four and Section 5.01 of this Indenture as they pertain to accounting
matters and, if any Default or Event of Default has come to their attention,
specifying the nature and period of existence thereof; provided that such
independent certified public accountants shall not be liable in respect of such
statement by reason of any failure to obtain knowledge of any such Default or
Event of Default that would not be disclosed in the course of an audit
examination conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
in effect at the date of such examination.
SECTION 4.17. Commission Reports and Reports to Holders. At all times
from and after the earlier of (i) the date of the commencement of an Exchange
Offer or the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement (the
"Registration") and (ii) the date that is six months after the Closing Date, in
either case whether or not the Company is then required to file reports with the
Commission, the Company shall file with the Commission the annual, quarterly and
other reports and other information required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (unless the Commission will not accept such a filing, in which case
the Company shall provide such documents to the Trustee). The Company shall mail
or cause to be mailed copies of such reports and information to Holders and the
Trustee within 15 days after the date it files such reports and information with
the Commission or after the date it would have been required to file such
reports and information with the Commission had it been subject to such sections
of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the copies of such reports and
information mailed to Holders may omit exhibits, which the Company will supply
to any Holder at such Holder's request. In addition, at all times prior to the
earlier of (i) the date of the Registration and (ii) six months after the
Closing Date, the Company shall, at its cost, deliver to each Holder of the
Notes quarterly and annual reports substantially equivalent to those which would
be required by the Exchange Act. In addition, at all times prior to the
Registration, upon the request of any Holder or any prospective purchaser of the
Notes designated by a Holder, the Company shall supply to such Holder or such
prospective purchaser the information required under Rule 144A under the
Securities Act.
SECTION 4.18. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws. The Company
covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any
time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the
benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law
that would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes
56
as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force,
or that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) the Company hereby expressly waives all
benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder,
delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but
will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law
had been enacted.
SECTION 4.19. Limitation on Sale-Leaseback Transactions. The Company
will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any
sale-leaseback transaction involving any of its assets or properties whether now
owned or hereafter acquired, whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
sells or transfers such assets or properties and then or thereafter leases such
assets or properties or any part thereof or any other assets or properties which
the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, intends to use
for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the assets or properties sold
or transferred.
The foregoing restriction does not apply to any sale-leaseback
transaction if:
(i) the lease is for a period, including renewal rights, of
not in excess of three years;
(ii) the lease secures or relates to industrial revenue or
pollution control bonds;
(iii) the transaction is solely between the Company and any
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary or solely between Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(iv) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, within 12
months after the sale or transfer of any assets or properties is
completed, applies an amount not less than the net proceeds received
from such sale in accordance with clause (A) or (B) of the first
paragraph of Section 4.10.
SECTION 4.20. Special Repurchase Offer. In the event that the
FiberSouth Acquisition is not consummated and the FiberSouth Officers'
Certificate and Opinion of Counsel is not delivered by December 31, 1997 or if
it appears in the sole judgement of the Company that the FiberSouth Acquisition
will not be consummated and the FiberSouth Officers' Certificate and Opinion of
Counsel will not be delivered by December 31 1997, the Company shall commence an
Offer to Purchase $35.0 million principal amount of the Notes at a purchase
price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued interest to the
Payment Date. On the earlier of (i) December 31, 1997, if the Trustee has not
received the FiberSouth Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, and (ii)
five Business Days after the date on which the Trustee receives an officers'
certificate stating that the FiberSouth
57
Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel will not be delivered by December
31, 1997 the Trustee will mail by first class mail to each Holder's last address
as it appears in the Security Register a written notice commencing the Special
Repurchase Offer. In the event that the FiberSouth Acquisition is not
consummated by November 30, 1997, within 5 days thereafter the Company shall
deliver to the Trustee a form of written notice to be used in connection with
the Special Repurchase Offer set forth herein.
ARTICLE FIVE
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
SECTION 5.01. When Company May Merge, Etc. The Company shall not
consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property and assets (as an
entirety or substantially an entirety in one transaction or a series of related
transactions) to, any Person or permit any Person to merge with or into the
Company (other than the merger of BTI with a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary
of BTI Telecom in the Reorganization) unless: (i) the Company shall be the
continuing Person, or the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such
consolidation or into which the Company is merged or that acquired or leased
such property and assets of the Company shall be a corporation organized and
validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any
jurisdiction thereof, and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture,
executed and delivered to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company on
all of the Notes and under this Indenture; (ii) immediately after giving effect
to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing; (iii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro
forma basis, the Company or any Person becoming the successor obligor of the
Notes shall have Consolidated Net Worth equal to or greater than the
Consolidated Net Worth of the Company immediately prior to such transaction;
(iv) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis,
the Company, or any Person becoming the successor obligor of the Notes, as the
case may be, could Incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness under the first
paragraph of Section 4.03; provided, however, that this clause (iv) shall not
apply to a consolidation or merger with or into a Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary with a positive net worth, provided that in connection with any such
merger or consolidation, no consideration (except Capital Stock (other than
Redeemable Stock) in the surviving Person or the Company (or a Person that owns
directly or indirectly all of the Capital Stock of the surviving Person or the
Company immediately following such transaction)) shall be issued or distributed
to the stockholders of the Company; and (v) the Company delivers to the Trustee
an Officers' Certificate (attaching the arithmetic computations to demonstrate
compliance with clauses (iii) and (iv) above) and an Opinion of Counsel, in each
case stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental
indenture comply with this provision and that all conditions precedent provided
for herein relating to such transaction have been complied with; provided,
however, that clauses (iii) and (iv) above do not apply if, in the good faith
determination of the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution,
58
the principal purpose of such transaction is to change the state of
incorporation of the Company; and provided further that any such transaction
shall not have as one of its purposes the evasion of the foregoing limitations.
SECTION 5.02. Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger,
or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the property and assets of the Company in accordance with
Section 5.01 of this Indenture, the successor Person formed by such
consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale,
conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and
be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under
this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named
as the Company herein; provided that the Company shall not be released from its
obligation to pay the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes in
the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its property and assets.
ARTICLE SIX
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default. An "Event of Default" shall occur with
respect to the Notes if:
(a) the Company defaults in the payment of principal of (or premium,
if any, on) any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon
acceleration, redemption or otherwise;
(b) the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Note when
the same becomes due and payable, which defaults continue for a period of 30
days; provided that a failure to make any of the first six scheduled interest
payments on the Notes on the applicable Interest Payment Date will constitute an
Event of Default with no grace or cure period;
(c) the Company defaults in the performance or breaches Section 3.01(c)
or Article Five, or the failure to make or consummate an Offer to Purchase in
accordance with Section 4.10, Section 4.11 or Section 4.20;
(d) the Company defaults in the performance or breaches any covenant or
agreement of the Company in this Indenture or under the Notes (other than a
default specified in clause (a), (b) or (c) above), which default or breach
continues for a period of 30 consecutive days after written notice by the
Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
Notes then outstanding,
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(e) there occurs with respect to any issue or issues of Indebtedness of
the Company or any Significant Subsidiary having an outstanding principal amount
of $5 million or more in the aggregate for all such issues of all such Persons,
whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, (I) an event
of default that has caused the holder thereof to declare such Indebtedness to be
due and payable prior to its Stated Maturity and such Indebtedness has not been
discharged in full or such acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled
within 30 days of such acceleration and/or (II) the failure to make a principal
payment at the final (but not any interim) fixed maturity and such defaulted
payment shall not have been made, waived or extended within 30 days of such
payment default;
(f) any final judgment or order (not covered by insurance) for the
payment of money in excess of $5 million in the aggregate for all such final
judgments or orders against all such Persons (treating any deductibles,
self-insurance or retention as not so covered) shall be rendered against the
Company or any Significant Subsidiary and shall not be paid or discharged, and
there shall be any period of 30 consecutive days following entry of the final
judgment or order that causes the aggregate amount for all such final judgments
or orders outstanding and not paid or discharged against all such Persons to
exceed $5 million during which a stay of enforcement of such final judgment or
order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect;
(g) a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or
order for (A) relief in respect of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary in
an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar
law now or hereafter in effect, (B) appointment of a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or
any Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and
assets of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or (C) the winding up or
liquidation of the affairs of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary and, in
each case, such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period
of 60 consecutive days;
(h) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (A) commences a voluntary
case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or
hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an
involuntary case under any such law, (B) consents to the appointment of or
taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee,
sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or
for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or any
Significant Subsidiary or (C) effects any general assignment for the benefit of
creditors; or
(i) the Pledge Agreement shall cease to be in full force and effect or
enforceable in accordance with its terms, other than in accordance with its
terms.
SECTION 6.02. Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event
of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 that occurs with
respect to the
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Company) occurs and is continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee or the
Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding, by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee if such notice
is given by the Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders
shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the
Notes to be immediately due and payable. Upon a declaration of acceleration,
such principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest shall be immediately due
and payable. In the event of a declaration of acceleration because an Event of
Default set forth in clause (e) of Section 6.01 has occurred and is continuing,
such declaration of acceleration shall be automatically rescinded and annulled
if the event of default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to clause (e)
of Section 6.01 shall be remedied or cured by the Company or the relevant
Significant Subsidiary or waived by the holders of the relevant Indebtedness
within 60 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto. If an
Event of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 occurs with
respect to the Company, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest
on the Notes then outstanding shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and
payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any
Holder.
The Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding Notes, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may
waive all past defaults and rescind and annul a declaration of acceleration and
its consequences if (i) all existing Events of Default, other than the
nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that
have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or
waived and (ii) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of
a court of competent jurisdiction.
SECTION 6.03. Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is
continuing, the Trustee may, and at the direction of the Holders of at least a
majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall, pursue any
available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes or to enforce the
performance of any provision of the Notes, the Pledge Agreement or this
Indenture.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any
of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.
SECTION 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Sections 6.02, 6.07
and 9.02, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding Notes, by notice to the Trustee, may waive an existing Default or
Event of Default and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note as specified in clause
(a) or (b) of Section 6.01 or in respect of a covenant or provision of this
Indenture which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder
of each outstanding Note affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall
cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to
have been cured, for every purpose of
61
this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereto.
SECTION 6.05. Control by Majority. The Holders of at least a majority
in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may direct the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the
Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this
Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the
Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of
Holders of Notes not joining in the giving of such direction and may take any
other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction
received from Holders of Notes.
SECTION 6.06. Limitation on Suits. A Holder may not pursue any remedy
with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(i) the Holder gives the Trustee written notice of a
continuing Event of Default;
(ii) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount
of outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue
the remedy;
(iii) such Holder or Holders offer (and if requested provide)
the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs,
liability or expense;
(iv) the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60
days after receipt of the request and the offer of indemnity; and
(v) during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes do not give the
Trustee a direction that is inconsistent with the request.
For purposes of Section 6.05 of this Indenture and this Section 6.06,
the Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 316(a) in making any determination of
whether the Holders of the required aggregate principal amount of outstanding
Notes have concurred in any request or direction of the Trustee to pursue any
remedy available to the Trustee or the Holders with respect to this Indenture or
the Notes or otherwise under the law.
A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another
Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over such other Holder.
SECTION 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive
payment of the
62
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, such Note or to bring suit for
the enforcement of any such payment, on or after the due date expressed in the
Notes, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default in
payment of principal, premium or interest specified in clause (a), (b) or (c) of
Section 6.01 occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its
own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company or any other
obligor of the Notes for the whole amount of principal, premium, if any, and
accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal,
premium, if any, and, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful,
interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate specified
in the Notes, and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs
and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
SECTION 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file
such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or
advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for
the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under
Section 7.07) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to
the Company (or any other obligor of the Notes), its creditors or its property
and shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any monies,
securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange
of the Notes or upon any such claims and to distribute the same, and any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each
Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee
shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to
the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other
amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be
deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on
behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or
composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to
authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such
proceeding.
SECTION 6.10. Priorities. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to
this Article Six, it shall pay out the money in the following order:
First: to the Trustee for all amounts due under Section 7.07;
Second: to Holders for amounts then due and unpaid for
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes in respect of
which or for the benefit of
63
which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or
priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such
Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and
Third: to the Company or any other obligors of the Notes, as
their interests may appear, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may
direct.
The Trustee, upon prior written notice to the Company, may fix a record
date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.10.
SECTION 6.11. Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of
any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for
any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party
litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and
the court may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
against any party litigant in the suit having due regard to the merits and good
faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11
does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section
6.07, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the
outstanding Notes.
SECTION 6.12. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any
Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this
Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason,
or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then, and in
every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company,
the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to
their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the
Company, Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had
been instituted.
SECTION 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise
provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed,
lost or wrongfully taken Notes in Section 2.09, no right or remedy herein
conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be
exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the
extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and
remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or
otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or
otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other
appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 6.14. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the
Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event
of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any
such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given
by this Article Six or by law to the
64
Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as
may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
ARTICLE SEVEN
TRUSTEE
SECTION 7.01. General. The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee
shall be as provided by the TIA and as set forth herein. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or
risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance
of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or
powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it. Whether or not herein expressly so provided, every provision of
this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this
Article Seven.
SECTION 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Indenture, subject to TIA Sections 315(a) through (d):
(i) the Trustee may rely, and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting, upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent,
order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed
or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any
fact or matter stated in any such document;
(ii) before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may
require an Officers' Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, which shall
conform to Section 11.04. The Trustee shall not be liable for any
action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such
certificate or opinion;
(iii) the Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and
shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any
attorney or agent appointed with due care;
(iv) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request
or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders shall have
offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
compliance with such request or direction;
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(v) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or
omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within
its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in
accordance with the written direction of the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the outstanding Notes relating to the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee,
under this Indenture;
(vi) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the
Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established
prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the
Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may,
in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers'
Certificate; and
(vii) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation
into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness
or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may
make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters
as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such
further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the
books, records and premises of the Company personally or by agent or
attorney.
SECTION 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee, in its
individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and
may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it
would have if it were not the Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like
rights. However, the Trustee is subject to TIA Sections 310(b) and 311.
SECTION 7.04. Trustee's Disclaimer. The Trustee (i) makes no
representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes,
(ii) shall not be accountable for the Company's use or application of the
proceeds from the Notes and (iii) shall not be responsible for any statement in
the Notes other than its certificate of authentication.
SECTION 7.05. Notice of Default. If any Default or any Event of Default
occurs and is continuing and if such Default or Event of Default is actually
known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each
Holder in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c) notice of
the Default or Event of Default within 45 days after it occurs, unless such
Default or Event of Default has been cured; provided, however, that, except in
the case of a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or
interest on any Note, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice
if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust
committee of directors and/or
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Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding
of such notice is in the interest of the Holders.
SECTION 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders. Within 60 days after each
May 15, beginning with May 15, 1998, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder as
provided in TIA Section 313(c) a brief report dated as of such May 15, if
required by TIA Section 313(a).
SECTION 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity. The Company shall pay to the
Trustee such compensation as shall be agreed upon in writing for its services.
The compensation of the Trustee shall not be limited by any law on compensation
of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon
request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and advances (if any) incurred
or made by the Trustee. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation
and expenses of the Trustee's agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify the Trustee against any and all losses,
liabilities, obligations, damages, penalties, judgments, actions, suits,
proceedings, reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel and other consultants) of any kind whatsoever which may
be incurred by the Trustee in connection with any investigative, administrative
or judicial proceeding (whether or not such indemnified party is designated a
party to such proceeding) arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of its duties under this Indenture; provided, however, that the
Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss,
obligation, damage, penalty, judgment, action, suit, proceeding, reasonable cost
or expense (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) of any kind
whatsoever which may be incurred by the Trustee in connection with any
investigative, administrative or judicial proceeding (whether or not such
indemnified party is designated a party to such proceeding) in which it is
determined by a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction
that the Trustee acted with negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. The
Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek
indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the
Company of its obligations hereunder, unless the Company is materially
prejudiced thereby. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall
cooperate in the defense. Unless otherwise set forth herein, the Trustee may
have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses
of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
To secure the Company's payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the
Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or
collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property
held by the Trustee pursuant to the Pledge Agreement and money or property held
in trust to pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on particular Notes.
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If the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after the occurrence
of an Event of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01, the
expenses and the compensation for the services will be intended to constitute
expenses of administration under Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code
or any applicable federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
SECTION 7.08. Replacement of Trustee. A resignation or removal of the
Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon
the successor Trustee's acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section
7.08.
The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Company in
writing at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove
the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor
Trustee with the consent of the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee if:
(i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10; (ii) the Trustee is
adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer
takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes
incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the
office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor
Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders
of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may appoint a
successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If
the successor Trustee does not deliver its written acceptance required by the
next succeeding paragraph of this Section 7.08 within 30 days after the retiring
Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders
of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its
appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after the
delivery of such written acceptance, subject to the lien provided in Section
7.07, (i) the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee
to the successor Trustee, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring
Trustee shall become effective and (iii) the successor Trustee shall have all
the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. A successor
Trustee shall mail notice of its succession to each Holder.
If the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10, any Holder who
satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(b) may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a
successor Trustee.
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The Company shall give notice of any resignation and any removal of the
Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all Holders. Each notice
shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate
Trust Office.
Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section
7.08, the Company's obligation under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit
of the retiring Trustee.
SECTION 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc. If the Trustee
consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially
all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking
association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national
banking association without any further act shall be the successor Trustee with
the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee
herein. Such succession shall also apply to all agency appointments in which the
Trustee then serves.
SECTION 7.10. Eligibility. This Indenture shall always have a Trustee
who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1). The Trustee shall have
a combined capital and surplus of at least $25 million as set forth in its most
recent published annual report of condition.
SECTION 7.11. Money Held in Trust. The Trustee shall not be liable for
interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree with the
Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other
funds except to the extent required by law and except for money held in trust
under Article Eight of this Indenture.
SECTION 7.12. Withholding Taxes. The Trustee, as agent for the Company,
shall exclude and withhold from each payment of principal and interest and other
amounts due hereunder or under the Notes any and all withholding taxes
applicable thereto as required by law. The Trustee agrees to act as such
withholding agent and, in connection therewith, whenever any present or future
taxes or similar charges are required to be withheld with respect to any amounts
payable in respect of the Notes, to withhold such amounts and timely pay the
same to the appropriate authority in the name of and on behalf of the Holders,
that it will file any necessary withholding tax returns or statements when due,
and that, as promptly as possible after the payment thereof, it will deliver to
each Holder of a Note appropriate documentation showing the payment thereof,
together with such additional documentary evidence as such Holders may
reasonably request from time to time.
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ARTICLE EIGHT
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
SECTION 8.01. Termination of Company's Obligations. Except as otherwise
provided in this Section 8.01, the Company may terminate its obligations under
the Notes and this Indenture if:
(i) all Notes previously authenticated and delivered (other
than destroyed, lost or stolen Notes that have been replaced or Notes
that are paid pursuant to Section 4.01 or Notes for whose payment money
or securities have theretofore been held in trust and thereafter repaid
to the Company, as provided in Section 8.05) have been delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation and the Company has paid all sums payable by
it hereunder; or
(ii) (A) the Notes mature within one year or all of them are
to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements
satisfactory to the Trustee for giving the notice of redemption, (B)
the Company irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee during such
one-year period, under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in
form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, as trust funds solely
for the benefit of the Holders for that purpose, money or U.S.
Government Obligations sufficient (in the opinion of a nationally
recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee), without
consideration of any reinvestment of any interest thereon, to pay
principal, premium, if, any, and interest on the Notes to maturity or
redemption, as the case may be, and to pay all other sums payable by it
hereunder, (C) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes
shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, (D)
such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute
a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to
which the Company is a party or by which it is bound and (E) the
Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent
provided for herein relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture have been complied with.
With respect to the foregoing clause (i), the Company's obligations
under Section 7.07 shall survive. With respect to the foregoing clause (ii), the
Company's obligations in Sections 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.08,
2.09, 2.14, 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.04, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive until the
Notes are no longer outstanding. Thereafter, only the Company's obligations in
Sections 7.07, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive. After any such irrevocable deposit,
the Trustee upon request shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of the
Company's obligations under the Notes and this Indenture except for those
surviving obligations specified above.
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in or implied by
this Indenture, (i) following consummation of the Reorganization, BTI shall have
no liability or obligation whatsoever, to any person or entity, under or
pursuant to this Indenture or the Notes, and (ii) in the event the
Reorganization is consummated on the Closing Date, neither the Trustee nor any
other person or entity shall have any claim or cause of action of any nature
whatsoever against BTI under or pursuant to this Indenture or the Notes,
including without limitation any such claim or cause of action arising prior to
consummation of the Reorganization.
SECTION 8.02. Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture. The Company will
be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from any and all obligations in
respect of the Notes on the 123rd day after the date of the deposit referred to
in clause (A) of this Section 8.02, and the provisions of this Indenture will no
longer be in effect with respect to the Notes, and the Trustee, at the expense
of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, except
as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, (ii) substitution of
apparently mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, (iii) rights of
Holders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, (iv) the
Company's obligations under Section 4.02, (v) the rights, privileges,
obligations and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (vi) the rights of the
Holders as beneficiaries of this Indenture with respect to the property so
deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them; provided that the
following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(A) with reference to this Section 8.02, the Company has
irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the
Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section
7.10) and conveyed all right, title and interest for the benefit of the
Holders, under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in form and
substance satisfactory to the Trustee as trust funds in trust,
specifically pledged to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders as
security for payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on the Notes, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of
the Holders, in and to (1) money in an amount, (2) U.S. Government
Obligations that, through the payment of interest, premium, if any, and
principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will
provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment
referred to in this clause (A), money in an amount or (3) a combination
thereof in an amount sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally
recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and
discharge, without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest
and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other
charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee, the
principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the outstanding
Notes at the Stated Maturity of such principal or interest; provided
that the Trustee shall have been irrevocably instructed to apply such
money or the proceeds of such U.S. Government Obligations to the
payment of such principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect
to the Notes;
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(B) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of,
or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(C) immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro
forma basis, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on
the 123rd day after such date of deposit;
(D) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (1) either
(x) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue
Service to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain
or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company's
exercise of its option under this Section 8.02 and will be subject to
federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the
same times as would have been the case if such option had not been
exercised or (y) an Opinion of Counsel to the same effect as the ruling
described in clause (x) above accompanied by a ruling to that effect
published by the Internal Revenue Service, unless there has been a
change in the applicable federal income tax law since the date of this
Indenture such that a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service is no
longer required and (2) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (x)
the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and (y) after the passage of 123 days following the
deposit (except, with respect to any trust funds for the account of any
Holder who may be deemed to be an "insider" for purposes of the United
States Bankruptcy Code, after one year following the deposit), the
trust funds will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the
United States Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and
Creditor Law in a case commenced by or against the Company under either
such statute, and either (I) the trust funds will no longer remain the
property of the Company (and therefore will not be subject to the
effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally) or (II) if a court
were to rule under any such law in any case or proceeding that the
trust funds remained property of the Company, (a) assuming such trust
funds remained in the possession of the Trustee prior to such court
ruling to the extent not paid to the Holders, the Trustee will hold,
for the benefit of the Holders, a valid and perfected security interest
in such trust funds that is not avoidable in bankruptcy or otherwise
except for the effect of Section 552(b) of the United States Bankruptcy
Code on interest on the trust funds accruing after the commencement of
a case under such statute and (b) the Holders will be entitled to
receive adequate protection of their interests in such trust funds if
such trust funds are used in such case or proceeding;
(E) if the Notes are then listed on a national securities
exchange, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that such deposit, defeasance and discharge will
not cause the Notes to be delisted; and
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(F) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all
conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance
contemplated by this Section 8.02 have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the end of the 123-day (or one
year) period referred to in clause (D)(2)(y) of this Section 8.02, none of the
Company's obligations under this Indenture shall be discharged. Subsequent to
the end of such 123-day (or one year) period with respect to this Section 8.02,
the Company's obligations in Sections 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.08,
2.09, 2.14, 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive until the Notes
are no longer outstanding. Thereafter, only the Company's obligations in
Sections 7.07, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive. If and when a ruling from the
Internal Revenue Service or an Opinion of Counsel referred to in clause (D)(1)
of this Section 8.02 is able to be provided specifically without regard to, and
not in reliance upon, the continuance of the Company's obligations under Section
4.01, then the Company's obligations under such Section 4.01 shall cease upon
delivery to the Trustee of such ruling or Opinion of Counsel and compliance with
the other conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance
contemplated by this Section 8.02.
After any such irrevocable deposit, the Trustee upon request shall
acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company's obligations under the
Notes and this Indenture except for those surviving obligations in the
immediately preceding paragraph.
SECTION 8.03. Defeasance of Certain Obligations. The Company may omit
to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in clauses (iii) and
(iv) of Section 5.01 and Sections 4.03 through 4.17, Section 4.19 and clause (d)
of Section 6.01 with respect to clauses (iii) and (iv) of Section 5.01 and
Sections 4.03 through 4.17, Section 4.19 and clauses (e) and (f) of Section 6.01
shall be deemed not to be Events of Default, in each case with respect to the
outstanding Notes if:
(i) with reference to this Section 8.03, the Company has
irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the
Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section
7.10) and conveyed all right, title and interest to the Trustee for the
benefit of the Holders, under the terms of an irrevocable trust
agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee as trust
funds in trust, specifically pledged to the Trustee for the benefit of
the Holders as security for payment of the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest, if any, on the Notes, and dedicated solely to, the
benefit of the Holders, in and to (A) money in an amount, (B) U.S.
Government Obligations that, through the payment of interest and
principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will
provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment
referred to in this clause (i), money in an amount or (C) a combination
thereof in an amount sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally
73
recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and
discharge, without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest
and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other
charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee, the
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the outstanding Notes on
the Stated Maturity of such principal or interest; provided that the
Trustee shall have been irrevocably instructed to apply such money or
the proceeds of such U.S. Government Obligations to the payment of such
principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to the Notes;
(ii) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of,
or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(iii) immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro
forma basis, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on
the 123rd day after such date of deposit;
(iv) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that (A) the creation of the defeasance trust
does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940, (B) the Trustee,
for the benefit of the Holders, has a valid first-priority security
interest in the trust funds, (C) the Holders will not recognize income,
gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such
deposit and defeasance of certain obligations and will be subject to
federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the
same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance
had not occurred and (D) after the passage of 123 days following the
deposit (except, with respect to any trust funds for the account of any
Holder who may be deemed to be an "insider" for purposes of the United
States Bankruptcy Code, after one year following the deposit), the
trust funds will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the
United States Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and
Creditor Law in a case commenced by or against the Company under either
such statute, and either (1) the trust funds will no longer remain the
property of the Company (and therefore will not be subject to the
effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally) or (2) if a court
were to rule under any such law in any case or proceeding that the
trust funds remained property of the Company, (x) assuming such trust
funds remained in the possession of the Trustee prior to such court
ruling to the extent not paid to the Holders, the Trustee will hold,
for the benefit of the Holders, a valid and perfected security interest
in such trust funds that is not avoidable in bankruptcy or otherwise
(except for the effect of Section 552(b) of the United States
Bankruptcy Code on interest on the trust funds accruing after the
commencement of a case under such statute) and (y) the Holders will be
entitled to
74
receive adequate protection of their interests in such trust funds if
such trust funds are used in such case or proceeding;
(v) if the Notes are then listed on a national securities
exchange, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that such deposit defeasance and discharge will
not cause the Notes to be delisted; and
(vi) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all
conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance
contemplated by this Section 8.03 have been complied with.
SECTION 8.04. Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.06, the
Trustee or Paying Agent shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations
deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, as the case may be,
and shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government
Obligations in accordance with the Notes and this Indenture to the payment of
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes; but such money need
not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
SECTION 8.05. Repayment to Company. Subject to Sections 7.07, 8.01,
8.02 and 8.03, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the
Company upon request set forth in an Officers' Certificate any excess money held
by them at any time and thereupon shall be relieved from all liability with
respect to such money. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company
upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal, premium, if
any, or interest that remains unclaimed for two years; provided that the Trustee
or such Paying Agent before being required to make any payment may cause to be
published at the expense of the Company once in a newspaper of general
circulation in the City of New York and, in the event the Notes are listed on
the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, in Luxembourg, or mail to each Holder entitled to
such money at such Holder's address (as set forth in the Note Register) notice
that such money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified therein (which
shall be at least 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing) any
unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.
After payment to the Company, Holders entitled to such money must look to the
Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable law designates
another Person, and all liability of the Trustee and such Paying Agent with
respect to such money shall cease.
SECTION 8.06. Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable
to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section
8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, as the case may be, by reason of any legal proceeding or by
reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority
enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company's
obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived
75
and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02
or 8.03, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is
permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance
with Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, as the case may be; provided that, if the
Company has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on
any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be
subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment
from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying
Agent.
ARTICLE NINE
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Holders. The Company, when authorized
by a resolution of its Board of Directors (as evidenced by a Board Resolution
delivered to the Trustee), and the Trustee may amend or supplement this
Indenture or the Notes without notice to or the consent of any Holder:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this
Indenture; provided that such amendments or supplements shall not, in
the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors as evidenced by a
Board Resolution, adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any
material respect;
(2) to comply with Article Five;
(3) to comply with any requirements of the Commission in
connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;
(4) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor Trustee; or
(5) to make any change that, in the good faith opinion of the
Board of Directors as evidenced by a Board Resolution, does not
materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder.
SECTION 9.02. With Consent of Holders. Subject to Sections 6.04 and
6.07 and without prior notice to the Holders, the Company, when authorized by
its Board of Directors (as evidenced by a Board Resolution delivered to the
Trustee), and the Trustee may amend this Indenture, the Notes and the Pledge
Agreement with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding, and the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding by written notice to the Trustee
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may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture,
the Notes and the Pledge Agreement.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9.02, without the
consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver, including a waiver
pursuant to Section 6.04, may not:
(i) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any
installment of interest on, any Note, or reduce the principal amount
thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the
redemption thereof, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the
option of any Holder of any Note, or change any place of payment where,
or the currency in which, any Note or any premium or the interest
thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the
enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof
(or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date);
(ii) reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding
Notes the consent of whose Holders is required for any such
supplemental indenture, for any waiver of compliance with certain
provisions of this Indenture or certain Defaults and their consequences
provided for in this Indenture;
(iii) waive a default in the payment of principal of, premium,
if any, or interest on, any Note;
(iv) modify Article Ten or the Pledge Agreement in a manner
that adversely affects the rights of any Holder in any material
respect; or
(v) modify any of the provisions of this Section 9.02, except
to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other
provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the
consent of the Holder of each outstanding Note affected thereby.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this
Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment,
supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the
substance thereof.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02
becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders affected thereby a
notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. The Company will
mail supplemental indentures to Holders upon request. Any failure of the Company
to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way
impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
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SECTION 9.03. Revocation and Effect of Consent. Until an amendment or
waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by
the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that
evidences the same debt as the Note of the consenting Holder, even if notation
of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder or subsequent
Holder may revoke the consent as to its Note or portion of its Note. Such
revocation shall be effective only if the Trustee receives written notice of
revocation before the time the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes
effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver shall become effective on receipt
by the Trustee of written consents from the Holders of the requisite percentage
in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for
the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment,
supplement or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the last
two sentences of the immediately preceding paragraph, those persons who were
Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies) and only those
persons shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement or waiver or
to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such persons continue to
be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective
for more than 90 days after such record date.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it shall
bind every Holder unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (i)
through (v) of the second paragraph of Section 9.02. In case of an amendment or
waiver of the type described in clauses (i) through (v) of the second paragraph
of Section 9.02, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder who has
consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same
indebtedness as the Note of the consenting Holder.
SECTION 9.04. Notation on or Exchange of Notes. If an amendment,
supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the
Holder to deliver it to the Trustee. At the Company's expense and direction, the
Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Note about the changed terms
and return it to the Holder and the Trustee may place an appropriate notation on
any Note thereafter authenticated. Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee
so determines, the Company in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee
shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make
the appropriate notation, or issue a new Note, shall not affect the validity and
effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
SECTION 9.05. Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc. The Trustee shall be
entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of
Counsel stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver
authorized pursuant to this Article Nine is authorized or permitted by this
Indenture and that it will be valid and binding upon the Company. Subject to the
preceding sentence, the Trustee shall sign such amendment,
78
supplement or waiver if the same does not adversely affect the rights, duties,
liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Trustee may, but shall not be
obligated to, execute any such amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
SECTION 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental
indenture executed pursuant to this Article Nine shall conform to the
requirements of the TIA as then in effect.
ARTICLE TEN
SECURITY
SECTION 10.01. Security. (a) On the Closing Date, the Company shall (i)
enter into the Pledge Agreement and comply with the terms and provisions thereof
and (ii) cause the Pledged Securities to be pledged to the Trustee for the
benefit of the Holders in an amount equal to the net proceeds to be received by
the Company from the sale of the Notes. The Pledged Securities shall be pledged
by the Company to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders and shall be held
by the Trustee in the Pledge Account pending disposition pursuant to the Pledge
Agreement.
(b) Each Holder, by its acceptance of a Note, consents and agrees to
the terms of the Pledge Agreement (including, without limitation, the provisions
providing for foreclosure and release of the Pledged Securities) as the same may
be in effect or may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms,
and authorizes and directs the Trustee to enter into the Pledge Agreement and to
perform its respective obligations and exercise its respective rights thereunder
in accordance therewith. The Company will do or cause to be done all such acts
and things as may be necessary or proper, or as may be required by the
provisions of the Pledge Agreement, to assure and confirm to the Trustee the
security interest in the Pledged Securities contemplated hereby, by the Pledge
Agreement or any part thereof, as from time to time constituted, so as to render
the same available for the security and benefit of this Indenture and of the
Notes secured hereby, according to the intent and purposes herein expressed. The
Company shall take, or shall cause to be taken, any and all actions required by
law (and any action requested by the Trustee) to cause the Pledge Agreement to
create and maintain, as security for the obligations of the Company under this
Indenture and the Notes, valid and enforceable first priority liens in and on
all the Pledged Securities, in favor of the Trustee, superior to and prior to
the rights of third Persons and subject to no other Liens.
(c) The release of any Pledged Securities pursuant to the Pledge
Agreement will not be deemed to impair the security under this Indenture in
contravention of the provisions hereof if and to the extent the Pledged
Securities are released pursuant to this Indenture and
79
the Pledge Agreement. To the extent applicable, the Company shall cause TIA
Section 314(d) relating to the release of property or securities from the Lien
and security interest of the Pledge Agreement (other than pursuant to Sections
7(c) and 7(d) thereof) and relating to the substitution therefor of any property
or securities to be subjected to the Lien and security interest of the Pledge
Agreement to be complied with. Any certificate or opinion required by TIA
Section 314(d) may be made by an Officer of the Company, except in cases where
TIA Section 314(d) requires that such certificate or opinion be made by an
independent Person, which Person shall be an independent engineer, appraiser or
other expert selected by the Company.
(d) The Company shall cause TIA Section 314(b), relating to opinions of
counsel regarding the Lien under the Pledge Agreement, to be complied with. The
Trustee may, to the extent permitted by Sections 7.01 and 7.02 hereof, accept as
conclusive evidence of compliance with the foregoing provisions the appropriate
statements contained in such instruments.
(e) Following the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Trustee, in
its sole discretion and without the consent of the Holders, may, and at the
request of the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of Notes
then outstanding shall, on behalf of the Holders, take all actions it deems
necessary or appropriate in order to (i) enforce any of the terms of the Pledge
Agreement and (ii) collect and receive any and all amounts payable in respect of
the obligations of the Company thereunder. The Trustee shall have power to
institute and to maintain such suits and proceedings as the Trustee may deem
expedient to preserve or protect its interests and the interests of the Holders
in the Pledged Securities (including power to institute and maintain suits or
proceedings to restrain the enforcement of or compliance with any legislative or
other governmental enactment, rule or order that may be unconstitutional or
otherwise invalid if the enforcement of, or compliance with, such enactment,
rule or order would impair the security interest hereunder or be prejudicial to
the interests of the Holders or of the Trustee).
ARTICLE ELEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 11.01. Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Prior to the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, this Indenture shall incorporate and be governed
by the provisions of the TIA that are required to be part of and to govern
indentures qualified under the TIA. After the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, this Indenture shall be subject to the provisions of the TIA that are
required to be a part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be
governed by such provisions.
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SECTION 11.02. Notices. Any notice or communication shall be
sufficiently given if in writing and delivered in person, mailed by first-class
mail or sent by telecopier transmission addressed as follows:
if to the Company:
BTI Telecom Corp.
BTI Corporate Center
4300 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
Telecopier No.: (919) 510-7222
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
if to the Trustee:
First Trust of New York, National Association
100 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Telecopier No.: (212) 809-5459
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate
additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to it at
its address as it appears on the Security Register by first-class mail and shall
be sufficiently given to him if so mailed within the time prescribed. Copies of
any such communication or notice to a Holder shall also be mailed to the Trustee
and each Agent at the same time.
Failure to transmit a notice or communication to a Holder as provided
herein or any defect in any such notice shall not affect its sufficiency with
respect to other Holders. Except for a notice to the Trustee, which is deemed
given only when received, and except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, if
a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided in this Section
11.02, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may
be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either
before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such
notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such
filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in
reliance upon such waiver.
81
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by
reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail,
then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall
constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
SECTION 11.03. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon
any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action
under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(i) an Officers' Certificate stating that, in the opinion of
the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this
Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(ii) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of
such Counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
SECTION 11.04. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each
certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(i) a statement that each person signing such certificate or
opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein
relating thereto;
(ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation upon which the statement or opinion
contained in such certificate or opinion is based;
(iii) a statement that, in the opinion of each such person, he
has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable
him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant
or condition has been complied with; and
(iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each
such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with;
provided, however, that, with respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of
Counsel may rely on an Officers' Certificate or certificates of public
officials.
SECTION 11.05. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar. The Trustee
may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Paying
Agent or Registrar may make reasonable rules for its functions.
SECTION 11.06. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day. If an Interest
Payment Date, Redemption Date, Payment Date, Stated Maturity or date of maturity
of any Note shall
82
not be a Business Day, then payment of principal of, premium, if any, or
interest on such Note, as the case may be, need not be made on such date, but
may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect
as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at
the Stated Maturity or date of maturity of such Note; provided that no interest
shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Payment
Date, Redemption Date, Stated Maturity or date of maturity, as the case may be.
SECTION 11.07. Governing Law. The laws of the State of New York shall
govern this Indenture and the Notes. The Trustee, the Company and the Holders
agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in
any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture or the
Notes.
SECTION 11.08. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This
Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or
debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
SECTION 11.09. No Recourse Against Others. No recourse for the payment
of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Notes, or for
any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under
or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company contained in this
Indenture, or in any of the Notes, or because of the creation of any
Indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator or
against any past, present or future partner, shareholder, other equityholder,
officer, director, employee or controlling person, as such, of the Company or of
any successor Person, either directly or through the Company or any successor
Person, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the
enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly
understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a
condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and
the issue of the Notes.
SECTION 11.10. Successors. All agreements of the Company in this
Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee
in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
SECTION 11.11. Duplicate Originals. The parties may sign any number of
copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them
together represent the same agreement.
SECTION 11.12. Separability. In case any provision in this Indenture or
in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby.
83
SECTION 11.13. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The Table of Contents,
Cross- Reference Table and headings of the Articles and Sections of this
Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be
considered a part hereof and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms
and provisions hereof.
ARTICLE TWELVE
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS
SECTION 12.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of
Holders may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to the
provisions of this Article Twelve for any of the following purposes:
(a) to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee, or to give any
directions to the Trustee, or to waive or to consent to the waiving of any
Default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences, or to take any other
action authorized to be taken by Holders pursuant to any of the provisions of
Article Six;
(b) to remove the Trustee or appoint a successor Trustee pursuant to
the provisions of Article Seven;
(c) to consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver pursuant to the
provisions of Section 9.02; or
(d) to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on behalf of
the Holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of the Notes under any
other provision of this Indenture, or authorized or permitted by law.
SECTION 12.02. Manner of Calling Meetings. The Trustee may at any time
call a meeting of Holders to take any action specified in Section 12.01, to be
held at such time and at such place in The City of New York, New York or
elsewhere as the Trustee will determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders,
setting forth the time and place of such meeting and in general terms the action
proposed to be taken at such meeting, will be mailed by the Trustee, first-class
postage prepaid, to the Company and to the Holders at their last addresses as
they will appear on the registration books of the Registrar not less than 10 nor
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for a meeting.
Any meeting of Holders will be valid without notice if the Holders of
all outstanding Notes are present in person or by proxy, or if notice is waived
before or after the meeting by the Holders of all outstanding Notes, and if the
Company and the Trustee are either present by duly authorized representatives or
have, before or after the meeting, waived notice.
84
SECTION 12.03. Call of Meetings by the Company or Holders. In case at
any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of not less
than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes will have
requested the Trustee to call a meeting of Holders to take any action specified
in Section 12.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the
action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee will not have mailed
the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request, then
the Company or the Holders of Notes in the amount above specified may determine
the time and place in The City of New York, New York or elsewhere for such
meeting and may call such meeting for the purpose of taking such action, by
mailing or causing to be mailed notice thereof as provided in Section 12.02, or
by causing notice thereof to be published at least once in each of two
successive calendar weeks (on any Business Day during such week) in a newspaper
or newspapers printed in the English language, customarily published at least
five days a week of a general circulation in The City of New York, State of New
York and, in the event the Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, in
Luxembourg, the first such publication to be not less than 10 nor more than 60
days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
SECTION 12.04. Who May Attend and Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to
vote at any meeting of Holders, a Person must (i) be a registered Holder of one
or more Notes, or (ii) be appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for the
registered Holder or Holders of Notes. The only persons who will be entitled to
be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders will be the persons entitled to
vote at such meeting and their counsel and any representatives of the Trustee
and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and their counsel.
SECTION 12.05. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority
in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall constitute a quorum. In the
absence of a quorum within 30 minutes of the time appointed for any such
meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Notes, be
dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not
less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the
adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned
meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not
less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the
adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any
adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 12.02, except that such
notice need be given only once and not less than five days prior to the date on
which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an
adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage of the principal amount
of the outstanding Notes which shall constitute a quorum.
Subject to the foregoing, at the reconvening of any meeting adjourned
for a lack of a quorum, the Persons entitled to vote 25% in principal amount of
the outstanding Notes at the
85
time shall constitute a quorum for the taking of any action set forth in the
notice of the original meeting.
At a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a
quorum is present as aforesaid, any action or matter, except as otherwise
specified herein, shall be effectively passed and decided if passed or decided
by the Persons entitled to vote not less than a majority in principal amount of
outstanding Notes represented and voting at such meeting.
Any action or matter passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders
of Notes duly held in accordance with this Section 12.05 shall be binding on all
the Holders of Notes, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.
SECTION 12.06. Regulations May Be Made by Trustee; Conduct of the
Meeting; Voting Rights; Adjournment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem
advisable for any action by or any meeting of Holders, in regard to proof of the
holding of Notes and of the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the
appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, and submission and examination of
proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other
matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it will think appropriate. Such
regulations may fix a record date and time for determining the Holders of record
of Notes entitled to vote at such meeting, in which case those and only those
Persons who are Holders of Notes at the record date and time so fixed, or their
proxies, will be entitled to vote at such meeting whether or not they will be
such Holders at the time of the meeting.
The Trustee will, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary
chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting will have been called by the Company
or by Holders as provided in Section 12.03, in which case the Company or the
Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, will in like manner appoint a
temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the
meeting will be elected by vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount
of the Notes represented at the meeting and entitled to vote.
At any meeting each Holder or proxy will, subject to the provisions of
Section 12.04 hereof, be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount
of Notes held or represented by him or her; provided, however, that no vote will
be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Notes challenged as not
outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not outstanding. The
chairman may adjourn any such meeting if he is unable to determine whether any
Holder or proxy will be entitled to vote at such meeting. The chairman of the
meeting will have no right to vote other than by virtue of Notes held by him or
instruments in writing as aforesaid duly designating him as the proxy to vote on
behalf of other Holders. Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to the
provisions of Section 12.02 or Section 12.03 may be adjourned from time to time
by vote of the Holders of a
86
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented at the meeting
and entitled to vote, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without
further notice.
SECTION 12.07. Voting at the Meeting and Record to Be Kept. The vote
upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders will be by written
ballots on which will be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Notes or/of
their representatives by proxy and the principal amount of the Notes voted by
the ballot. The permanent chairman of the meeting will appoint two inspectors of
votes, who will count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any
resolution and will make and file with the secretary of the meeting their
verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record
in duplicate of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders will be prepared by
the secretary of the meeting and there will be attached to such record the
original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat
and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts, setting
forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that such notice was
mailed as provided in Section 12.02. The record will be signed and verified by
the affidavits of the permanent chairman and the secretary of the meeting and
one of the duplicates will be delivered to the Company and the other to the
Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the
ballots voted at the meeting.
Any record so signed and verified will be conclusive evidence of the
matters therein stated.
SECTION 12.08. Exercise of Rights of Trustee or Holders May Not Be
Hindered or Delayed by Call of Meeting. Nothing contained in this Article Twelve
will be deemed or construed to authorize or permit, by reason of any call of a
meeting of Holders or any rights expressly or impliedly conferred hereunder to
make such call, any hindrance or delay in the exercise of any right or rights
conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under any of the
provisions of this Indenture or of the Notes.
SECTION 12.09. Procedures Not Exclusive. The procedures set forth in
this Article Twelve are not exclusive and the rights and obligations of the
Company, the Trustee and the Holders under other Articles of this Indenture
(including, without limitation, Articles Six, Seven, Eight and Nine) will in no
way be limited by the provisions of this Article Twelve.
SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed, all as of the date first written above.
BTI TELECOM CORP.
By: /s/ Peter T. Loftin
-----------------------------------
Name: Peter T. Loftin
Title: Chief Executive Officer
BUSINESS TELECOM, INC.
By: /s/ R. Michael Newkivk
-----------------------------------
Name: R. Michael Newkivk
Title: President
FIRST TRUST OF NEW YORK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Glenn W. Andersen
-----------------------------------
Name: Glenn W. Andersen
Title: Vice President
EXHIBIT A
[FACE OF NOTE]
BTI TELECOM CORP.
10 1/2% Senior Note due 2007
[CUSIP] [CINS] [__________]
No. $_________
BTI TELECOM CORP., a North Carolina corporation (the "Company", which
term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for
value received, promises to pay to _____________, or its registered assigns, the
principal sum of ____________ ($____) on September 15, 2007.
Interest Payment Dates: March 15 and September 15.
Regular Record Dates: March 1 and September 1.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
A-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed
manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.
Date: BTI TELECOM CORP.
By:
-------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
-------------------------------
Name:
Title:
(Trustee's Certificate of Authentication)
This is one of the 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007 described in the
within-mentioned Indenture.
FIRST TRUST OF NEW YORK,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By:
-------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
A-3
[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]
BTI TELECOM CORP.
10 1/2% Senior Note due 2007
1. Principal and Interest.
The Company will pay the principal of this Note on September 15, 2007.
The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this
Note on each Interest Payment Date, as set forth below, at the rate per annum
shown above.
Interest will be payable semiannually (to the holders of record of the
Notes at the close of business on the March 1 or September 1 immediately
preceding the Interest Payment Date) on each Interest Payment Date, commencing
March 15, 1998.
If an exchange offer (the "Exchange Offer") registered under the
Securities Act is not consummated and a shelf registration statement (the "Shelf
Registration Statement") under the Securities Act with respect to resales of the
Notes is not declared effective by the Commission, on or before March 22, 1998
in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement the annual
interest rate borne by the Notes shall be increased by 0.5% from the rate shown
above accruing from March 22, 1998, payable in cash semiannually, in arrears, on
each Interest Payment Date, commencing September 15, 1998 until the Exchange
Offer is consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective.
The Holder of this Note is entitled to the benefits of the Registration Rights
Agreement.
Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which
interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from September 22,
1997; provided that, if there is no existing default in the payment of interest
and this Note is authenticated between a Regular Record Date referred to on the
face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue
from such Interest Payment Date. Interest will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal and premium, if
any, and interest on overdue installments of interest, to the extent lawful, at
a rate per annum that is 2% in excess of the rate otherwise payable.
A-4
2. Method of Payment.
The Company will pay interest (except defaulted interest) on the
principal amount of the Notes as provided above on each March 15 and September
15 commencing March 15, 1998 to the persons who are Holders (as reflected in the
Security Register at the close of business on the March 1 or September 1
immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date), in each case, even if the Note
is cancelled on registration of transfer or registration of exchange after such
record date; provided that, with respect to the payment of principal, the
Company will make payment to the Holder that surrenders this Note to a Paying
Agent on or after September 15, 2007.
The Company will pay principal, premium, if any, and as provided above,
interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts. However, the Company may pay
principal, premium, if any, and interest by its check payable in such money. It
may mail an interest check to a Holder's registered address (as reflected in the
Security Register). If a payment date is a date other than a Business Day at a
place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day
that is a Business Day and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.
3. Paying Agent and Registrar.
Initially, the Trustee will act as authenticating agent, Paying Agent
and Registrar. The Company may change any authenticating agent, Paying Agent or
Registrar without notice. The Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of
them may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar.
4. Indenture; Limitations.
The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of September
22, 1997 (the "Indenture"), among BTI Telecom, BTI and First Trust of New York,
National Association, trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms herein are used
as defined in the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. The terms of the Notes
include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by
reference to the Trust Indenture Act. The Notes are subject to all such terms,
and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act for a
statement of all such terms. To the extent permitted by applicable law, in the
event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Note and the terms of the
Indenture, the terms of the Indenture shall control.
The Notes are general obligations of the Company.
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5. Optional Redemption.
The Notes will be redeemable, at the Company's option, in whole or in
part, at any time or from time to time, on or after September 15, 2002 and prior
to maturity, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' prior notice mailed by
first class mail to each Holder's last address, as it appears in the Security
Register, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed in percentages of
principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date
(subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Regular Record Date
that is prior to the Redemption Date to receive interest due on an Interest
Payment Date), if redeemed during the 12-month period commencing September 15,
of the years set forth below:
Redemption
Year Price
---- ----------
2002........................ 105.250%
2003........................ 102.625%
2004 and thereafter......... 100.000%
At any time prior to September 15, 2000, the Company may redeem up to
35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes from the proceeds of one or
more Public Equity Offerings following which a Public Market occurs, at any time
or from time to time in part, at a Redemption Price (expressed as a percentage
of principal amount) of 110.50%, plus accrued interest to the Redemption Date
(subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant Regular Record Date
that is prior to the Redemption Date to receive interest due on an Interest
Payment Date); provided that after any such redemption at least $162.5 million
aggregate principal amount of Notes remains outstanding.
Notes in original denominations larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in
part. On and after the Redemption Date, interest ceases to accrue on Notes or
portions of Notes called for redemption, unless the Company defaults in the
payment of the Redemption Price.
6. Special Redemption.
In the event the Reorganization is not consummated and the
Reorganization Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel is not delivered by
December 31, 1997, or within five Business Days of the Trustee receiving an
officers' certificate stating that the Reorganization Officers' Certificate and
Opinion of Counsel will not be delivered by December 31, 1997, if it appears in
the sole judgment of the Company that the Reorganization will not be
consummated, the Company will redeem the Notes in whole on 10 days' prior notice
mailed by first class mail to each Holder's last address as it appears in the
Security Register, at a Redemption Price equal to 101% of their principal
amount, plus accrued interest to the Redemption Date.
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7. Repurchase upon Change of Control.
Upon the occurrence of any Change of Control, each Holder shall have
the right to require the repurchase of its Notes by the Company in cash pursuant
to the offer described in the Indenture at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date
of purchase (the "Payment Date").
A notice of such Change of Control will be mailed within 30 days after
any Change of Control occurs to each Holder at its last address as it appears in
the Security Register. Notes in original denominations larger than $1,000 may be
sold to the Company in part. On and after the Payment Date, interest ceases to
accrue on Notes or portions of Notes surrendered for purchase by the Company,
unless the Company defaults in the payment of the purchase price.
8. Special Repurchase Offer.
In the event that the FiberSouth Acquisition is not consummated and the
FiberSouth Officer's Certificate and Opinion of Counsel is not delivered by
December 31, 1997 or if it appears in the sole judgement of the Company that the
FiberSouth Acquisition will not be consummated and the FiberSouth Officer's
Certificate and Opinion of Counsel will not be delivered by December 31 1997,
the Company will be required to make an Offer to Purchase $35.0 million
principal amount of the Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of their
principal amount, plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. A notice of
such Offer to Purchase will be mailed on the earlier of (i) December 31, 1997,
if the Trustee has not received the FiberSouth Officer's Certificate and Opinion
of Counsel and (ii) five Business Days after the date on which the Trustee
receives an officers' certificate stating that the FiberSouth Officers'
Certificate and Opinion of Counsel will not be delivered by December 31, 1997.
9. Denominations; Transfer; Exchange.
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of
$1,000 of principal amount and multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder
may register the transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with the Indenture.
The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate
endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by
law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer
or exchange of any Notes selected for redemption. Also, it need not register the
transfer or exchange of any Notes for a period of 15 days before the day of
mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes selected for redemption.
A-7
10. Persons Deemed Owners.
A Holder shall be treated as the owner of a Note for all purposes.
11. Unclaimed Money.
If money for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest
remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee and the Paying Agent will pay the
money back to the Company at its written request. After that, Holders entitled
to the money must look to the Company for payment, unless an abandoned property
law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee and such Paying
Agent with respect to such money shall cease.
12. Discharge Prior to Redemption or Maturity.
If the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government
Obligations sufficient to pay the then outstanding principal of, premium, if
any, and accrued interest on the Notes (a) to redemption or maturity, the
Company will be discharged from the Indenture and the Notes, except in certain
circumstances for certain sections thereof, and (b) to the Stated Maturity, the
Company will be discharged from certain covenants set forth in the Indenture.
13. Amendment; Supplement; Waiver.
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Notes may be
amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority
in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and any existing default or
compliance with any provision may be waived with the consent of the Holders of
at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Without
notice to or the consent of any Holder, the parties thereto may amend or
supplement the Indenture or the Notes to, among other things, cure any
ambiguity, defect or inconsistency and make any change that does not materially
and adversely affect the rights of any Holder.
14. Restrictive Covenants.
The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the ability of the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries, among other things, to Incur additional
Indebtedness, make Restricted Payments, use the proceeds from Asset Sales,
engage in transactions with Affiliates or merge, consolidate or transfer
substantially all of its assets. Within 45 days after the end of each fiscal
quarter (90 days after the end of the last fiscal quarter of each year), the
Company must report to the Trustee on compliance with such limitations.
A-8
15. Successor Persons.
When a successor person or other entity assumes all the obligations of
its predecessor under the Notes and the Indenture, the predecessor person will
be released from those obligations.
16. Defaults and Remedies.
The following events constitute "Events of Default" under the
Indenture: (a) default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any, on)
any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration,
redemption or otherwise; (b) default in the payment of interest on any Note when
the same becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 30
days; provided that a failure to make any of the first six scheduled interest
payments on the Notes on the applicable Interest Payment Date will constitute an
Event of Default with no grace or cure period; (c) default in the performance or
breach of Article Five or Section 3.01(c) of the Indenture or the failure to
make or consummate an Offer to Purchase in accordance with Section 4.10, Section
4.11 or 4.20 of the Indenture; (d) default in the performance of or breach of
any covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or under the Notes
(other than a default specified in clause (a), (b) or (c) above), and such
default or breach continues for a period of 30 consecutive days after written
notice by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding; (e) there occurs with respect to any issue
or issues of Indebtedness of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary having an
outstanding principal amount of $5 million or more in the aggregate for all such
issues of all such Persons, whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall
hereafter be created, (I) an event of default that has caused the holder thereof
to declare such Indebtedness to be due and payable prior to its Stated Maturity
and such Indebtedness has not been discharged in full or such acceleration has
not been rescinded or annulled within 30 days of such acceleration and/or (II)
the failure to make a principal payment at the final (but not any interim) fixed
maturity and such defaulted payment shall not have been made, waived or extended
within 30 days of such payment default; (f) any final judgment or order (not
covered by insurance) for the payment of money in excess of $5 million in the
aggregate for all such final judgments or orders against all such Persons
(treating any deductibles, self-insurance or retention as not so covered) shall
be rendered against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary and shall not be
paid or discharged, and there shall be any period of 30 consecutive days
following entry of the final judgment or order that causes the aggregate amount
for all such final judgments or orders outstanding and not paid or discharged
against all such Persons to exceed $5 million during which a stay of enforcement
of such final judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise,
shall not be in effect; (g) a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a
decree or order for (A) relief in respect of the Company or any Significant
Subsidiary in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law now or hereafter in effect, (B) appointment of a receiver,
liquidator, assignee,
A-9
custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any
Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and
assets of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or (C) the winding up or
liquidation of the affairs of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary and, in
each case, such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period
of 60 consecutive days; (h) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (A)
commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for
relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (B) consents to the
appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee,
custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any
Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and
assets of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or (C) effects any general
assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (i) the Pledge Agreement shall cease
to be in full force and effect or enforceable in accordance with its terms,
other than in accordance with its terms.
If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, occurs and is
continuing, the Trustee may, and at the direction of the Holders of at least 25%
in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall, declare all
the Notes to be due and payable. If a bankruptcy or insolvency default with
respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the Notes automatically become
due and payable. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as
provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it
before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes. Subject to certain limitations,
Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding
may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power.
17. Collateral.
The payment of principal, interest and premium on the Notes will be
secured by the Pledged Securities, in accordance with the provisions of the
Pledge Agreement, until the first six scheduled interest payments on the Notes
are made. Once the first six scheduled interest payments are made, the Notes
will be unsecured.
18. Trustee Dealings with Company.
The Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other
capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from and perform services for the
Company or its Affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Company or its
Affiliates as if it were not the Trustee.
19. No Recourse Against Others.
No incorporator or any past, present or future partner, stockholder,
other equity holder, officer, director, employee or controlling person as such,
of the Company or of any successor Person shall have any liability for any
obligations of the Company under the
A-10
Pledge Agreement, the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in
respect of or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by
accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release
are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.
20. Authentication.
This Note shall not be valid until the Trustee or authenticating agent
signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.
21. Abbreviations.
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an
assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the
entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as
tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian) and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act).
The Company will furnish a copy of the Indenture to any Holder upon
written request and without charge. Requests may be made to BTI Telecom Corp.,
BTI Corporate Center, 4300 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609;
Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
A-11
[FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE]
FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
Insert Taxpayer Identification No.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing______________________________________________________________________
attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company with full power of
substitution in the premises.
[THE FOLLOWING PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED
ON ALL NOTES OTHER THAN EXCHANGE NOTES,
PERMANENT OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTES AND
PERMANENT OFFSHORE PHYSICAL NOTES]
In connection with any transfer of this Note occurring prior to the
date which is the earlier of (i) the date the Shelf Registration Statement is
declared effective or (ii) September 22, 1999, the undersigned confirms that
without utilizing any general solicitation or general advertising that:
[Check One]
[ ] (a) this Note is being transferred in compliance with the exemption
from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 provided by Rule
144A thereunder.
or
[ ] (b) this Note is being transferred other than in accordance with (a)
above and documents are being furnished which comply with the
conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.
A-12
If none of the foregoing boxes is checked, the Trustee or other Registrar shall
not be obligated to register this Note in the name of any Person other than the
Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of
registration set forth herein and in Section 2.08 of the Indenture shall have
been satisfied.
Date: _________________________ ____________________________________
NOTICE: The signature to this
assignment must correspond with the
name as written upon the face of the
within-mentioned instrument in every
particular, without alteration or
any change whatsoever.
TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (a) ABOVE IS CHECKED.
The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Note
for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole
investment discretion and that it and any such account is a "qualified
institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933 and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and
acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as the
undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request
such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the
undersigned's foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from
registration provided by Rule 144A.
Dated:_________________________ ____________________________________
NOTICE: To be executed by an
executive officer
A-13
OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you wish to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to
Section 4.10, 4.11 or 4.20 of the Indenture, check the Box: |_|
If you wish to have a portion of this Note purchased by the Company
pursuant to Section 4.10, 4.11 or 4.20 of the Indenture, state the amount:
$___________________.
Date: _________________
Your Signature: ________________________________________________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)
Signature Guarantee: ______________________________
EXHIBIT B
Form of Certificate
,
First Trust of New York,
National Association
100 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Re: BTI Telecom Corp. (the "Company")
10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Notes")
Dear Sirs:
This letter relates to U.S. $________ principal amount of Notes
represented by a Note (the "Legended Note") which bears a legend outlining
restrictions upon transfer of such Legended Note. Pursuant to Section 2.01 of
the Indenture dated as of September 22, 1997 (the "Indenture") relating to the
Notes, we hereby certify that we are (or we will hold such securities on behalf
of) a person outside the United States to whom the Notes could be transferred in
accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities
Act of 1933. Accordingly, you are hereby requested to exchange the legended
certificate for an unlegended certificate representing an identical principal
amount of Notes, all in the manner provided for in the Indenture.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this letter and are
irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested
party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with
respect to the matters covered hereby. Terms used in this certificate have the
meanings set forth in Regulation S.
Very truly yours,
[Name of Holder]
By:
-----------------------
Authorized Signature
EXHIBIT C
Form of Certificate to Be
Delivered in Connection with
Transfers to Non-QIB Accredited Investors
,
First Trust of New York,
National Association
100 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Re: BTI Telecom Corp. (the "Company")
10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Notes")
Dear Sirs:
In connection with our proposed purchase of U.S. $______________
aggregate principal amount of the Notes, we confirm that:
1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes is subject
to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the Indenture dated as of
September 22, 1997 (the "Indenture"), relating to the Notes, and the undersigned
agrees to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Notes
except in compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").
2. We understand that the offer and sale of the Notes have not been
registered under the Securities Act, and that the Notes may not be offered or
sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree, on our own behalf
and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting as hereinafter stated,
that if we should sell any Notes, we will do so only (A) to the Company or any
subsidiary thereof, (B) in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to
a "qualified institutional buyer" (as defined therein), (C) to an institutional
"accredited investor" (as defined below) that, prior to such transfer, furnishes
(or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S. broker-dealer) to you and to the
Company a signed letter substantially in the form of this letter, (D) outside
the United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the
Securities Act, (E) pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule
144 under the Securities Act (if available), or (F) pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act, and we further agree to provide
to any person purchasing any of the Notes from us a notice advising such
purchaser that resales of the Notes are restricted as stated herein.
C-2
3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of any Notes, we will be
required to furnish to you and the Company such certifications, legal opinions
and other information as you and the Company may reasonably require to confirm
that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions. We further
understand that the Notes purchased by us will bear a legend to the foregoing
effect.
4. We are an institutional "accredited investor" (as defined in Rule
501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act) and have
such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable
of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we and
any accounts for which we are acting are each able to bear the economic risk of
our or its investment.
5. We are acquiring the Notes purchased by us for our own account or
for one or more accounts (each of which is an institutional "accredited
investor") as to each of which we exercise sole investment discretion.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this letter and are
irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested
party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with
respect to the matters covered hereby.
Very truly yours,
[Name of Transferee]
By:
-----------------------
Authorized Signature
EXHIBIT D
Form of Certificate to Be Delivered in
Connection with Transfers Pursuant to Regulation S
,
First Trust of New York,
National Association
100 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Re: BTI Telecom Corp. (the "Company")
10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Notes")
Dear Sirs:
In connection with our proposed sale of U.S. $________ aggregate
principal amount of the Notes, we confirm that such sale has been effected
pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933
and, accordingly, we represent that:
(1) the offer of the Notes was not made to a person in the United
States;
(2) at the time the buy order was originated, the transferee was outside
the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed
that the transferee was outside the United States;
(3) no directed selling efforts have been made by us in the United
States in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of
Regulation S, as applicable; and
(4) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the
registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this letter and are
irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested
party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with
respect to the matters covered hereby. Terms used in this certificate have the
meanings set forth in Regulation S.
Very truly yours,
[Name of Transferor]
By:
---------------------------
Authorized Signature