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EXHIBIT 4.6
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CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
▇▇▇ Trust II
Dated as of _____, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation............................................................. 1
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act: Application.......................................................... 5
SECTION 2.2 List of Holders of Securities.............................................................. 5
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee........................................ 5
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee................................... 5
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent........................................... 6
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.................................................................. 6
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice................................................................... 6
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests...................................................................... 6
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.............................. 7
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee..................................... 8
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee...................................... 10
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.......................................... 10
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Capital Securities Guarantee Trustees.............. 11
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.................................................................................. 12
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand................................................................ 12
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected................................................................... 12
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders.......................................................................... 13
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment....................................................................... 13
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation................................................................................ 13
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations.................................................................... 14
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ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; RANKING
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions................................................................. 14
SECTION 6.2 Ranking.................................................................................... 15
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination................................................................................ 15
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation................................................................................ 15
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification............................................................................ 16
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns..................................................................... 16
SECTION 9.2 Amendments................................................................................. 16
SECTION 9.3 Notices.................................................................................... 16
SECTION 9.4 Benefit.................................................................................... 17
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.............................................................................. 17
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CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Capital Securities Guarantee"), dated as
of ____, 1999, is executed and delivered by ▇▇▇ Communications, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Guarantor"), and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the
"Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as
defined herein) from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein)
of ▇▇▇ Trust II, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of _____, 1999, among the trustees of the Issuer named
therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is
issuing on the date hereof _________ preferred securities, liquidation amount
$50 per preferred security, having an aggregate liquidation amount of
$__________ designated the ___% Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Capital
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, to pay to the Holders
the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on
the terms and conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Guarantor is also executing and delivering a guarantee
agreement (the "Common Securities Guarantee") in substantially identical terms
to this Capital Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the
Common Securities (as defined herein), except that if an Event of Default (as
defined in the Declaration), has occurred and is continuing, the rights of
holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under the Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinated to the rights of Holders to receive
Guarantee Payments under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder, which
purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor
executes and delivers this Capital Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the
Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation
In this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Capital Securities Guarantee
but not defined in the preamble above have the respective
meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Capital Securities Guarantee
has the same meaning throughout;
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(c) all reference to "the Capital Securities Guarantee" or "this
Capital Securities Guarantee" are to this Capital Securities
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time;
(d) all references in this Capital Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this
Capital Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Capital Securities Guarantee or
unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized to
bind such Person.
"Business Day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any day on
which banking institutions and trust companies in The City of New York are
authorized or required by any applicable law to close.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally
administered, which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located
at The Bank of New York, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Capital
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of debt securities of the Guarantor
designated the ___% Debentures due [August 16, 2004] held by the Property
Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Direction" by a person means a written direction signed: (a) if the
Person is a natural person, by that Person; or (b) in any other case in the name
of such Person by one or more Authorized Officers of that Person.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by the Issuer:
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(i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) that
are required to be paid on such Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer
shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the redemption price, including all
accrued and unpaid distributions to the date of redemption (the "Repayment
Price") with respect to Capital Securities in respect of which the related
Debentures have been redeemed by the Company upon the occurrence of a Tax Event
Redemption, to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, and (iii)
upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the
Issuer (other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for Capital Securities as provided in the Declaration), the
lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Capital Securities to the date of payment, to the extent
the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of
the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the
Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution"). If an event of default
under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders of the
Common Securities to receive payments under the Common Securities Guarantee
Agreement are subordinated to the rights of Holders to receive Guarantee
Payments.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Issuer, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Capital
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
including in its individual capacity, any Affiliate of the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners,
employees, representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of June 27, 1995, among the
Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and The Bank of New York, as trustee, and any
indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain debt securities of the
Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of Capital Securities,
voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined) of all Capital Securities.
"Officer's Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by one Authorized Officer of such Person. Any Officer's
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Capital Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that the officer signing the Officer's
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definition
relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering
the Officer's Certificate;
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(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable
such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such
covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency
or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee" means The Bank of New York,
until a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and
has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Capital Securities
Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust office of the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant
vice-president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer
or other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by
any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a
particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
"Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Tax Event Redemption" has the same meaning as defined in Annex I to
the Declaration.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
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ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act: Application
(a) This Capital Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of
the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Capital Securities
Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions;
and
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Capital Securities
Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
SECTION 2.2 List of Holders of Securities
(a) The Guarantor shall provide the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee with a list, in such form as the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders ("List of
Holders") as of such date, (i) within 15 days after each record date for payment
of Distributions, and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of receipt by the
Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than
15 days before such List of Holders is given to the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee provided, that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List
of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent
List of Holders given to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor. The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of
Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its
obligations under Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after September 1 of each year, commencing September 1,
1999, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such
reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in
the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.
The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements
of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
The Guarantor shall provide to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in
the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee is for informational purposes only and the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee's receipt of such shall not constitute
constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from
information contained therein, including the Guarantor's compliance with any of
its covenants hereunder (as
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to which the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee is entitled to rely
exclusively on Officer's Certificates).
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
The Guarantor shall provide to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for
in this Capital Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth
in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion
required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in
the form of an Officer's Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Capital Securities
may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its
consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist,
and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured,
for every purpose of this Capital Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall
extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice
(a) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days
after a Responsible Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee obtains
actual knowledge of the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail,
first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of
Default actually known to such Responsible Officer of the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of
such notice, provided, that, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be
protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the
withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.
(b) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee shall have received written notice thereof, or a Responsible Officer of
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the
Declaration shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests
The Declaration and the Indenture shall be deemed to be
specifically described in this Capital Securities Guarantee for the purposes of
clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
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ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
(a) This Capital Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Capital Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to
Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee. The right,
title and interest of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, and
such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not
conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the
appointment of such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Capital Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
(c) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of
any Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default
that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are
specifically set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Capital Securities Guarantee
against the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default
has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and is
actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the
rights and powers vested in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee, and use the
same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own
affairs.
(d) No provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee from liability for
its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, its own bad faith or
its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the
express provisions of this Capital Securities Guarantee, and
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Capital Securities
Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be
read into this
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Capital Securities Guarantee against the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of
the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee; but in the
case of any such certificates or opinions that by any
provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine
the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible
Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be
proved that the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less
than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities
relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for
any remedy available to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee under this Capital Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall
require the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its
own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its
rights or powers, if the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds
or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Capital Securities Guarantee or if indemnity reasonably satisfactory to
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee against such risk or liability
is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, and shall be fully 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
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paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed,
sent or presented by the proper party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by a
Direction or an Officer's Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Capital
Securities Guarantee, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officer's
Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly
delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have no
duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument
(or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof).
(v) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may consult with
competent legal counsel, and the advice or written opinion of such
counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered
or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such
advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any
of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be under
no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by
this Capital Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, against the
reasonable costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and
reasonable expenses and the expenses of the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustees, agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities
that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or
direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing
contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event
of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested
in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee.
(vii) The Capital Securities Guarantee 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,
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bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document, but the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such
facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may execute
any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or
attorneys, and the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent
or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the
signature of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee or its agents
alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No
third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance
with any of the terms and provisions of this Capital Securities
Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy
or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, (ii) may
refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be deemed
to impose any duty or obligation on the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation
conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or
in which the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or
incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts
or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or
authority available to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be
construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee
The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the
statements of the Guarantor, and the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee does
not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
this Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
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(a) There shall at all times be a Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by
the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an Property Trustee
under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at
least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision
or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia
authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or
examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this
Section 4.1 (a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such
corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as
set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall cease
to be eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in
Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire
any "conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in
all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustees
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in
accordance with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written
instrument executed by such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall
hold office until a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have
been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent
accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not
take effect until a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by
such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor and the resigning Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
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(d) If no Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have
been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within
60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the
resigning Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if
any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee.
(e) No Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the
acts or omissions to act of any Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Capital Securities Guarantee or removal or
resignation of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section
4.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee all
amounts due to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee accrued to the date of
such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of
set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert. The Guarantor's
obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the
required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay
such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Capital
Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may apply,
presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against
the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
under this Capital Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired
by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital Securities to be performed
or observed by the Issuer;
(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders
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pursuant to the terms of the Capital Securities, or any action on the part of
the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;
(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the
Issuer;
(d) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital
Securities;
(e) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(f) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting of
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee in respect of this Capital Securities Guarantee or exercising any trust
or power conferred upon the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee under this
Capital Securities Guarantee.
(b) If the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this
Capital Securities Guarantee, any Holder may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Capital
Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the
Issuer, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Guarantor has failed to make a Guarantee
Payment, a Holder may directly institute a proceeding against the Guarantor for
enforcement of the Capital Security Guarantee for such payment. The Guarantor
waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Capital Securities
Guarantee be brought first against the Issuer or any other person or entity
before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment
This Capital Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and
not of collection.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders
against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the
Guarantor under this Capital
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Securities Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to
the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or
exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Capital Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts
are due and unpaid under this Capital Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall
be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor
agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount
to the Holders.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Capital
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Capital
Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (f), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; RANKING
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions
So long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, if there shall
have occurred an Event of Default or an Event of Default under the Declaration
and written notice of such Event of Default has been given to the Guarantor,
then (a) the Guarantor shall not declare or pay dividends or make any
distribution with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation
payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i) purchases or
acquisitions of capital stock of the Guarantor in connection with the
satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations under any employee or agent
benefit plans or the satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations pursuant
to any contract or security outstanding on the date of such event requiring the
Guarantor to purchase capital stock of the Guarantor, (ii) as a result of a
reclassification of the Guarantor's capital stock or the exchange or conversion
of one class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock for another class or
series of the Guarantor's capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional
interests in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion
or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or
exchanged, (iv) dividends or distributions in capital stock of the Guarantor (or
rights to acquire capital stock) or repurchases or redemptions of capital stock
solely from the issuance or exchange of capital stock or (v) redemptions or
repurchases of any rights outstanding under a shareholder rights plan and the
declaration of a dividend of rights in the future), (b) the Guarantor shall not
make any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, on or repay,
repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the Guarantor that rank
junior to the Debentures (to the extent appropriate notice has been given to the
holders thereof effectively blocking such payment or to the extent the failure
to make any such payment is otherwise authorized under the agreements governing
such debt), and (c) the Guarantor shall not make any guarantee payments with
respect to the foregoing (other than payments pursuant to the Guarantee or the
Common Securities Guarantee) to the extent appropriate notice has been given to
the beneficiaries thereof effectively blocking such payment or to the extent the
failure to make any such payment is otherwise authorized under the agreements
governing such guarantee payments.
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SECTION 6.2 Ranking
This Capital Securities Guarantee will constitute a senior unsecured
obligation of the Guarantor and, at all times when an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing under the Declaration, will rank:
(i) pari passu with all of the Guarantor's senior unsecured
obligations except those made subordinate hereto by their terms; and
(ii) senior to the Guarantor's common stock.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination
This Capital Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full payment
of the Repayment Price of all Capital Securities, (ii) upon the distribution of
the Debentures to all Holders or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable
in accordance with the Declaration upon liquidation of the Issuer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Capital Securities Guarantee will continue
to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any
Holder must restore payment of any sums paid under the Capital Securities or
under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable
in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for any loss,
damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted
by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Capital
Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably
believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified
Person by this Capital Securities Guarantee or by law, except that an
Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred
by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders might properly be paid.
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SECTION 8.2 Indemnification
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Guarantor
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and against
any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of any
act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this Capital Securities Guarantee and in a manner such
Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Capital Securities Guarantee,
except that no Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect
of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or
omissions.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable legal fees) incurred by an
Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding
shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Guarantor prior to the final
disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by
the Guarantor of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person to
repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnified Person is not
entitled to be indemnified as authorized in Section 8.2(a).
(c) The provisions set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the
termination of the Capital Securities Guarantee and any resignation or removal
of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Capital Securities
Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
of the Capital Securities then outstanding.
SECTION 9.2 Amendments
Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the
rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this
Capital Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the prior approval of the
Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount (including the stated
amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued
and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all the outstanding Capital Securities. The provisions of Section
12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of Holders apply to the giving
of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices
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All notices provided for in this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be
in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered,
telecopied or mailed by registered or certified mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, at the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such
other address as the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to
the Holders of the Capital Securities):
The Bank of New York
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders):
▇▇▇ Communications, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
with a copy to:
Dow, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ PLLC
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
(c) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4 Benefit
This Capital Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the
Holders and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not separately transferable from the
Capital Securities.
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.
THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE
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STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
▇▇▇ COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
as Guarantor
By:
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
as Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
By:
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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