VPP SECURITY AGREEMENT


EXHIBIT 10.15
 
 
This VPP SECURITY AGREEMENT, dated as of July 31, 2009 (this “Agreement”), is among Capital Growth Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”), all of the Subsidiaries of the Company (such subsidiaries, the “Guarantors” and together with the Company, the “Debtors”) and the holders of the Company’s VPP Original Issue Discount Secured Convertible Debentures due November 30, 2011 (collectively, the “VPP Debentures”) signatory hereto, their endorsees, transferees and assigns (collectively, the “Secured Parties”).
 
WITNESSETH:
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined in the VPP Debentures), the Secured Parties have severally agreed to extend the loans to the Company evidenced by the VPP Debentures;
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to a certain Subsidiary Guarantee, dated as of the date hereof (the “Guarantee”), the Guarantors have jointly and severally agreed to guarantee and act as surety for payment of such VPP Debentures; and
 
WHEREAS, in order to induce the Secured Parties to extend the loans evidenced by the VPP Debentures, each Debtor has agreed to execute and deliver to the Secured Parties this Agreement and to grant the Secured Parties, pari passu with each other Secured Party and through the Collateral Agent (as defined in Section 18 hereof), a security interest in certain property of such Debtor to secure the prompt payment, performance and discharge in full of all of the Company’s obligations under the VPP Debentures and the Guarantors’ obligations under the Guarantee.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
 
1.           Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.  Terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement that are defined in Article 9 of the UCC (such as “account”, “chattel paper”, “commercial tort claim”, “deposit account”, “document”, “equipment”, “fixtures”, “general intangibles”, “goods”, “instruments”, “inventory”, “investment property”, “letter-of-credit rights”, “proceeds” and “supporting obligations”) shall have the respective meanings given such terms in Article 9 of the UCC.
 
(a)           “Collateral” means the collateral in which the Secured Parties are granted a security interest by this Agreement and which shall include the following personal property of the Debtors, whether presently owned or existing or hereafter acquired or coming into existence, wherever situated, and all additions and accessions thereto and all substitutions and replacements thereof, and all proceeds, products and accounts thereof, including, without limitation, all proceeds from the sale or transfer of the Collateral and of insurance covering the same and of any tort claims in connection therewith, and all dividends, interest, cash, notes, securities, equity interest or other property at any time and from time to time acquired, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the Pledged Securities (as defined below):

 
 
 
 
(i)           All goods, including, without limitation, (A) all machinery, equipment, computers, motor vehicles, trucks, tanks, boats, ships, appliances, furniture, special and general tools, fixtures, test and quality control devices and other equipment of every kind and nature and wherever situated, together with all documents of title and documents representing the same, all additions and accessions thereto, replacements therefor, all parts therefor, and all substitutes for any of the foregoing and all other items used and useful in connection with any Debtor’s businesses and all improvements thereto; and (B) all inventory;
 
(ii)          All contract rights and other general intangibles, including, without limitation, all partnership interests, membership interests, stock or other securities, rights under any of the Organizational Documents, agreements related to the Pledged Securities, licenses, distribution and other agreements, computer software (whether “off-the-shelf”, licensed from any third party or developed by any Debtor), computer software development rights, leases, franchises, customer lists, quality control procedures, grants and rights, goodwill, trademarks, service marks, trade styles, trade names, patents, patent applications, copyrights, and income tax refunds;
 
(iii)         All accounts, together with all instruments, all documents of title representing any of the foregoing, all rights in any merchandising, goods, equipment, motor vehicles and trucks which any of the same may represent, and all right, title, security and guaranties with respect to each account, including any right of stoppage in transit;
 
(iv)         All documents, letter-of-credit rights, instruments and chattel paper;
 
(v)          All commercial tort claims;
 
(vi)         All deposit accounts and all cash (whether or not deposited in such deposit accounts);
 
(vii)        All investment property;
 
(viii)       All supporting obligations; and
 
(ix)          All files, records, books of account, business papers, and computer programs; and
 
(x)           the products and proceeds of all of the foregoing Collateral set forth in clauses (i)-(ix) above.

 
 
 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the “Collateral” shall include all investment property and general intangibles respecting ownership and/or other equity interests in each Guarantor, including, without limitation, the shares of capital stock and the other equity interests listed on Schedule H hereto (as the same may be modified from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof), and any other shares of capital stock and/or other equity interests of any other direct or indirect subsidiary of any Debtor obtained in the future, and, in each case, all certificates representing such shares and/or equity interests and, in each case, all rights, options, warrants, stock, other securities and/or equity interests that may hereafter be received, receivable or distributed in respect of, or exchanged for, any of the foregoing and all rights arising under or in connection with the Pledged Securities, including, but not limited to, all dividends, interest and cash.
 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an assignment of any asset which, in the event of an assignment, becomes void by operation of applicable law or the assignment of which is otherwise prohibited by applicable law (in each case to the extent that such applicable law is not overridden by Sections 9-406, 9-407 and/or 9-408 of the UCC or other similar applicable law); provided, however, that to the extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall create a valid security interest in such asset and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall create a valid security interest in the proceeds of such asset.
 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Collateral shall not include any equipment owned by any of the Debtors or Global Capacity Direct, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Global Capacity Direct”), which is used in connection with the delivery of telecommunications services as part of the business operations of the Debtors and Global Capacity Direct to the extent the grant of security interest in such equipment would be prohibited under applicable state regulations, and to the extent such equipment is excluded from the definition of “collateral” and the security interest granted to the Senior Lender Purchasers under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement.
 
(b)           “Intellectual Property” means the collective reference to all rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including, without limitation, (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, including, without limitation, all registrations, recordings and applications in the United States Copyright Office, (ii) all letters patent of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions thereof, and all applications for letters patent of the United States or any other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof, (iii) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade dress, service marks, logos, domain names and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any State thereof or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common law rights related thereto, (iv) all trade secrets arising under the laws of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, (v) all rights to obtain any reissues, renewals or extensions of the foregoing, (vi) all licenses for any of the foregoing, and (vii) all causes of action for infringement of the foregoing.

 
 
 
 
(c)           “Majority in Interest” means, at any time of determination, a 67%  or more majority in interest (based on then-outstanding principal amounts of VPP Debentures at the time of such determination) of the Secured Parties.
 
(d)           “Necessary Endorsement” means undated stock powers endorsed in blank or other proper instruments of assignment duly executed and such other instruments or documents as the Collateral Agent (as that term is defined below) may reasonably request.
 
(e)           “Obligations” means all of the liabilities and obligations (primary, secondary, direct, contingent, sole, joint or several) due or to become due, or that are now or may be hereafter contracted or acquired, or owing to, of any Debtor to the Secured Parties, including, without limitation, all obligations under this Agreement, the VPP Debentures, the Guarantee and any other instruments, agreements or other documents executed and/or delivered in connection herewith or therewith, in each case, whether now or hereafter existing, voluntary or involuntary, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, whether or not jointly owed with others, and whether or not from time to time decreased or extinguished and later increased, created or incurred, and all or any portion of such obligations or liabilities that are paid, to the extent all or any part of such payment is avoided or recovered directly or indirectly from any of the Secured Parties as a preference, fraudulent transfer or otherwise as such obligations may be amended, supplemented, converted, extended or modified from time to time.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Obligations” shall include, without limitation: (i) principal of, and interest on the VPP Debentures and the loans extended pursuant thereto; (ii) any and all other fees, indemnities, costs, obligations and liabilities of the Debtors from time to time under or in connection with this Agreement, the VPP Debentures, the Guarantee and any other instruments, agreements or other documents executed and/or delivered in connection herewith or therewith; and (iii) all amounts (including but not limited to post-petition interest) in respect of the foregoing that would be payable but for the fact that the obligations to pay such amounts are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving any Debtor.
 
(f)           “Organizational Documents” means with respect to any Debtor, the documents by which such Debtor was organized (such as a certificate of incorporation, certificate of limited partnership or articles of organization, and including, without limitation, any certificates of designation for preferred stock or other forms of preferred equity) and which relate to the internal governance of such Debtor (such as bylaws, a partnership agreement or an operating, limited liability or members agreement).
 
(g)           “Pledged Interests” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(j).
 
(h)           “Pledged Securities” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(i).
 
(i)           “UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of New York and or any other applicable law of any state or states which has jurisdiction with respect to all, or any portion of, the Collateral or this Agreement, from time to time.  It is the intent of the parties that defined terms in the UCC should be construed in their broadest sense so that the term “Collateral” will be construed in its broadest sense.  Accordingly if there are, from time to time, changes to defined terms in the UCC that broaden the definitions, they are incorporated herein and if existing definitions in the UCC are broader than the amended definitions, the existing ones shall be controlling.

 
 
 

2.           Grant of Security Interest in Collateral. As an inducement for the Secured Parties to extend the loans as evidenced by the VPP Debentures and to secure the complete and timely payment, performance and discharge in full, as the case may be, of all of the Obligations, each Debtor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably pledges, grants and hypothecates to the Secured Parties a security interest in and to, a lien upon and a right of set-off against all of their respective right, title and interest of whatsoever kind and nature in and to, the Collateral (a “Security Interest” and, collectively, the “Security Interests”).
 
3.           Delivery of Certain Collateral.  Immediately upon the Senior Creditor Repayment (as defined in the Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement), each Debtor shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Collateral Agent (a) any and all certificates and other instruments representing or evidencing the Pledged Securities, and (b) any and all certificates and other instruments or documents representing any of the other Collateral, in each case, together with all Necessary Endorsements.  The Debtors are, contemporaneously with the execution hereof, delivering to Collateral Agent, or have previously delivered to Collateral Agent, a true and correct copy of each Organizational Document governing any of the Pledged Securities.
 
4.           Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Agreements of the Debtors. Except as set forth under the corresponding section of the disclosure schedules delivered to the Secured Parties concurrently herewith (the “Disclosure Schedules”), which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, each Debtor represents and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, the Secured Parties as follows:
 
(a)           Each Debtor has the requisite corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other power and authority to enter into this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by each Debtor of this Agreement and the filings contemplated therein have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of such Debtor and no further action is required by such Debtor.  This Agreement has been duly executed by each Debtor.  This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Debtor, enforceable against each Debtor in accordance with its terms except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and similar laws of general application relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and by general principles of equity.
 
(b)           The Debtors have no place of business or offices where their respective books of account and records are kept (other than temporarily at the offices of its attorneys or accountants) or places where Collateral is stored or located, except as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto. No Debtor owns any real property.  Except as disclosed on Schedule A, none of such Collateral is in the possession of any consignee, bailee, warehouseman, agent or processor.

 
 
 

(c)           Except for Permitted Liens (as defined in the VPP Debentures) and except as set forth on Schedule B attached hereto, the Debtors are the sole owner of the Collateral (except for non-exclusive licenses granted by any Debtor in the ordinary course of business), free and clear of any liens, security interests, encumbrances, rights or claims, and are fully authorized to grant the Security Interests.  Except as set forth on Schedule C attached hereto, there is not on file in any governmental or regulatory authority, agency or recording office an effective financing statement, security agreement, license or transfer or any notice of any of the foregoing (other than those that will be filed in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement) covering or affecting any of the Collateral.  Except as set forth on Schedule C attached hereto and except pursuant to this Agreement, as long as this Agreement shall be in effect, the Debtors shall not execute and shall not knowingly permit to be on file in any such office or agency any other financing statement or other document or instrument (except to the extent filed or recorded in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or as permitted in connection with any permitted purchase money security interests or capital leases that are permitted under the VPP Debentures).
 
(d)           No written claim has been received that any Collateral or any Debtor's use of any Collateral violates the rights of any third party. There has been no adverse decision to any Debtor's claim of ownership rights in or exclusive rights to use the Collateral in any jurisdiction or to any Debtor's right to keep and maintain such Collateral in full force and effect, and there is no proceeding involving said rights pending or, to the best knowledge of any Debtor, threatened before any court, judicial body, administrative or regulatory agency, arbitrator or other governmental authority.
 
(e)           Each Debtor shall at all times maintain its books of account and records relating to the Collateral at its principal place of business and its Collateral at the locations set forth on Schedule A attached hereto and may not relocate such books of account and records or tangible Collateral unless it delivers to the Secured Parties at least 30 days prior to such relocation (i) written notice of such relocation and the new location thereof (which must be within the United States) and (ii) evidence that appropriate financing statements under the UCC and other necessary documents have been filed and recorded and other steps have been taken to perfect the Security Interests to create in favor of the Secured Parties a valid, perfected and continuing perfected lien in the Collateral.
 
(f)           This Agreement creates in favor of the Secured Parties a valid security interest in the Collateral, subject only to Permitted Liens (as defined in the VPP Debentures) securing the payment and performance of the Obligations.  Upon making the filings described in the immediately following paragraph, all security interests created hereunder in any Collateral which may be perfected by filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements shall have been duly perfected.  Except for the filing of the Uniform Commercial Code financing statements referred to in the immediately following paragraph, the recordation of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement (as defined in Section 4(p) hereof) with respect to copyrights and copyright applications in the United States Copyright Office referred to in paragraph (m), with respect to patents and trademarks filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office with respect to federally registered patents and trademarks and pending applications for federal registration of patents and trademarks, the execution and delivery of deposit account control agreements satisfying the requirements of Section 9-104(a)(2) of the UCC with respect to each deposit account of the Debtors, and the delivery of the certificates and other instruments provided in Section 3, no action is necessary to create, perfect or protect the security interests created hereunder.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for the filing of said financing statements, the recordation of said Intellectual Property Security Agreement, and the execution and delivery of said deposit account control agreements, no consent of any third parties and no authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body is required for (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, (ii) the creation or perfection of the Security Interests created hereunder in the Collateral or (iii) the enforcement of the rights of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties hereunder.

 
 
 
 
(g)           Each Debtor hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent to file one or more financing statements under the UCC, with respect to the Security Interests, with the proper filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction deemed proper by it.
 
(h)           The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Debtors does not (i) violate any of the provisions of any Organizational Documents of any Debtor or any judgment, decree, order or award of any court, governmental body or arbitrator or any applicable law, rule or regulation applicable to any Debtor or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing any Debtor's debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which any Debtor is a party or by which any property or asset of any Debtor is bound or affected. If any, all required consents (including, without limitation, from stockholders or creditors of any Debtor) necessary for any Debtor to enter into and perform its obligations hereunder have been obtained.
 
(i)            The capital stock and other equity interests listed on Schedule H hereto (the “Pledged Securities”) represent all of the capital stock and other equity interests of the Guarantors, and represent all capital stock and other equity interests owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company.  All of the Pledged Securities are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the Company is the legal and beneficial owner of the Pledged Securities, free and clear of any lien, security interest or other encumbrance except for the security interests created by this Agreement and other Permitted Liens (as defined in the VPP Debentures).
 
(j)           The ownership and other equity interests in partnerships and limited liability companies (if any) included in the Collateral (the “Pledged Interests”) by their express terms do not provide that they are securities governed by Article 8 of the UCC and are not held in a securities account or by any financial intermediary.
 
(k)           Except for Permitted Liens (as defined in the VPP Debentures), each Debtor shall at all times maintain the liens and Security Interests provided for hereunder as valid and perfected liens and security interests in the Collateral in favor of the Secured Parties until this Agreement and the Security Interest hereunder shall be terminated pursuant to Section 14 hereof.  Each Debtor hereby agrees to defend the same against the claims of any and all persons and entities. Each Debtor shall safeguard and protect all Collateral for the account of the Secured Parties.  At the request of the Collateral Agent, each Debtor will sign and deliver to the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties at any time or from time to time one or more financing statements pursuant to the UCC in form reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and will pay the cost of filing the same in all public offices wherever filing is, or is deemed by the Collateral Agent to be, necessary or desirable to effect the rights and obligations provided for herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Debtor shall pay all fees, taxes and other amounts necessary to maintain the Collateral and the Security Interests hereunder, and each Debtor shall obtain and furnish to the Collateral Agent from time to time, upon demand, such releases and/or subordinations of claims and liens which may be required to maintain the priority of the Security Interests hereunder.

 
 
 
 
(l)            No Debtor will transfer, pledge, hypothecate, encumber, license, sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Collateral (except for non-exclusive licenses granted by a Debtor in its ordinary course of business and sales of inventory by a Debtor in its ordinary course of business) without the prior written consent of a Majority in Interest.
 
(m)          Each Debtor shall keep and preserve its equipment, inventory and other tangible Collateral in good condition, repair and order and shall not operate or locate any such Collateral (or cause to be operated or located) in any area excluded from insurance coverage.
 
(n)          Each Debtor shall maintain with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to the Collateral, including Collateral hereafter acquired, against loss or damage of the kinds and in the amounts customarily insured against by entities of established reputation having similar properties similarly situated and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by other such entities and otherwise as is prudent for entities engaged in similar businesses but in any event sufficient to cover the full replacement cost thereof.  Each Debtor shall cause each insurance policy issued in connection herewith to provide, and the insurer issuing such policy to certify to the Collateral Agent, that (a) the Collateral Agent will be named as lender loss payee and additional insured under each such insurance policy; (b) if such insurance be proposed to be cancelled or materially changed for any reason whatsoever, such insurer will promptly notify the Collateral Agent and such cancellation or change shall not be effective as to the Collateral Agent for at least thirty (30) days after receipt by the Collateral Agent of such notice, unless the effect of such change is to extend or increase coverage under the policy; and (c) the Collateral Agent will have the right (but no obligation) at its election to remedy any default in the payment of premiums within thirty (30) days of notice from the insurer of such default.  If no Event of Default (as defined in the VPP Debentures) exists and if the proceeds arising out of any claim or series of related claims do not exceed $100,000, loss payments in each instance will be applied by the applicable Debtor to the repair and/or replacement of property with respect to which the loss was incurred to the extent reasonably feasible, and any loss payments or the balance thereof remaining, to the extent not so applied, shall be payable to the applicable Debtor; provided, however, and except as set forth below, that payments received by any Debtor after an Event of Default occurs and is continuing or in excess of $100,000 for any occurrence or series of related occurrences shall be paid to the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties and, if received by such Debtor, shall be held in trust for the Secured Parties and immediately paid over to the Collateral Agent unless otherwise directed in writing by the Collateral Agent. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, so long as no Event of Default (as defined in the VPP Debentures) exists, Company may apply payments in excess of $100,000 to repair or replace switching or routing equipment, for the purpose of restoring or establishing new customary circuits to address the casualty loss related to such equipment.   Copies of such policies or the related certificates, in each case, naming the Collateral Agent as lender loss payee and additional insured shall be delivered to the Collateral Agent at least annually and at the time any new policy of insurance is issued.

 
 
 
 
(o)          Each Debtor shall, within ten (10) days of obtaining knowledge thereof, advise the Secured Parties promptly, in sufficient detail, of any material adverse change in the Collateral, and of the occurrence of any event which would have a material adverse effect on the value of the Collateral or on the Secured Parties’ security interest, through the Collateral Agent, therein.
 
(p)          Each Debtor shall promptly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent such further deeds, mortgages, assignments, security agreements, financing statements or other instruments, documents, certificates and assurances and take such further action as the Collateral Agent may from time to time request and may in its sole discretion deem necessary to perfect, protect or enforce the Secured Parties’ security interest in the Collateral including, without limitation, if applicable, the execution and delivery of a separate security agreement with respect to each Debtor’s Intellectual Property (“Intellectual Property Security Agreement”) in which the Secured Parties have been granted a security interest hereunder, substantially in a form reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, which Intellectual Property Security Agreement, other than as stated therein, shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions hereof.
 
(q)          Each Debtor shall permit the Collateral Agent and its representatives and agents to inspect the Collateral during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior notice, and to make copies of records pertaining to the Collateral as may be reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent from time to time.
 
(r)           Each Debtor shall take all steps reasonably necessary to diligently pursue and seek to preserve, enforce and collect any rights, claims, causes of action and accounts receivable in respect of the Collateral.
 
(s)           Each Debtor shall promptly notify the Secured Parties in sufficient detail upon becoming aware of any attachment, garnishment, execution or other legal process levied against any Collateral and of any other information received by such Debtor that may materially affect the value of the Collateral, the Security Interest or the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder.
 
(t)           All information heretofore, herein or hereafter supplied to the Secured Parties by or on behalf of any Debtor with respect to the Collateral is accurate and complete in all material respects as of the date furnished.
 
(u)           The Debtors shall at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect their respective valid existence and good standing and any rights and franchises material to its business.
 
(v)           No Debtor will change its name, type of organization, jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number (if it has one), legal or corporate structure, or identity, or add any new fictitious name unless it provides at least 30 days prior written notice to the Secured Parties of such change and, at the time of such written notification, such Debtor provides any financing statements or fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue the perfection of the Security Interests granted and evidenced by this Agreement.

 
 
 
 
(w)          Except in the ordinary course of business, no Debtor may consign any of its inventory or sell any of its inventory on ▇▇▇▇ and hold, sale or return, sale on approval, or other conditional terms of sale without the consent of the Collateral Agent which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
 
(x)           No Debtor may relocate its chief executive office to a new location without providing 30 days prior written notification thereof to the Secured Parties and so long as, at the time of such written notification, such Debtor provides any financing statements or fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue the perfection of the Security Interests granted and evidenced by this Agreement.
 
(y)           Each Debtor was organized and remains organized solely under the laws of the state set forth next to such Debtor’s name in Schedule D attached hereto, which Schedule D sets forth each Debtor’s organizational identification number or, if any Debtor does not have one, states that one does not exist.
 
(z)           (i)           The actual name of each Debtor is the name set forth in Schedule D attached hereto; (ii) no Debtor has any trade names except as set forth on Schedule E attached hereto; (iii) no Debtor has used any name other than that stated in the preamble hereto or as set forth on Schedule E for the preceding five years; and (iv) no entity has merged into any Debtor or been acquired by any Debtor within the past five years except as set forth on Schedule E.
 
(aa)         At any time and from time to time that any Collateral consists of instruments, certificated securities or other items that require or permit possession by the secured party to perfect the security interest created hereby, the applicable Debtor shall deliver such Collateral to the Collateral Agent.
 
(bb)        Each Debtor, in its capacity as issuer, hereby agrees to comply with any and all orders and instructions of Collateral Agent regarding the Pledged Interests consistent with the terms of this Agreement without the further consent of any Debtor as contemplated by Section 8-106 (or any successor section) of the UCC.  Further, each Debtor agrees that it shall not enter into a similar agreement (or one that would confer “control” within the meaning of Article 8 of the UCC) with any other person or entity.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the parties to this Agreement acknowledge that the Pledged Interests are: (i)  subordinated to the security interest in favor of the Senior Lender Purchasers participating in the senior secured loan facility issued to the Debtors pursuant to loan agreement dated as of November 19, 2008, as amended from time to time; (ii) subordinated to security interests in favor of holders of holder debentures issued by Capital Growth Systems, Inc. (“CGSI”) in July 2009 with an initial principal amount of $7,000,000, subject to increase based upon additional draws of up to $2,000,000 (with corresponding OID of up to an additional $1,500,000); and (iii) subject to security interests in favor of holders of : (i) amended and restated debentures exchanged for debentures originally issued in March 2008 with respect to an initial subscription amount of $19,000,000 and debentures issued by CGSI; (ii) debentures issued in November 2008 with respect to an initial subscription amount of $9,025,000; and the existence of such security agreements and collateral pledges of assets, or exercise of rights by such secured parties shall not constitute a default with respect to any of the Debtors hereunder.

 
 
 
 
(cc)         Each Debtor shall cause all tangible chattel paper constituting Collateral to be delivered to the Collateral Agent, or, if such delivery is not possible, then to cause such tangible chattel paper to contain a legend noting that it is subject to the security interest created by this Agreement.  To the extent that any Collateral consists of electronic chattel paper, the applicable Debtor shall cause the underlying chattel paper to be “marked” within the meaning of Section 9-105 of the UCC (or successor section thereto).
 
(dd)        If there is any investment property or deposit account included as Collateral that can be perfected by “control” through an account control agreement, the applicable Debtor shall cause such an account control agreement, in form and substance in each case satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, to be entered into and delivered to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, subject to the senior rights of Senior Lender or any successor senior lender to the Debtors.
 
(ee)         To the extent that any Collateral consists of letter-of-credit rights, the applicable Debtor shall cause the issuer of each underlying letter of credit to consent to an assignment of the proceeds thereof to the Secured Parties.
 
(ff)          To the extent that any Collateral is in the possession of any third party, the applicable Debtor shall join with the Collateral Agent in notifying such third party of the Secured Parties’ security interest in such Collateral and shall use its best efforts to obtain an acknowledgement and agreement from such third party with respect to the Collateral, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
 
(gg)        If any Debtor shall at any time hold or acquire a commercial tort claim, such Debtor shall promptly notify the Secured Parties in a writing signed by such Debtor of the particulars thereof and grant to the Secured Parties in such writing a security interest therein and in the proceeds thereof, all upon the terms of this Agreement, with such writing to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
 
(hh)        Each Debtor shall, upon Collateral Agent’s request, immediately provide written notice to the Secured Parties of any and all accounts which arise out of contracts with any governmental authority and, to the extent necessary to perfect or continue the perfected status of the Security Interests in such accounts and proceeds thereof, shall execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent an assignment of claims for such accounts and cooperate with the Collateral Agent in taking any other steps required, in its judgment, under the Federal Assignment of Claims Act or any similar federal, state or local statute or rule to perfect or continue the perfected status of the Security Interests in such accounts and proceeds thereof.

 
 
 

(ii)           Each Debtor shall cause each subsidiary of such Debtor to immediately become a party hereto (an “Additional Debtor”), by executing and delivering an Additional Debtor Joinder in substantially the form of Annex A attached hereto and comply with the provisions hereof applicable to the Debtors.  Concurrent therewith, the Additional Debtor shall deliver replacement schedules for, or supplements to all other Schedules to (or referred to in) this Agreement, as applicable, which replacement schedules shall supersede, or supplements shall modify, the Schedules then in effect.  The Additional Debtor shall also deliver such opinions of counsel, authorizing resolutions, good standing certificates, incumbency certificates, organizational documents, financing statements and other information and documentation as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request.  Upon delivery of the foregoing to the Collateral Agent, the Additional Debtor shall be and become a party to this Agreement with the same rights and obligations as the Debtors, for all purposes hereof as fully and to the same extent as if it were an original signatory hereto and shall be deemed to have made the representations, warranties and covenants set forth herein as of the date of execution and delivery of such Additional Debtor Joinder, and all references herein to the “Debtors” shall be deemed to include each Additional Debtor.
 
(jj)           Each Debtor shall vote the Pledged Securities to comply with the covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the VPP Debentures.
 
(kk)         Each Debtor shall register the pledge of the applicable Pledged Securities on the books of such Debtor.  Each Debtor shall notify each issuer of Pledged Securities to register the pledge of the applicable Pledged Securities in the name of the Secured Parties on the books of such issuer.  Further, except with respect to certificated securities delivered to the Collateral Agent, the applicable Debtor shall deliver to Collateral Agent an acknowledgement of pledge (which, where appropriate, shall comply with the requirements of the relevant UCC with respect to perfection by registration) signed by the issuer of the applicable Pledged Securities, which acknowledgement shall confirm that: (a) it has registered the pledge on its books and records; and (b) at any time directed by Collateral Agent during the continuation of an Event of Default, subject to the rights of the Senior Lender Purchasers under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, such issuer will transfer the record ownership of such Pledged Securities into the name of any designee of Collateral Agent, will take such steps as may be necessary to effect the transfer, and will comply with all other instructions of Collateral Agent regarding such Pledged Securities without the further consent of the applicable Debtor.
 
(ll)           In the event that, upon an occurrence of an Event of Default, subject to the rights of the Senior Lender Purchasers under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, Collateral Agent shall sell all or any of the Pledged Securities to another party or parties (herein called the “Transferee”) or shall purchase or retain all or any of the Pledged Securities, each Debtor shall, to the extent applicable: (i) deliver to Collateral Agent or the Transferee, as the case may be, the articles of incorporation, bylaws, minute books, stock certificate books, corporate seals, deeds, leases, indentures, agreements, evidences of indebtedness, books of account, financial records and all other Organizational Documents and records of the Debtors and their direct and indirect subsidiaries; (ii) use its best efforts to obtain resignations of the persons then serving as officers and directors of the Debtors and their direct and indirect subsidiaries, if so requested; and (iii) use its best efforts to obtain any approvals that are required by any governmental or regulatory body in order to permit the sale of the Pledged Securities to the Transferee or the purchase or retention of the Pledged Securities by Collateral Agent and allow the Transferee or Collateral Agent to continue the business of the Debtors and their direct and indirect subsidiaries.

 
 
 
 
(mm)       Without limiting the generality of the other obligations of the Debtors hereunder, each Debtor shall promptly (i) cause to be registered at the United States Copyright Office all of its material copyrights, (ii) cause the security interest contemplated hereby with respect to all Intellectual Property registered at the United States Copyright Office or United States Patent and Trademark Office to be duly recorded at the applicable office, and (iii) give the Collateral Agent notice whenever it acquires (whether absolutely or by license) or creates any additional material Intellectual Property.
 
(nn)        Each Debtor will from time to time, at the joint and several expense of the Debtors, promptly execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents, and take all such further action as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request, in order to perfect and protect any security interest granted or purported to be granted hereby or to enable the Secured Parties to exercise and enforce their rights and remedies hereunder and with respect to any Collateral or to otherwise carry out the purposes of this Agreement.
 
(oo)        Schedule F attached hereto lists all of the patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, registered copyrights, and domain names owned by any of the Debtors as of the date hereof.  Schedule F lists all material licenses in favor of any Debtor for the use of any patents, trademarks, copyrights and domain names as of the date hereof.  All material patents and trademarks of the Debtors have been duly recorded at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and all material copyrights of the Debtors have been duly recorded at the United States Copyright Office.
 
(pp)        Intentionally Deleted.
 
5.           Effect of Pledge on Certain Rights. If any of the Collateral subject to this Agreement consists of nonvoting equity or ownership interests (regardless of class, designation, preference or rights) that may be converted into voting equity or ownership interests upon the occurrence of certain events (including, without limitation, upon the transfer of all or any of the other stock or assets of the issuer), it is agreed that the pledge of such equity or ownership interests pursuant to this Agreement or the enforcement of any of Collateral Agent’s rights hereunder shall not be deemed to be the type of event which would trigger such conversion rights notwithstanding any provisions in the Organizational Documents or agreements to which any Debtor is subject or to which any Debtor is party.
 
6.           Defaults. The following events shall be “Events of Default”:
 
(a)           The occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the VPP Debentures) under the VPP Debentures;
 
(b)           Any representation or warranty of any Debtor in this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made;
 
(c)           The failure by any Debtor to observe or perform any of its obligations hereunder for five Business Days after delivery to such Debtor of notice of such failure by or on behalf of a Secured Party unless such default is capable of cure but cannot be cured within such time frame and such Debtor is using best efforts to cure same in a timely fashion; or

 
 
 
 
(d)           If any provision of this Agreement shall at any time for any reason be declared to be null and void, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested by any Debtor, or a proceeding shall be commenced by any Debtor, or by any governmental authority having jurisdiction over any Debtor, seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability thereof, or any Debtor shall deny that any Debtor has any liability or obligation purported to be created under this Agreement.
 
7.           Duty To Hold In Trust.
 
(a)           Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default and at any time thereafter, each Debtor shall, upon receipt of any revenue, income, dividend, interest or other sums subject to the Security Interests, whether payable pursuant to the VPP Debentures or otherwise, or of any check, draft, note, trade acceptance or other instrument evidencing an obligation to pay any such sum, hold the same in trust for the Secured Parties and shall forthwith endorse and transfer any such sums or instruments, or both, to the Secured Parties, pro-rata in proportion to their respective then-currently outstanding principal amount of VPP Debentures for application to the satisfaction of the Obligations (and if any VPP Debenture is not outstanding, pro-rata in proportion to the initial purchases of the remaining VPP Debentures), subject to such senior rights that may be held in favor of the Senior Lender Purchasers and their successors in interest with respect to the Senior Lender Loan Agreement.
 
(b)           If any Debtor shall become entitled to receive or shall receive any securities or other property (including, without limitation, shares of Pledged Securities or instruments representing Pledged Securities acquired after the date hereof, or any options, warrants, rights or other similar property or certificates representing a dividend, or any distribution in connection with any recapitalization, reclassification or increase or reduction of capital, or issued in connection with any reorganization of such Debtor or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries) in respect of the Pledged Securities (whether as an addition to, in substitution of, or in exchange for, such Pledged Securities or otherwise), such Debtor agrees to (i) accept the same as the agent of the Secured Parties; (ii) hold the same in trust on behalf of and for the benefit of the Secured Parties; and (iii) to deliver any and all certificates or instruments evidencing the same to Collateral Agent on or before the close of business on the fifth business day following the receipt thereof by such Debtor, in the exact form received together with the Necessary Endorsements, to be held by Collateral Agent subject to the terms of this Agreement as Collateral; provided however that the obligations of this Section 7(b) are subordinate to the rights of the Senior Lender Purchasers and their successors in interest with respect to the Senior Lender Loan Agreement.
 
8.           Rights and Remedies Upon Default.
 
(a)           Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default and at any time thereafter, the Secured Parties, acting through the Collateral Agent, shall have the right to exercise all of the remedies conferred hereunder and under the VPP Debentures, and the Secured Parties shall have all the rights and remedies of a secured party under the UCC.  Without limitation, the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, shall have the following rights and powers:

 
 
 
 
(i)           The Collateral Agent shall have the right to take possession of the Collateral and, for that purpose, enter, with the aid and assistance of any person, any premises where the Collateral, or any part thereof, is or may be placed and remove the same, and each Debtor shall assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Collateral Agent at places which the Collateral Agent shall reasonably select, whether at such Debtor's premises or elsewhere, and make available to the Collateral Agent, without rent, all of such Debtor’s respective premises and facilities for the purpose of the Collateral Agent taking possession of, removing or putting the Collateral in saleable or disposable form.
 
(ii)          Upon notice to the Debtors by Collateral Agent, all rights of each Debtor to exercise the voting and other consensual rights which it would otherwise be entitled to exercise and all rights of each Debtor to receive the dividends and interest which it would otherwise be authorized to receive and retain, shall cease.  Upon such notice, Collateral Agent shall have the right to receive, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, any interest, cash dividends or other payments on the Collateral and, at the option of Collateral Agent, to exercise in such Collateral Agent’s discretion all voting rights pertaining thereto.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to exercise all rights with respect to the Collateral as it were the sole and absolute owner thereof, including, without limitation, to vote and/or to exchange, at its sole discretion, any or all of the Collateral in connection with a merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization or other readjustment concerning or involving the Collateral or any Debtor or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.
 
(iii)         The Collateral Agent shall have the right to operate the business of each Debtor using the Collateral and shall have the right to assign, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of and deliver all or any part of the Collateral, at public or private sale or otherwise, either with or without special conditions or stipulations, for cash or on credit or for future delivery, in such parcel or parcels and at such time or times and at such place or places, and upon such terms and conditions as the Collateral Agent may deem commercially reasonable, all without (except as shall be required by applicable statute and cannot be waived) advertisement or demand upon or notice to any Debtor or right of redemption of a Debtor, which are hereby expressly waived.  Upon each such sale, lease, assignment or other transfer of Collateral, the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may, unless prohibited by applicable law which cannot be waived, purchase all or any part of the Collateral being sold, free from and discharged of all trusts, claims, right of redemption and equities of any Debtor, which are hereby waived and released.
 
(iv)         The Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to notify any account debtors and any obligors under instruments or accounts to make payments directly to the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, and to enforce the Debtors’ rights against such account debtors and obligors.
 
(v)          The Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may (but is not obligated to) direct any financial intermediary or any other person or entity holding any investment property to transfer the same to the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, or its designee.

 
 
 
 
(vi)         The Collateral Agent may (but is not obligated to) transfer any or all Intellectual Property registered in the name of any Debtor at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and/or Copyright Office into the name of the Secured Parties or any designee or any purchaser of any Collateral.
 
(b)           The Collateral Agent shall comply with any applicable law in connection with a disposition of Collateral and such compliance will not be considered adversely to affect the commercial reasonableness of any sale of the Collateral. The Collateral Agent may sell the Collateral without giving any warranties and may specifically disclaim such warranties.  If the Collateral Agent sells any of the Collateral on credit, the Debtors will only be credited with payments actually made by the purchaser.  In addition, each Debtor waives any and all rights that it may have to a judicial hearing in advance of the enforcement of any of the Collateral Agent’s rights and remedies hereunder, including, without limitation, its right following an Event of Default to take immediate possession of the Collateral and to exercise its rights and remedies with respect thereto.
 
(c)           For the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to further exercise rights and remedies under this Section 8 or elsewhere provided by agreement or applicable law, each Debtor hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties, an irrevocable, nonexclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty or other compensation to such Debtor) to use, license or sublicense following an Event of Default, any Intellectual Property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Debtor, and wherever the same may be located, and including in such license access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and to all computer software and programs used for the compilation or printout thereof.
 
9.           Applications of Proceeds. The proceeds of any such sale, lease or other disposition of the Collateral hereunder or from payments made on account of any insurance policy insuring any portion of the Collateral shall be applied first, to the expenses of retaking, holding, storing, processing and preparing for sale, selling, and the like (including, without limitation, any taxes, fees and other costs incurred in connection therewith) of the Collateral, to the reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Collateral Agent in enforcing the Secured Parties’ rights hereunder and in connection with collecting, storing and disposing of the Collateral, and then to satisfaction of the Obligations pro rata among the Secured Parties (based on then-outstanding principal amounts of VPP Debentures at the time of any such determination), and to the payment of any other amounts required by applicable law, after which the Secured Parties shall pay to the applicable Debtor any surplus proceeds. If, upon the sale, license or other disposition of the Collateral, the proceeds thereof are insufficient to pay all amounts to which the Secured Parties are legally entitled, the Debtors will be liable for the deficiency, together with interest thereon, at the rate of 16% per annum or the lesser amount permitted by applicable law (the “Default Rate”), and the reasonable fees of any attorneys employed by the Secured Parties to collect such deficiency.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Debtor waives all claims, damages and demands against the Secured Parties arising out of the repossession, removal, retention or sale of the Collateral, unless due solely to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Secured Parties as determined by a final judgment (not subject to further appeal) of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 
 
 
 
10.           Securities Law Provision.  Each Debtor recognizes that Collateral Agent may be limited in its ability to effect a sale to the public of all or part of the Pledged Securities by reason of certain prohibitions in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or other federal or state securities laws (collectively, the “Securities Laws”), and may be compelled to resort to one or more sales to a restricted group of purchasers who may be required to agree to acquire the Pledged Securities for their own account, for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof.  Each Debtor agrees that sales so made may be at prices and on terms less favorable than if the Pledged Securities were sold to the public, and that Collateral Agent has no obligation to delay the sale of any Pledged Securities for the period of time necessary to register the Pledged Securities for sale to the public under the Securities Laws.  Each Debtor shall cooperate with Collateral Agent in its attempt to satisfy any requirements under the Securities Laws (including, without limitation, registration thereunder if requested by Collateral Agent) applicable to the sale of the Pledged Securities by Collateral Agent.
 
11.           Costs and Expenses. Each Debtor agrees to pay all reasonable out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with any filing required hereunder, including without limitation, any financing statements pursuant to the UCC, continuation statements, partial releases and/or termination statements related thereto or any expenses of any searches reasonably required by the Collateral Agent.  The Debtors shall also pay all other claims and charges which in the reasonable opinion of the Collateral Agent is reasonably likely to prejudice, imperil or otherwise affect the Collateral or the Security Interests therein.  The Debtors will also, upon demand, pay to the Collateral Agent the amount of any and all reasonable expenses, including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and of any experts and agents, which the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may incur in connection with the creation, perfection, protection, satisfaction, foreclosure, collection or enforcement of the Security Interest and the preparation, administration, continuance, amendment or enforcement of this Agreement and pay to the Collateral Agent the amount of any and all reasonable expenses, including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and of any experts and agents, which the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and the Secured Parties may incur in connection with (i) the enforcement of this Agreement, (ii) the custody or preservation of, or the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any of the Collateral, or (iii) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of the Secured Parties under the VPP Debentures. Until so paid, any fees payable hereunder shall be added to the principal amount of the VPP Debentures and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.
 
12.           Responsibility for Collateral. The Debtors assume all liabilities and responsibility in connection with all Collateral, and the Obligations shall in no way be affected or diminished by reason of the loss, destruction, damage or theft of any of the Collateral or its unavailability for any reason.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) neither the Collateral Agent nor any Secured Party (i) has any duty (either before or after an Event of Default) to collect any amounts in respect of the Collateral or to preserve any rights relating to the Collateral, or (ii) has any obligation to clean-up or otherwise prepare the Collateral for sale, and (b) each Debtor shall remain obligated and liable under each contract or agreement included in the Collateral to be observed or performed by such Debtor thereunder.  Neither the Collateral Agent nor any Secured Party shall have any obligation or liability under any such contract or agreement by reason of or arising out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party of any payment relating to any of the Collateral, nor shall the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any Debtor under or pursuant to any such contract or agreement, to make inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any payment received by the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party in respect of the Collateral or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party under any such contract or agreement, to present or file any claim, to take any action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been assigned to the Collateral Agent or to which the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party may be entitled at any time or times.

 
 
 
 
13.           Security Interests Absolute. All rights of the Secured Parties and all obligations of the Debtors hereunder, shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of: (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the VPP Debentures or any agreement entered into in connection with the foregoing, or any portion hereof or thereof; (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment or performance of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to any departure from the VPP Debentures or any other agreement entered into in connection with the foregoing; (c) any exchange, release or nonperfection of any of the Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from any other collateral for, or any guarantee, or any other security, for all or any of the Obligations; (d) any action by the Secured Parties to obtain, adjust, settle and cancel in its sole discretion any insurance claims or matters made or arising in connection with the Collateral; or (e) any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute any legal or equitable defense available to a Debtor, or a discharge of all or any part of the Security Interests granted hereby.  Until the Obligations shall have been paid and performed in full, the rights of the Secured Parties shall continue even if the Obligations are barred for any reason, including, without limitation, the running of the statute of limitations or bankruptcy.  Each Debtor expressly waives presentment, protest, notice of protest, demand, notice of nonpayment and demand for performance. In the event that at any time any transfer of any Collateral or any payment received by the Secured Parties hereunder shall be deemed by final order of a court of competent jurisdiction to have been a voidable preference or fraudulent conveyance under the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the United States, or shall be deemed to be otherwise due to any party other than the Secured Parties, then, in any such event, each Debtor’s obligations hereunder shall survive cancellation of this Agreement, and shall not be discharged or satisfied by any prior payment thereof and/or cancellation of this Agreement, but shall remain a valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof.  Each Debtor waives all right to require the Secured Parties to proceed against any other person or entity or to apply any Collateral which the Secured Parties may hold at any time, or to marshal assets, or to pursue any other remedy. Each Debtor waives any defense arising by reason of the application of the statute of limitations to any obligation secured hereby.
 
14.           Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the VPP Debentures have been indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement.

 
 
 
 
15.         Power of Attorney; Further Assurances.
 
(a)           Each Debtor authorizes the Collateral Agent, and does hereby make, constitute and appoint the Collateral Agent and its officers, agents, successors or assigns with full power of substitution, as such Debtor’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with power, in the name of the Collateral Agent or such Debtor, to, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, (i) endorse any note, checks, drafts, money orders or other instruments of payment (including payments payable under or in respect of any policy of insurance) in respect of the Collateral that may come into possession of the Collateral Agent; (ii) to sign and endorse any financing statement pursuant to the UCC or any invoice, freight or express ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ of lading, storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments, verifications and notices in connection with accounts, and other documents relating to the Collateral; (iii) to pay or discharge taxes, liens, security interests or other encumbrances at any time levied or placed on or threatened against the Collateral; (iv) to demand, collect, receipt for, compromise, settle and ▇▇▇ for monies due in respect of the Collateral; (v) to transfer any Intellectual Property or provide licenses respecting any Intellectual Property; and (vi) generally, at the option of the Collateral Agent, and at the expense of the Debtors, at any time, or from time to time, to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments and to do all acts and things which the Collateral Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve and realize upon the Collateral and the Security Interests granted therein in order to effect the intent of this Agreement and the VPP Debentures all as fully and effectually as the Debtors might or could do; and each Debtor hereby ratifies all that said attorney shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  This power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable for the term of this Agreement and thereafter as long as any of the Obligations shall be outstanding.  The designation set forth herein shall be deemed to amend and supersede any inconsistent provision in the Organizational Documents or other documents or agreements to which any Debtor is subject or to which any Debtor is a party.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Secured Party is specifically authorized to execute and file any applications for or instruments of transfer and assignment of any patents, trademarks, copyrights or other Intellectual Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office.
 
(b)           On a continuing basis, each Debtor will make, execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record, as the case may be, with the proper filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the jurisdictions indicated on Schedule C attached hereto, all such instruments, and take all such action as may reasonably be deemed necessary or advisable, or as reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, to perfect the Security Interests granted hereunder and otherwise to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement, or for assuring and confirming to the Collateral Agent the grant or perfection of a perfected security interest in all the Collateral under the UCC.
 
(c)           Each Debtor hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as such Debtor’s attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and instead of such Debtor and in the name of such Debtor, from time to time in the Collateral Agent’s discretion, to take any action and to execute any instrument which the Collateral Agent may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, including the filing, in its sole discretion, of one or more financing or continuation statements and amendments thereto, relative to any of the Collateral without the signature of such Debtor where permitted by law, which financing statements may (but need not) describe the Collateral as “all assets” or “all personal property” or words of like import, and ratifies all such actions taken by the Collateral Agent.  This power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable for the term of this Agreement and thereafter as long as any of the Obligations shall be outstanding.

 
 
 
 
16.         Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be subject to the notice provision of the Purchase Agreement (as such term is defined in the VPP Debentures).
 
17.         Other Security. To the extent that the Obligations are now or hereafter  secured by property other than the Collateral or by the guarantee, endorsement or property of any other person, firm, corporation or other entity, then the Collateral Agent shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to pursue, relinquish, subordinate, modify or take any other action with respect thereto, without in any way modifying or affecting any of the Secured Parties’ rights and remedies hereunder.
 
18.         Appointment of Collateral Agent.  The Secured Parties hereby appoint Aequitas Capital Management, Inc. to act as their agent (“Aequitas” or “Collateral Agent”) for purposes of exercising any and all rights and remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder. Such appointment shall continue until revoked in writing by a Majority in Interest, at which time a Majority in Interest shall appoint a new Collateral Agent, provided that Aequitas may not be removed as Collateral Agent unless Aequitas or its affiliates (collectively) shall then hold less than $250,000 in principal amount of VPP Debentures; provided, further, that such removal may occur only if each of the other Secured Parties shall then hold not less than an aggregate of $500,000 in principal amount of VPP Debentures. The Collateral Agent shall have the rights, responsibilities and immunities set forth in Annex B hereto.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, so long as Collateral Agent serves in such capacity pursuant to this Agreement, any action to enforce the rights of any of the holders of VPP Debentures signatory hereto shall be taken solely by Collateral Agent, subject to the approval of Holders of at least 67% of outstanding principal amount of the VPP Debentures.
 
19.         Miscellaneous.
 
(a)           No course of dealing between the Debtors and the Secured Parties, nor any failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Secured Parties, any right, power or privilege hereunder or under the VPP Debentures shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
 
(b)           All of the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral, whether established hereby or by the VPP Debentures or by any other agreements, instruments or documents or by law shall be cumulative and may be exercised singly or concurrently.
 
(c)           This Agreement, together with the exhibits and schedules hereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into this Agreement and the exhibits and schedules hereto. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Debtors and the Secured Parties holding 67% or more of the principal amount of the VPP Debentures then outstanding or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought.

 
 
 
 
(d)           If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
 
(e)           No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
 
(f)           This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.  The Company and the Guarantors may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Secured Party (other than by merger).  Any Secured Party may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) to whom such Secured Party assigns or transfers any Obligations, provided such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Obligations, by the provisions of this Agreement that apply to the “Secured Parties.”
 
(g)           Each party shall take such further action and execute and deliver such further documents as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Agreement.
 
(h)           All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.  Each Debtor agrees that all proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the VPP Debentures (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan. Each Debtor hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such proceeding is improper. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.  Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 
 
 
 
(i)           This Agreement may be executed in any number of 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. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
 
(j)           All Debtors shall jointly and severally be liable for the obligations of each Debtor to the Secured Parties hereunder.
 
(k)           Each Debtor shall indemnify, reimburse and hold harmless the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties and their respective partners, members, shareholders, officers, directors, employees and agents (and any other persons with other titles that have similar functions) (collectively, “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, damages, penalties, suits, costs and expenses, of any kind or nature, (including fees relating to the cost of investigating and defending any of the foregoing) imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Indemnitee in any way related to or arising from or alleged to arise from this Agreement or the Collateral, except any such losses, claims, liabilities, damages, penalties, suits, costs and expenses which result from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Indemnitee as determined by a final, nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction.  This indemnification provision is in addition to, and not in limitation of, any other indemnification provision in the VPP Debentures, the Purchase Agreement (as such term is defined in the VPP Debentures) or any other agreement, instrument or other document executed or delivered in connection herewith or therewith.
 
(l)           Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to subject Collateral Agent or any Secured Party to liability as a partner in any Debtor or any if its direct or indirect subsidiaries that is a partnership or as a member in any Debtor or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries that is a limited liability company, nor shall Collateral Agent or any Secured Party be deemed to have assumed any obligations under any partnership agreement or limited liability company agreement, as applicable, of any such Debtor or any if its direct or indirect subsidiaries or otherwise, unless and until any such Secured Party exercises its right to be substituted for such Debtor as a partner or member, as applicable, pursuant hereto.
 
(m)          To the extent that the grant of the security interest in the Collateral and the enforcement of the terms hereof require the consent, approval or action of any partner or member, as applicable, of any Debtor or any direct or indirect subsidiary of any Debtor or compliance with any provisions of any of the Organizational Documents, the Debtors hereby grant such consent and approval and waive any such noncompliance with the terms of said documents.
 
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 
 
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this VPP Security Agreement to be duly executed on the day and year first above written.
 
CAPITAL GROWTH SYSTEMS, INC.
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
FNS 2007, INC.
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
NEXVU TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
20/20 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
20/20 TECHNOLOGIES I, LLC
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
CENTREPATH, INC.
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
MAGENTA NETLOGIC, LIMITED
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
GLOBAL CAPACITY DIRECT, LLC
   
By:
  /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Name:  ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
 
Title:  CEO
   
[ADD NAME OF NEW SUBS]

[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]

 
 
 

Document Metadata

Filed: August 4th, 2009