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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated September 22, 1997
between
BTI TELECOM CORP.
and
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made
and entered into September 22, 1997, between BTI TELECOM CORP., a North Carolina
corporation (the "Company"), and XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED and XXXXXXX
LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED (the "Placement Agents").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Placement Agreement
dated September 17, 1997, between the Company, Business Telecom Inc., a North
Carolina corporation ("BTI") and the Placement Agents (the "Placement
Agreement"), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Placement Agents
of an aggregate of $250,000,000 principal amount of the Company's 10 1/2% Senior
Notes due 2007 (the "Securities"). In order to induce the Placement Agents to
enter into the Placement Agreement, the Company and BTI have agreed to provide
to the Placement Agents and their direct and indirect transferees the
registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement
is a condition to the closing under the Placement Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined
terms shall have the following meanings:
"1933 Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
from time to time.
"1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended from time to time.
"Closing Date" shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the
Placement Agreement.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement and shall also include the Company's successors.
"Counsel for the Holders" shall mean (i) in the case of an
Underwritten Offer, counsel selected by the Majority Holders and (ii)
in any other offering, counsel for each Holder in such Offering.
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"Exchange Offer" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company
of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section
2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration" shall mean a registration under
the 1933 Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement" shall mean an exchange
offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another
appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such
registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained
therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by
reference therein.
"Exchange Securities" shall mean securities issued by the
Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the
Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not contain
restrictions on transfer) and to be offered to Holders in exchange for
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
"Holder" shall mean the Placement Agents, for so long as they
own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns
and direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of
Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes
of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the term "Holder" shall include
Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined in Section 4(a) hereof).
"Indenture" shall mean the Indenture relating to the
Securities dated as of the date hereof among the Company, BTI and First
Trust of New York, National Association, as trustee, and as the same
may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
"Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities;
provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a
specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder,
Registrable Securities held by the Company or any of its affiliates (as
such term is defined in Rule 405 under the 0000 Xxx) (other than the
Placement Agents or subsequent holders of Registrable Securities if
such subsequent holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by
reason of their holding of such Registrable Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by
the Holders of such required percentage or amount.
"Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation,
trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or
political subdivision thereof.
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"Placement Agents" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble to this Agreement.
"Placement Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble to this Agreement.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any
such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus
supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms
of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by
a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and
supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including all material
incorporated by reference therein.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities; provided,
however, that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities
(i) when a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Securities
shall have been declared effective under the 1933 Act and such
Securities shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration
Statement, (ii) when such Securities have been sold to the public
pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force, but not
Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act or (iii) when such Securities shall have
ceased to be outstanding.
"Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses
incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this
Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and
filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with
compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in
connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Exchange
Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any
Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing,
printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus,
any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements,
securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the
performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating
agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the
qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi)
the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a
Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel
for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority
Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Placement Agents)
and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public
accountants of the Company and BTI, including the expenses of any
special audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to
such performance and compliance,
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but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the underwriters (other
than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders
and underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any,
relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a
Holder.
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement
of the Company that covers any of the Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and
all amendments and supplements to any such Registration Statement,
including post-effective amendments, in each case including the
Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material
incorporated by reference therein.
"SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected
pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf"
registration statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of
Section 2(b) of this Agreement which covers all of the Registrable
Securities (but no other securities unless approved by the Holders of a
majority of the Registrable Securities are covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the
1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all
amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including
post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus
contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated
by reference therein.
"TIA" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(l) hereof.
"Trustee" shall mean the trustee with respect to the
Securities under the Indenture.
"Underwriter" shall have the meaning set forth in the last
paragraph of Section 3 hereof.
"Underwritten Offering" shall mean a registration in which
Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the
public.
2. Registration Under the 1933 Act.
(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or
applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause to be
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filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering the offer by the Company
to the Holders to exchange all of the Registrable Securities for Exchange
Securities and to have such Registration Statement remain effective until the
closing of the Exchange Offer. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer
promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been declared
effective by the SEC and use its best efforts to have the Exchange Offer
consummated not later than 60 days after such effective date. The Company shall
commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related exchange offer Prospectus and
accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other
disclosures as are required by applicable law:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this
Registration Rights Agreement and that all Registrable Securities
validly tendered will be accepted for exchange;
(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a
period of at least 20 business days from the date such notice is
mailed) (the "Exchange Dates");
(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain
outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain any
rights under this Registration Rights Agreement;
(iv) that Holders electing to have a Registrable Security
exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender
such Registrable Security, together with the enclosed letters of
transmittal, to the institution and at the address (located in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice
prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and
(v) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election,
not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by
sending to the institution and at the address (located in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice a telegram,
telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such
Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for
exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election
to have such Securities exchanged.
As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the
Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions
thereof validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange
Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for
cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted
for exchange by the Company
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and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and mail to
each Holder, an Exchange Security equal in principal amount to the
principal amount of the Registrable Securities surrendered by such
Holder.
The Company shall use its best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as
provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933
Act, the 1934 Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with
the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions,
other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law or any
applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC. The Company shall inform the
Placement Agents of the names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange
Offer is made, and the Placement Agents shall have the right, subject to
applicable law, to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of
Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the
Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available
or may not be consummated as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date
because it would violate applicable law or the applicable interpretations of the
Staff of the SEC, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason
consummated by March 22, 1998 or (iii) the Exchange Offer has been completed and
in the opinion of counsel for the Placement Agents a Registration Statement must
be filed and a Prospectus must be delivered by the Placement Agents in
connection with any offering or sale of Registrable Securities, the Company
shall use its best efforts to cause to be filed as soon as practicable after
such determination, date or notice of such opinion of counsel is given to the
Company, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the
sale by the Holders of all of the Registrable Securities and to have such Shelf
Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC. In the event the Company
is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement solely as a result of the
matters referred to in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company shall
use its best efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC both an
Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to
all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a
combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement)
with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Placement
Agents after completion of the Exchange Offer. The Company agrees to use its
best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective
until two years after the Closing Date or such shorter period that will
terminate when all of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement. The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf
Registration Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions
applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf
Registration Statement or by the 1933 Act or by any other rules and regulations
thereunder for shelf registration or if reasonably requested by a Holder with
respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its best efforts to
cause any such amendment to become effective and such Shelf Registration
Statement to
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become usable as soon as practicable thereafter. The Company agrees to furnish
to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or
amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.
(c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in
connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b). Each
Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes,
if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to
Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b)
hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared
effective by the SEC; provided, however, that, if, after it has been declared
effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf
Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other
order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such
Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the
period of such interference until the offering of Registrable Securities
pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally resume. As provided for in
the Indenture, in the event the Exchange Offer is not consummated and the Shelf
Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to March 22, 1998,
the annual interest rate on the Securities (and the Exchange Securities) will
increase by 0.5% until the Exchange Offer is consummated or the Shelf
Registration Statement is declared effective.
(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the Placement
Agent and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company
to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may
result in material irreparable injury to the Placement Agents or the Holders for
which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, the Placement Agents or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Section 2(a)
and Section 2(b) hereof.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect
to the Registration Statements pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof,
the Company shall as expeditiously as possible:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on
the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (x) shall be
selected by the Company and (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf
Registration, be available for the sale of
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the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (z) shall
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
applicable form and include all financial statements required by the
SEC to be filed therewith, and use its best efforts to cause such
Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective in
accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
applicable period and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any
required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act; to keep each Prospectus
current during the period described under Section 4(3) and Rule 174
under the 1933 Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or
dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange
Securities;
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder, to counsel for the Placement Agent, to Counsel for the Holders
and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable
Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus,
including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement
thereto and such other documents as such Holder or Underwriter may
reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other
disposition of the Registrable Securities; and the Company consents to
the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in
accordance with applicable law by each of the selling Holders and any
such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the
Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with
applicable law;
(d) use its best efforts to register or qualify the
Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or "blue
sky" laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities
covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing
by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective
by the SEC, to cooperate with such Holders in connection with any
filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. and do any and all other acts and things which may be
reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate
the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable
Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise
be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (ii) file any general
consent to service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in
any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;
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(e) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder,
Counsel for the Holders and counsel for the Placement Agent promptly
and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in
writing (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when
any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes
effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities
authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement
and Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration
Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any
state securities authority of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a
Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable
Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales
agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering
cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company
receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v)
of the happening of any event during the period a Shelf Registration
Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material
respect or which requires the making of any changes in such
Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein not misleading and (vi) of any determination by the Company
that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be
appropriate;
(f) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of
any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at
the earliest possible moment and provide to each Holder immediate
notice of the withdrawal of any such order;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto
(without documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits
thereto, unless requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the
selling Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not
bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities
to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the
Indenture) and registered in such names as the selling Holders may
reasonably request at least one business day prior to the closing of
any sale of Registrable Securities;
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(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence
of any event contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) hereof, use its best
efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective
amendment to a Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any
document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required
document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the
Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The Company agrees to notify the
Holders to suspend use of the Prospectus as promptly as practicable
after the occurrence of such an event, and the Holders hereby agree to
suspend use of the Prospectus until the Company has amended or
supplemented the Prospectus to correct such misstatement or omission;
(j) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration
Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or
amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or any document which is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus
after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of
such document to the Placement Agents and their counsel (and, in the
case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and Counsel for the
Holders) and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall
be reasonably requested by the Placement Agents or their counsel (and,
in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or Counsel
for the Holders) available for discussion of such document, and shall
not at any time file or make any amendment to the Registration
Statement, any Prospectus or any amendment of or supplement to a
Registration Statement or a Prospectus or any document which is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus
of which the Placement Agents and their counsel (and, in the case of a
Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and Counsel for the Holders)
shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which
the Placement Agents or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, the Holders or Counsel for the Holders) shall
object;
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the
effective date of a Registration Statement;
(l) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA"), in connection with the
registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as
the case may be, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect
such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to
be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute,
and use its best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents
as may be required
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to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be
filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a
timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for
inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable
Securities, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant
to such Shelf Registration Statement, accountants designated by the
Holders and Counsel for the Holders, at reasonable times and in a
reasonable manner, all financial and other records, pertinent documents
and properties of the Company, and cause the respective officers,
directors and employees of the Company to supply all information
reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney
or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement;
(n) use its best efforts to have the Exchange Securities
listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration, use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities
to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated quotation
system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then
listed if requested by the Majority Holders, to the extent such
Registrable Securities satisfy applicable listing requirements;
(o) use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities, as the case may be, to be rated by two
nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (as such term is
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 0000 Xxx);
(p) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement, (i) promptly
incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such
information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably
requests to be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of
such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as
practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters
to be incorporated in such filing; and
(q) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such
customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection
therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority of
the Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including,
but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection,
(i) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to
the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with
respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, the
Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents incorporated by
reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case,
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in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to
underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when
requested, (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which
counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Holders and such Underwriters and their respective
counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of
Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in
opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (iii) obtain "cold
comfort" letters from the independent certified public accountants of
the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant
of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the
Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are
required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to
each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such
letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type
customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters in connection with
underwritten offerings, and (iv) deliver such documents and
certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold
or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in
underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the
representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause
(i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions
contained in an underwriting agreement.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may
require each Holder to furnish to the Company such information regarding the
Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable
Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder
agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any
event of the kind described in Section 3(e)(v) hereof, such Holder will
forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof, and, if
so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its
expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in
such Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities
current at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall give any
such notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the
Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement
by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the
giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have
received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume
such dispositions. The Company may give any such notice only twice during any
365-day period and any such suspensions may not exceed
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30 days for each suspension and there may not be more than two suspensions in
effect during any 365-day period.
The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf
Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities
in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment
banker or investment bankers and manager or managers (the "Underwriters") that
will administer the offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of the
Registrable Securities included in such offering, subject to the approval of the
Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.
(a) The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that any
broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the
Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a
"Participating Broker-Dealer"), may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements
of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Company understands that it is the Staff's position that
if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and
the means by which Participating Broker- Dealers may resell the Exchange
Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the
amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by
Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation
under the 1933 Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their
own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the
1933 Act.
(b) In light of the above, notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees that the provisions of this
Agreement as they relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange
Offer Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto
as may be, reasonably requested by the Placement Agent or by one or more
Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause (ii) below, in
order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by
Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited
in Section 4(a) above; provided that:
(i) the Company shall not be required to amend or supplement
the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
as would otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a period
exceeding 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be
extended pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this
Agreement) and Participating Broker-Dealers shall not
14
be authorized by the Company to deliver and shall not deliver such
Prospectus after such period in connection with the resales
contemplated by this Section 4; and
(ii) the application of the Shelf Registration procedures set
forth in Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer Registration,
to the extent not required by the positions of the Staff of the SEC or
the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, will be in
conformity with the reasonable request to the Company by the Placement
Agent or with the reasonable request in writing to the Company by one
or more broker-dealers who certify to the Placement Agent and the
Company in writing that they anticipate that they will be Participating
Broker-Dealers; and provided further that, in connection with such
application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3
to an Exchange Offer Registration, the Company shall be obligated (x)
to deal only with one entity representing the Participating Broker-
Dealers, which shall be the Placement Agent unless it elects not to act
as such representative, (y) to pay the fees and expenses of only one
counsel representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be
counsel to the Placement Agent unless such counsel elects not to so act
and (z) to cause to be delivered only one, if any, "cold comfort"
letter with respect to the Prospectus in the form existing on the last
Exchange Date and with respect to each subsequent amendment or
supplement, if any, effected during the period specified in clause (i)
above.
(c) The Placement Agents shall have no liability to the
Company or any Holder with respect to any request that it may make pursuant to
Section 4(b) above.
5. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Placement Agents, each Holder and each person, if any, who controls any
Placement Agent or any Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, or is under common control with, or is
controlled by, any Placement Agent or any Holder, from and against all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by any Placement Agent, any Holder or any
such controlling or affiliated person in connection with defending or
investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) pursuant to which Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all
documents incorporated therein by reference, or caused by any omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a
15
material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the
circumstances under which they were made not misleading, except insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information
relating to the Placement Agents or any Holder furnished to the Company in
writing by the Placement Agents or any selling Holder expressly for use therein.
In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company
will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and
similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution,
their officers and directors and each Person who controls such Persons (within
the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 0000 Xxx) to the same extent as provided
above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in
connection with any Registration Statement.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Placement Agents and the other
selling Holders, and each of their respective directors, officers who sign the
Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any
Placement Agent and any other selling Holder within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as
the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Placement Agents and the
Holders, but only with reference to information relating to such Holder
furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) above,
such person (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against
whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the
indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party
shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for (a) the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Placement Agents and all
persons, if any, who control any Placement Agent within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Xxxxxxx 00 xx xxx 0000 Xxx, (x) the fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for
the Company,
16
its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and
(c) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any
local counsel) for all Holders and all persons, if any, who control any Holders
within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses
shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In such case involving the Placement
Agents and persons who control any Placement Agent, such firm shall be
designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated. In such case
involving the Holders and such persons who control any Holders, such firm shall
be designated in writing by the Majority Holders. In all other cases, such firm
shall be designated by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable
for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but,
if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party
for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third
sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent
if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party
shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party for such fees and expenses of
counsel in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect
of which such indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity
could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or
paragraph (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to an indemnified party or
insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, then each
indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault
of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified
party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the
Company and the Holders shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the Holders and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The Holders' respective obligations to contribute
17
pursuant to this Section 5(d) are several in proportion to the respective amount
of Registrable Securities of such Holder that were registered pursuant to a
Registration Statement.
(e) The Company and each Holder agree that it would not be
just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by
pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 5, no Holder shall be required to indemnify or
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
Registrable Securities were sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any
damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this
Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may
otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)
any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf
of the Placement Agents, any Holder or any person controlling any Placement
Agent or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or
directors or any person controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the
Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Shelf Registration Statement.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered
into, and on or after the date of this Agreement will not enter into, any
agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of
Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way
conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of
the Company's other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements.
(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders
of at least a majority in aggregate
18
principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such
amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided, however, that
no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents to any departure from
the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder
unless consented to in writing by such Holder.
(c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered
first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to
the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Placement Agents,
the address set forth in the Placement Agreement; and (ii) if to the Company,
initially at the Company's address set forth in the Placement Agreement and
thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with
the provisions of this Section 6(c).
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five
business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and
on the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications
shall be concurrently delivered by the person giving the same to the Trustee, at
the address specified in the Indenture.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each
of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an
express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be
deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable
Securities in violation of the terms of the Placement Agreement. If any
transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner,
whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be
held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding
such Registrable Securities such person shall be conclusively deemed to have
agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement and such person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The
Placement Agents (in their capacity as Placement Agents) shall have no liability
or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply
with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder
under this Agreement.
19
(e) Purchases and Sales of Securities. The Company shall not,
and shall use its best efforts to cause its affiliates (as defined in Rule 405
under the 0000 Xxx) not to, purchase and then resell or otherwise transfer any
Securities.
(f) Third Party Beneficiary. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Placement Agents, on the other hand, and any Holder shall have the
right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such
enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of
Holders hereunder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
BTI TELECOM CORP.
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
By Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
-----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President
