e424b5
Filed
Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-143180
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed Maximum
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Proposed Maximum
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Title of Each Class of
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Offering Price
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Aggregate
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Amount of
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Securities Registered
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Amount Registered(1)
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Per Unit
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Offering Price
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Registration Fee(1)(2)
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5.875% Global Notes due 2017
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$
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1,106,025,000
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99.797
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%
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$
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2,724,181,603.95
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$
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152,009.33
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7.000% Global Notes due 2040
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$
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1,622,170,000
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99.891
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%
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(1) Pursuant to Rule 457(r), the total registration fee for
this offering is $152,009.33. £1,850,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the 5.875% Global Notes due 2017 and the
7.000% Global Notes due 2040 will be issued. The Amount
Registered is based on the April 24, 2009 sterling/U.S.$
exchange rate of £1/U.S.$1.4747.
(2) A filing fee of $152,009.33 is being paid in connection
with this offering.
Prospectus
Supplement
April 24, 2009
(To Prospectus dated May 23, 2007)
£1,850,000,000
AT&T
Inc.
£750,000,000 5.875% Global
Notes due 2017
£1,100,000,000 7.000% Global Notes due 2040
We will pay interest on the 5.875% global notes due 2017 (the
2017 Notes) on April 28 of each year and we will pay
interest on the 7.000% global notes due 2040 (the 2040
Notes and, together with the 2017 Notes, the
Notes) on April 30 of each year. The first such
payment for the 2017 Notes will be made on April 28, 2010
and the first such payment for the 2040 Notes will be made on
April 30, 2010.
We may redeem some or all of the Notes at any time and from time
to time at the prices indicated under the heading
Description of the Notes Optional Redemption
of the Notes beginning on
page S-5
of this prospectus supplement. The Notes will be issued in
minimum denominations of £50,000 and integral multiples of
£50,000.
See Risk Factors beginning on page 31 of our
Annual Report to Stockholders, portions of which are filed as
Exhibit 13 to our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, which is
incorporated by reference herein, to read about factors you
should consider before investing in the Notes.
We intend to apply to list the Notes on the New York Stock
Exchange. We expect trading in the Notes on the New York Stock
Exchange to begin within 30 days after the original issue
date. Currently there is no public market for the Notes.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other
regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities
or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Per 2017 Note
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Total
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Per 2040 Note
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Total
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Initial public offering price
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99.797
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%
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£
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748,477,500
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99.891
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%
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£
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1,098,801,000
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Underwriting discount
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0.300
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%
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£
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2,250,000
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0.600
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%
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£
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6,600,000
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Proceeds, before expenses, to AT&T(1)
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99.497
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%
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£
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746,227,500
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99.291
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%
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£
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1,092,201,000
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(1) |
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The underwriters have agreed to reimburse us for certain of our
expenses. See Underwriting. |
The initial public offering price set forth above does not
include accrued interest, if any.
The underwriters expect to deliver the Notes through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company, Clearstream or
Euroclear, as the case may be, against payment in New York, New
York on April 30, 2009.
Joint
Book-Running Managers
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Barclays Capital
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Deutsche Bank
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UBS Investment Bank
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You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have
not, authorized any other person to provide you with different
information. If anyone provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not,
and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these
securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not
permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as
well as information we previously filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference, is accurate
as of their respective dates. Our business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects may have changed since those
dates.
The Notes are offered globally for sale in those
jurisdictions in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and
elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers.
References herein to $ and dollars
are to the currency of the United States. References to
£ and sterling are to the lawful
currency of the United Kingdom. The financial information
presented in this prospectus supplement has been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States.
To the extent there is a conflict between the information
contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and
the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, on the
other hand, the information contained in this prospectus
supplement shall control. If any statement in this prospectus
supplement conflicts with any statement in a document which we
have incorporated by reference, then you should consider only
the statement in the more recent document.
In this prospectus supplement, we, our,
us and AT&T refer to AT&T Inc.
and its consolidated subsidiaries.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Prospectus
Supplement
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Page
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S-1
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S-2
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S-2
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S-3
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S-4
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S-13
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S-19
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S-21
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Prospectus
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Description of AT&T Inc.
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1
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Use of Proceeds
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1
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Summary Description of the Securities We May Issue
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1
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Description of Debt Securities We May Offer
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1
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Description of Preferred Stock
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12
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Description of Depositary Shares
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13
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Description of Common Stock
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16
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Plan of Distribution
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18
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Validity of Securities
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19
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Experts
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19
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Documents Incorporated by Reference
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19
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Where You Can Find More Information
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20
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i
SUMMARY
OF THE OFFERING
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Issuer |
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AT&T Inc. |
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Securities Offered |
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£750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.875% global
notes due 2017 and £1,100,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of 7.000% global notes due 2040. |
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Maturity Dates |
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April 28, 2017, at par, for the 2017 Notes. |
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April 30, 2040, at par, for the 2040 Notes. |
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Interest Rates |
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The 2017 Notes will bear interest from April 30, 2009 at
the rate of 5.875% per annum and the 2040 Notes will bear
interest from April 30, 2009 at the rate of 7.000% per
annum, in each case payable annually in arrears. |
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Interest Payment Dates |
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April 28 of each year, commencing on April 28, 2010
for the 2017 Notes, and April 30 of each year, commencing
on April 30, 2010 for the 2040 Notes. |
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Optional Redemption |
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The Notes are redeemable at any time in whole or from time to
time in part at a redemption price equal to their principal
amount plus a make-whole premium, if any, and
accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. See
Description of the Notes Optional Redemption
of the Notes. |
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Markets |
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The Notes are offered for sale in those jurisdictions in the
United States, Europe and Asia where it is legal to make such
offers. See Underwriting. |
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Listing |
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We intend to apply to list the Notes on the New York Stock
Exchange. |
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Form/Clearing Systems |
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The Notes will be issued only in registered, book-entry form.
There will be a Global Note deposited with The Depository
Trust Company (DTC) and an International Global
Note deposited with a common depositary for Euroclear and
Clearstream. Transfers between DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream
will occur free of payment, via the Registrar. DTC will only
make payments of interest and principal in U.S. dollars. Holders
of beneficial interests through DTC may either elect to receive
sterling outside of DTC or will receive U.S. dollars converted
at prevailing exchange rates. Any costs of conversion would be
borne by the holders receiving U.S. dollars in DTC. |
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Governing Law |
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The Notes will be governed by the laws of the State of New York. |
S-1
USE OF
PROCEEDS
The net proceeds to AT&T from the Notes offering will be
approximately £1,838,213,500, after deducting underwriting
discounts and our estimated offering expenses. These proceeds
will be used for general corporate purposes, including the
repayment of maturing debt.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth the capitalization of AT&T
as of March 31, 2009 and as adjusted solely to reflect the
issuance of £1,850,000,000 of the Notes, net of the
underwriting discount and our estimated offering expenses
(approximately $2,710,813,448 based on the April 24, 2009
exchange rate), and the application of the net proceeds as
described under Use of Proceeds above, assuming that
all of the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes would be used
for general corporate purposes and to repay debt maturing within
one year. AT&Ts total capital consists of debt
(long-term debt and debt maturing within one year) and
shareowners equity.
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As of March 31, 2009
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As
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Actual
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Adjusted
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(Unaudited)
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(Unaudited)
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(In millions)
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Long-term debt
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$
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63,560
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$
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66,288
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Debt maturing within one year(1)
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10,790
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8,079
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Shareowners equity:
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Common shares ($1 par value, 7,000,000,000 authorized:
issued 6,495,231,088)
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6,495
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6,495
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Capital in excess of par value
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91,638
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91,638
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Retained earnings
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37,296
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37,296
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Treasury shares (594,877,087 at cost)
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(21,283
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(21,283
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Other adjustments
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(16,451
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(16,451
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Shareowners equity
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$
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97,695
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$
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97,695
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Total Capitalization
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$
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172,045
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$
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172,062
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(1) |
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Debt maturing within one year consists principally of the
current portion of long-term debt, and commercial paper and
other short-term borrowings. |
S-2
CURRENCY
CONVERSION AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISKS
Investors will be required to pay for the Notes in sterling. The
Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, will arrange for the
conversion of U.S. dollars into sterling to facilitate
payment for the Notes by U.S. purchasers. Each conversion
will be made by The Bank of New York Mellon on the terms and
subject to the conditions, limitations and charges as The Bank
of New York Mellon may from time to time establish in accordance
with its regular foreign exchange practices, and subject to
United States laws and regulations. All costs of conversion will
be borne by investors in the Notes.
Principal and interest payments in respect of the Notes are
payable by us in sterling, but holders of beneficial interests
in Global Notes (as described below under Description of
the Notes) held through The Depository Trust Company
(also known as DTC), including those who hold interests in
through DTC via Euroclear and Clearstream as participants in
DTC, will receive payments in U.S. dollars unless they
elect to receive payments in sterling. If a holder through DTC
has not made such an election, payments to the holder will be
converted to U.S. dollars by the exchange agent (as defined
below under Description of the Notes). All costs of
conversion will be borne by the holder by deduction from the
payments. The U.S. dollar amount of any payment in respect
of principal or interest received by a holder not electing
payment in sterling will be the amount of sterling otherwise
payable exchanged into U.S. dollars at the sterling/U.S.$
rate of exchange prevailing as at 11:00 a.m. (New York City
time) on the day which is two Business Days (as defined below)
prior to the relevant payment date, less any costs incurred by
the exchange agent for the conversion (to be shared pro rata
among the holders of beneficial interests in the Global Notes
accepting U.S. dollar payments in proportion to their
respective holdings), all in accordance with the indenture and
the Notes.
The trustee will obtain a bid quotation from a leading foreign
exchange bank in The City of New York, which may be the trustee
or selected by the trustee for that purpose after consultation
with us. If no bid quotation from a leading foreign exchange
bank is available, payment will be in sterling to the account or
accounts specified by DTC to the trustee unless sterling is
unavailable due to the imposition of exchange controls or other
circumstances beyond our control. If payment in respect of a
Note is required to be made in a currency other than
U.S. dollars and such currency is unavailable to us due to
the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances
beyond our control or is no longer used by the government of the
relevant country or for the settlement of transactions by public
institutions of or within the international banking community,
then all payments in respect of such Note will be made in
U.S. dollars until such currency is again available to us
or so used. The amount payable on any date in such currency will
be converted into U.S. dollars on the basis of the most
recently available market exchange rate for such currency.
The holder of a beneficial interest in the Global Notes held
through a participant of DTC (including those who hold interests
in through DTC via Euroclear and Clearstream as participants in
DTC) may elect to receive payment or payments under a Global
Note in sterling by notifying the DTC Participant (as defined
below under Description of the Notes) through which
its Notes are held on or prior to the applicable Record Date (as
defined below) of (1) the investors election to
receive all or a portion of the payment in sterling and
(2) wire transfer instructions to a sterling account
located outside of the United States. DTC must be notified of an
election and wire transfer instructions (1) on or prior to
the third New York Business Day (as defined below) after the
Record Date for any payment of interest and (2) on or prior
to the fifth New York Business Day prior to the date for any
payment of principal. DTC will notify the trustee of an election
and wire transfer instructions (1) on or prior to
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth New York
Business Day after the Record Date for any payment of interest
and (2) on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time,
on the tenth New York Business Day prior to the date for any
payment of principal. If complete instructions are forwarded to
and received by DTC through DTC Participants and forwarded by
DTC to the trustee and received on or prior to such dates, such
investor will receive payment in sterling outside DTC;
otherwise, only U.S. dollar payments will be made by the
trustee to DTC. All costs of conversion will be borne by holders
of beneficial interests in the Global Notes receiving
U.S. dollars by deduction from those payments.
The term Business Day means any day other than a
Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in The
City of New York or the City of London are authorized or
required by law or executive order to close.
S-3
The term New York Business Day means any day other
than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or
executive order to close.
The term Record Date means April 15 of each
year.
Investors will be subject to foreign exchange risks as to
payments of principal and interest that may have important
economic and tax consequences to them. See
Foreign Exchange Risk below.
On April 24, 2009, the sterling/U.S.$ rate of exchange was
£1 /U.S.$1.4747.
Foreign
Exchange Risk
An investment in Notes which are denominated in, and all
payments in respect of which are to be made in, a currency other
than the currency of the country in which the purchaser is
resident or the currency in which the purchaser conducts its
business or activities (the home currency), entails significant
risks not associated with a similar investment in a security
denominated in the home currency. These include the possibility
of:
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significant changes in rates of exchange between the home
currency and the sterling, and
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the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls with
respect to the sterling.
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We have no control over a number of factors affecting this type
of note, including economic, financial and political events that
are important in determining the existence, magnitude and
longevity of these risks and their results. In recent years,
rates of exchange for certain currencies, including the
sterling, have been highly volatile and this volatility may be
expected to continue in the future. Fluctuations in any
particular exchange rate that have occurred in the past are not
necessarily indicative of fluctuations in the rate that may
occur during the term of the Notes. Depreciation of the sterling
against the home currency could result in a decrease in the
effective yield of the Notes below the coupon rate, and in
certain circumstances, could result in a loss to you on a home
currency basis.
The Notes will be governed by New York law. Under New York law,
a New York state court rendering a judgment on the Notes would
be required to render the judgment in sterling. However, the
judgment would be converted into U.S. dollars at the
exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment.
Consequently, in a lawsuit for payment on the Notes, investors
would bear currency exchange risk until a New York state court
judgment is entered, which could be a long time.
In courts outside of New York, investors may not be able to
obtain a judgment in a currency other than U.S. dollars.
For example, a judgment for money in an action based on the
Notes in many other U.S. federal or state courts ordinarily
would be enforced in the United States only in
U.S. dollars. The date used to determine the rate of
conversion of sterling into U.S. dollars will depend upon
various factors, including which court renders the judgment.
This description of foreign currency risks does not describe all
the risks of an investment in securities denominated in a
currency other than the home currency. You should consult your
own financial and legal advisors as to the risks involved in an
investment in the Notes.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE NOTES
The following description of the general terms of the Notes
should be read in conjunction with the statements under
Description of Debt Securities We May Offer in the
accompanying prospectus. If this summary differs in any way from
the Summary Description of the Securities We May
Issue in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on
this summary.
General
The Notes will be issued under our indenture with The Bank of
New York Mellon, acting as trustee, as described under
Description of Debt Securities We May Offer in the
accompanying prospectus. The Notes
S-4
will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will
rank pari passu with all other indebtedness issued under
our indenture. The Notes will constitute two separate series
under the indenture. We will issue the Notes in fully registered
form only and in minimum denominations of £50,000 and
integral multiples of £50,000 thereafter.
We may issue definitive Notes in limited circumstances. If we
issue definitive Notes, principal of and interest on our Notes
will be payable in the manner described below, the transfer of
our Notes will be registrable, and our Notes will be
exchangeable for Notes bearing identical terms and provisions,
at the office of The Bank of New York Mellon, the paying agent
and registrar for our Notes, currently located at 101 Barclay
Street, New York, New York 10286. However, payment of interest,
other than interest at maturity, or upon redemption, may be made
by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to the
interest as it appears on the security register at the close of
business on the regular record date corresponding to the
relevant interest payment date. Notwithstanding this,
(1) the depositary, as holder of our Notes, or (2) a
holder of more than £5 million in aggregate principal
amount of Notes in definitive form can require the paying agent
to make payments of interest, other than interest due at
maturity, or upon redemption, by wire transfer of immediately
available funds into an account maintained by the holder in the
United States, by sending appropriate wire transfer instructions
as long as the paying agent receives the instructions not less
than ten days prior to the applicable interest payment date. The
principal and interest payable in sterling on any of the Notes
at maturity, or upon redemption, will be paid by wire transfer
of immediately available funds against presentation of a note at
the office of the paying agent.
The 2017 Notes offered by this prospectus supplement will bear
interest at the rate of 5.875% per annum. We will pay interest
on our 2017 Notes in arrears on April 28 of each year,
commencing on April 28, 2010, to the persons in whose names our
2017 Notes are registered at the close of business on the April
15 preceding each interest payment date. The 2017 Notes mature
on April 28, 2017.
The 2040 Notes offered by this prospectus supplement will bear
interest at the rate of 7.000% per annum. We will pay interest
on our 2040 Notes in arrears on April 30 of each year,
commencing on April 30, 2010, to the persons in whose names our
2040 Notes are registered at the close of business on the April
15 preceding each interest payment date. The 2040 Notes mature
on April 30, 2040.
Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of the
actual number of days in the period for which interest is being
calculated and the actual number of days from and including the
last date on which interest was paid on the Notes (or April 30,
2009 if no interest has been paid on the Notes), to but
excluding the next scheduled interest payment date. This payment
convention is referred to as ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) as defined in
the rulebook of the International Capital Market Association.
Optional
Redemption of the Notes
The Notes of each series will be redeemable, as a whole or in
part, at our option, at any time and from time to time on at
least 30 days, but not more than 60 days,
prior notice mailed to the registered address of each holder of
the Notes of that series. The redemption price will be equal to
the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the
Notes of that series to be redeemed or (2) the sum of the
present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments (as defined
below) discounted to the redemption date, on an annual basis
(actual/actual (ICMA)), at a rate equal to the Treasury Rate (as
defined below) and 25 basis points for each series of
Notes. In either case, accrued interest will be payable to the
redemption date.
Treasury Rate means the price, expressed as a
percentage (rounded to three decimal places, 0.0005 being
rounded upwards), at which the gross redemption yield (as
calculated by the trustee) on the Notes, if they were to be
purchased at such price on the third dealing day prior to the
date fixed for redemption, would be equal to the gross
redemption yield on such dealing day of the Reference Bond (as
defined below) on the basis of the middle market price of the
Reference Bond prevailing at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on
such dealing day as determined by the trustee.
Reference Bond means, in relation to any Treasury
Rate calculation, at the discretion of the trustee, a United
Kingdom government bond whose maturity is closest to the
maturity of the Notes, or if the trustee in
S-5
its discretion considers that such similar bond is not in issue,
such other United Kingdom government bond as the trustee may,
with the advice of three brokers of,
and/or
market makers in, United Kingdom government bonds selected by
the trustee, determine to be appropriate for determining the
Treasury Rate.
Remaining Scheduled Payments means, with respect to
each Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of
principal of and interest on the Note that would be due after
the related redemption date but for the redemption. If that
redemption date is not an interest payment date with respect to
a Note, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest
payment on the Note will be reduced by the amount of interest
accrued on the Note to the redemption date.
On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue
on the Notes or any portion of the Notes called for redemption
unless we default in the payment of the redemption price and
accrued interest. On or before the redemption date, we will
deposit with a paying agent or the trustee money sufficient to
pay the redemption price of and accrued interest on the Notes to
be redeemed on that date.
In the case of any partial redemption, selection of the Notes of
a series will be made by the trustee by lot or by such other
method as the trustee in its sole discretion deems to be fair
and appropriate.
The
Clearing Systems
Global
Clearance and Settlement
Each series of the Notes will be issued in the form of one or
more global notes (the Global Notes) in fully
registered form, without coupons, one or more of each series of
which (the DTC Global Notes) will be deposited on or
about April 30, 2009 (the Closing Date) with The
Bank of New York Mellon, as custodian for, and registered in the
name of, Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, and one each
series of which (the International Global Note) will
be deposited on the Closing Date with a common depositary for,
and in respect of interests held through, Euroclear Bank, as
operator of the Euroclear System (Euroclear), and
Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme (Clearstream).
Except as described herein, certificates will not be issued in
exchange for beneficial interests in the Global Notes.
Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may be transferred,
in whole and not in part, only to DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream
or their respective nominees.
Beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be represented,
and transfers of such beneficial interests will be effected,
through accounts of financial institutions acting on behalf of
beneficial owners as direct or indirect participants in DTC,
Euroclear or Clearstream. Those beneficial interests will be in
denominations of £50,000 and integral multiples of
£50,000 in excess thereof. Investors may hold Notes
directly through DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, if they are
participants in such systems, or indirectly through
organizations that are participants in such systems.
Owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be
entitled to have Notes registered in their names, and will not
receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in
definitive form. Except as provided below, beneficial owners
will not be considered the owners or holders of the Notes under
the indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports
delivered by us or the trustee pursuant to the indenture.
Accordingly, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures
of the clearing systems and, if such person is not a participant
of the clearing systems, on the procedures of the participant
through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any
rights of a holder under the indenture. Under existing industry
practices, if we request any action of holders or a beneficial
owner desires to give or take any action which a holder is
entitled to give or take under the indenture, the clearing
systems would authorize their participants holding the relevant
beneficial interests to give or take action and the participants
would authorize beneficial owners owning through the
participants to give or take such action or would otherwise act
upon the instructions of beneficial owners. Conveyance of
notices and other communications by the clearing systems to
their participants, by the participants to indirect participants
and by the participants and indirect participants to beneficial
owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to
any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect
from time to time. The laws of some jurisdictions require that
certain
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purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such
securities in certificated form. These limits and laws may
impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in Global
Notes.
Persons who are not DTC participants may beneficially own Notes
held by DTC only through direct or indirect participants in DTC
(including Euroclear and Clearstream). So long as
Cede & Co., as the nominee of DTC, is the registered
owner of the DTC Global Note, Cede & Co. for all
purposes will be considered the sole holder of the DTC Notes
under the indenture and the DTC Notes. Persons who are not
Euroclear or Clearstream participants may beneficially own Notes
held by the common depositary for Euroclear and Clearstream only
through direct or indirect participants in Euroclear and
Clearstream. So long as the common depositary for Euroclear and
Clearstream is the registered owner of the International Global
Note, the common depositary for all purposes will be considered
the sole holder of the Notes represented by the International
Global Note (International Notes) under the
indenture and the International Notes.
If the applicable depositary is at any time unwilling or unable
to continue as depositary for any of the Global Notes of a
series and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within
90 days, we will issue the Notes of that series in
definitive form in exchange for the applicable Global Notes. We
will also issue the Notes in definitive form in exchange for the
Global Notes if an event of default has occurred with regard to
the Notes represented by the Global Notes and has not been cured
or waived. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole
discretion determine not to have the Notes of a series
represented by the Global Notes and, in that event, will issue
the Notes of that series in definitive form in exchange for the
Global Notes. In any such instance, an owner of a beneficial
interest in the Global Notes will be entitled to physical
delivery in definitive form of the Notes represented by the
Global Notes equal in principal amount to such beneficial
interest and to have such Notes registered in its name. The
Notes so issued in definitive form will be issued as registered
in minimum denominations of £50,000 and integral multiples
of £50,000 thereafter, unless otherwise specified by us.
Our definitive form of the Notes can be transferred by
presentation for registration to the registrar at its New York
office and must be duly endorsed by the holder or his attorney
duly authorized in writing, or accompanied by a written
instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to us
or the trustee duly executed by the holder or his attorney duly
authorized in writing. We may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any exchange or registration
of transfer of definitive notes.
Clearing
Systems
DTC. DTC is a limited-purpose trust company
organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of
the Federal Reserve System, a clearing corporation
within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code and a
clearing agency registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. DTC was created to hold securities for its participants
and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between participants through electronic book-entry
changes in accounts of its participants, thereby eliminating the
need for physical movement of certificates. DTC participants
include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies
and clearing corporations and may include certain other
organizations such as the underwriters. Indirect access to the
DTC system also is available to indirect DTC participants such
as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC
participant, either directly or indirectly.
Transfers of ownership or other interest in Notes in DTC may be
made only through DTC participants. Indirect DTC participants
are required to effect transfers through a DTC participant. DTC
has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the Notes.
DTCs records reflect only the identity of the DTC
participants to whose accounts the Notes are credited, which may
not be the beneficial owners. DTC participants will remain
responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of
their customers and for forwarding all notices concerning the
Notes to their customers.
So long as DTC, or its nominee, is a registered owner of the
Global Notes, United States dollar payments of principal and
interest payments on the Notes will be made in immediately
available funds to DTC. DTCs practice is to credit DTC
participants accounts on the applicable payment date in
accordance with their respective holdings shown on the
depositorys records, unless DTC has reason to believe that
it will not
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receive payment on that date. Payments by DTC participants to
beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the
accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in
street name, and will be the responsibility of the
DTC participants and not of DTC, the trustee or us, subject to
any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect
from time to time. Payment of principal and interest to DTC is
the responsibility of us or the trustee. Disbursement of
payments to DTC participants will be DTCs responsibility,
and disbursement of payments to the beneficial owners will be
the responsibility of DTC participants and indirect DTC
participants.
Because DTC can act only on behalf of DTC participants, who in
turn act on behalf of indirect DTC participants and certain
banks, the ability of an owner of a beneficial interest in the
DTC Global Notes to pledge such interest to persons or entities
that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take
actions in respect of such interest, may be limited by the lack
of a definitive certificate for such interest. In addition,
beneficial owners of each series of Notes through the DTC system
will receive distributions of principal and interest on such
Notes only through DTC participants.
According to DTC, the foregoing information with respect to DTC
has been provided to the industry for informational purposes
only and is not intended to serve as a representation, warranty
or contract modification of any kind.
Euroclear. Euroclear advises that it was
created in 1968 to hold securities for its participants and to
clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants
through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against
payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of
certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of
securities and cash. Euroclear provides various other services,
including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with
domestic markets in several countries. All operations are
conducted by Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V. and all Euroclear
securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are
accounts with Euroclear Bank, not the cooperative. The
cooperative establishes policy for Euroclear on behalf of
Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks
(including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and
other professional financial intermediaries and may include the
underwriters (Euroclear participants). Indirect
access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear
participant, either directly or indirectly.
Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with Euroclear
Bank are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of
Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear
System, and applicable Belgian laws (collectively, the
Euroclear Terms and Conditions). The Euroclear Terms
and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within
Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear and
receipts of payment with respect to securities in Euroclear. All
securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without
attribution of specific certificates to specific securities
clearance accounts. Euroclear Bank acts under the Euroclear
Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants
and has no record of or relationship with persons holding
through Euroclear participants.
Distributions with respect to each series of Notes held
beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash
accounts of Euroclear participants in accordance with the
Euroclear Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the
Euroclear Bank and by Euroclear.
Clearstream. Clearstream is incorporated under
the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depository. Clearstream
holds securities for Clearstream participants and facilitates
the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between
Clearstream participants through electronic book-entry changes
in accounts of Clearstream participants, thereby eliminating the
need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream provides
to its participants, among other things, services for
safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of
internationally traded securities and securities lending and
borrowing. Clearstream also deals with domestic securities
markets in several countries. As a professional depository,
Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Monetary
Institute. Clearstream participants are financial institutions
around the world including underwriters, securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and
certain other organizations and may include the underwriters.
Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such
as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream
participant either directly or indirectly.
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Distributions with respect to each series of Notes held
beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash
accounts of Clearstream participants in accordance with its
rules and procedures, to the extent received by Clearstream.
DTC,
Euroclear and Clearstream Arrangements
So long as DTC or its nominee or Euroclear or Clearstream or
their nominee or their common depositary is the registered
holder of the Global Notes, DTC, Euroclear, Clearstream or such
nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner
or holder of the Notes represented by such Global Notes for all
purposes under the indenture and the Notes. Payments of
principal, interest and additional amounts, if any, in respect
of the Global Notes will be made to DTC, Euroclear, Clearstream
or such nominee, as the case may be, as registered holder
thereof. None of us, the trustee, any underwriter and any
affiliate of any of the above or any person by whom any of the
above is controlled (as such term is defined in the Securities
Act of 1933) will have any responsibility or liability for
any records relating to or payments made on account of
beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes or for
maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to
such beneficial ownership interests.
Distributions of principal and interest with respect to the
International Global Note will be credited in sterling to the
extent received by Euroclear or Clearstream from the trustee to
the cash accounts of Euroclear or Clearstream customers in
accordance with the relevant systems rules and procedures.
Holders of book-entry interests in the DTC Global Notes will
receive, to the extent received by DTC from the trustee, all
distributions of principal and interest with respect to the DTC
Global Notes in United States dollars, unless an election is
made to receive sterling. See Currency Conversion and
Foreign Exchange Risks. Distributions in the United States
will be subject to relevant United States tax laws and
regulations.
Interest on the Notes (other than interest on redemption) will
be paid to the holders shown on the Register (as defined below)
at the close of business on the related Record Date. Trading
between the DTC Global Notes and the International Global Note
will therefore be net of accrued interest from the Record Date
to the relevant interest payment date.
Because DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream can only act on behalf of
participants, who in turn act on behalf of indirect
participants, the ability of a person having an interest in the
Global Notes to pledge such interest to persons or entities
which do not participate in the relevant clearing system, or
otherwise take actions in respect of such interest, may be
affected by the lack of a physical certificate in respect of
such interest.
The holdings of book-entry interests in the Global Notes through
DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream will be reflected in the
book-entry accounts of each such institution. As necessary, the
Registrar will adjust the amounts of the Global Notes on the
register (the Register) for the accounts of
(i) the common depositary and (ii) Cede &
Co. to reflect the amounts of Notes held through DTC and
Euroclear and Clearstream, respectively.
Initial
Settlement
Investors electing to hold their Notes through DTC (including
through accounts at Euroclear or Clearstream as participants of
DTC) will follow the settlement practices applicable to
U.S. corporate debt obligations.
Investors electing to hold their Notes through Euroclear or
Clearstream accounts will follow the settlement procedures
applicable to conventional eurobonds in registered form. Notes
will be credited to the securities custody accounts of Euroclear
and Clearstream holders on the settlement date against payment
for value on the settlement date.
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Secondary
Market Trading
Because the purchaser determines the place of delivery, it is
important to establish at the time of trading of any Notes where
both the purchasers and sellers accounts are located
to ensure that settlement can be made on the desired value date.
Trading between DTC Participants. Secondary
market sales of book-entry interests in the DTC Global Notes
between DTC participants can only be settled DVP (Delivery
Versus Payment) if the price is established in dollars. The
purchaser and the seller may agree to a price in sterling, in
which case the price will be paid outside of DTC and interests
in the DTC Global Notes will settle free of payment in DTC.
Trading between Euroclear
and/or
Clearstream Participants. Secondary market sales
of book-entry interests in the Notes held through Euroclear or
Clearstream to purchasers of book-entry interests in the
International Note through Euroclear or Clearstream will be
conducted in accordance with the normal rules and operating
procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream and will be settled
using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in
same-day
funds.
Trading Between DTC Seller and Euroclear or Clearstream
Purchaser. When book-entry interests in the Notes
are to be transferred from the account of a DTC participant
holding a beneficial interest in the DTC Global Notes to the
account of a Euroclear or Clearstream accountholder wishing to
purchase a beneficial interest in the International Global Note,
the DTC participant will deliver instructions for delivery to
the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream accountholder to DTC by
12:00 noon, New York City time, on the settlement date. Separate
payment arrangements are required to be made between the DTC
participant and the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream
accountholder. On the settlement date, the custodian will
instruct the Registrar to (i) decrease the amount of Notes
registered in the name of the Cede & Co. and evidenced
by the DTC Global Notes and (ii) increase the amount of
Notes registered in the name of the common depositary for
Euroclear and Clearstream and evidenced by the International
Global Note. Book-entry interests will be delivered free of
payment to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, for
credit to the relevant accountholder on the first Business Day
following the settlement date back valued to the settlement date.
Trading Between Euroclear or Clearstream Seller and DTC
Purchaser. When book-entry interests in the Notes
are to be transferred from the account of a Euroclear or
Clearstream accountholder to the account of a DTC participant
wishing to purchase a beneficial interest in the DTC Global
Notes, the Euroclear or Clearstream participant must send to
Euroclear or Clearstream delivery free of payment instructions
by 7:45 p.m., Luxembourg/Brussels time, as the case may be,
one Business Day prior to the settlement date. Euroclear or
Clearstream, as the case may be, will in turn transmit
appropriate instructions to the common depositary for Euroclear
and Clearstream and the Registrar to arrange delivery to the DTC
participant on the settlement date. Separate payment
arrangements are required to be made between the DTC participant
and the relevant Euroclear and Clearstream accountholder, as the
case may be. On the settlement date, the common depositary for
Euroclear and Clearstream will (a) transmit appropriate
instructions to the custodian who will in turn deliver such
book-entry interests in the Notes free of payment to the
relevant account of the DTC participant and (b) instruct
the Registrar to (i) decrease the amount of Notes
registered in the name of the common depositary for Euroclear
and Clearstream and evidenced by the International Global Note
and (ii) increase the amount of Notes registered in the
name of Cede & Co. and evidenced by the DTC Global
Notes.
Redemption
for Taxation Reasons
If (a) as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the
laws or regulations of a Relevant Jurisdiction (as defined below
under Interpretation), or any change in the official
interpretation of the laws or regulations of a Relevant
Jurisdiction, which change or amendment becomes effective after
the date of this prospectus supplement, on the next Interest
Payment Date we would be required to pay additional amounts as
provided or referred to below under Payment
Without Withholding and (b) the requirement cannot be
avoided by our taking reasonable measures available to us, we
may at our option, having given not less than 30 nor more than
60 days notice to the holders of Notes of each
applicable series (which notice shall be irrevocable), redeem
all, but not a portion of, the applicable series of Notes at any
time at their principal amount together with
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interest accrued to, but excluding, the date of redemption
provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given
earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which we
would be obliged to pay such additional amounts were a payment
in respect of the applicable series of Notes then due. Prior to
the publication of any notice of redemption pursuant to this
paragraph, we shall deliver to the trustee a certificate signed
by two of our executive officers stating that the requirement
referred to in (a) above will apply on the next Interest
Payment Date and setting forth a statement of facts showing that
the conditions precedent to the right of AT&T so to redeem
have occurred, cannot be avoided by us taking reasonable
measures available to us and an opinion of independent legal
advisers of recognized international standing to the effect that
AT&T has or will become obliged to pay such additional
amounts as a result of the change or amendment, in each case to
be held by the trustee and made available for viewing at the
offices of the trustee on request by any holder of each
applicable series of Notes.
Payment
Without Withholding
All payments in respect of the Notes by or on behalf of
AT&T shall be made without withholding or deduction for, or
on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments
or governmental charges of whatever nature (Taxes)
imposed, collected, withheld, assessed or levied by or on behalf
of the Relevant Jurisdiction, unless the withholding or
deduction of the Taxes is required by law. In that event, we
will pay such additional amounts to a holder who is a United
States Alien (as defined below) as may be necessary in order
that the net amounts received by the holder after the
withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts
which would have been receivable in respect of each applicable
series of the Notes in the absence of the withholding or
deduction; except that no such additional amounts shall be
payable in relation to any payment in respect of any Note:
(a) where such withholding or deduction would not have been
so imposed but for:
(i) in the case of payment by AT&T, the existence of
any present or former connection between the holder of the Note
(or between a fiduciary, settlor, shareholder, beneficiary or
member of the holder of the Note, if such holder is an estate, a
trust, a corporation or a partnership) and the United States,
including, without limitation, such holder (or such fiduciary,
settlor, shareholder, beneficiary or member) being or having
been a citizen or resident or treated as a resident thereof, or
being or having been engaged in trade or business or presence
therein, or having or having had a permanent establishment
therein;
(ii) in the case of payment by AT&T, the present or
former status of the holder of the Note as a personal holding
company, a foreign personal holding company, a passive foreign
investment company, or a controlled foreign corporation for
United States federal income tax purposes or a corporation which
accumulates earnings to avoid United States federal income tax;
(iii) in the case of payment by AT&T, the past or
present or future status of the holder of the Note as the actual
or constructive owner of 10% or more of either the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of AT&T
entitled to vote if AT&T was treated as a corporation, or
the capital or profits interest in AT&T, if AT&T is
treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax
purposes or as a bank receiving interest described in
Section 881(c) (3) (A) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended; or
(iv) the failure by the holder of the Note to comply with
any certification, identification or other reporting
requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or
connection with the United States (in the case of payment by
AT&T) of such holder, if compliance is required by statute
or by regulation as a precondition to exemption from such
withholding or deduction;
(b) in the case of payment by AT&T to any United
States Alien, if such person is a fiduciary or partnership or
other than the sole beneficial owner of any such payment, to the
extent that a beneficiary or settlor with respect to such
fiduciary, a member of such partnership or the beneficial owner
would not have been entitled to the additional amounts had such
beneficiary, settlor, member or beneficial owner been the bearer
of such Note. As used herein, United States Alien
means any person who, for United
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States federal income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a
non-resident alien individual, a non-resident alien fiduciary of
a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign partnership one or more
of the members of which is, for United States federal income tax
purposes, a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual
or a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust;
(c) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is as a
result of the imposition of any gift, inheritance, estate,
sales, transfer, personal property or any similar tax,
assessment or other governmental charge;
(d) to, or to a third party on behalf of, a holder who is
liable for the Taxes in respect of the Notes by reason of his
having any or some present or former connection, including but
not limited to fiscal residency, fiscal deemed residency and
substantial interest shareholdings, with the Relevant
Jurisdiction, other than the mere holding of the Notes;
(e) presented for payment more than 30 days after the
Relevant Date except to the extent that a holder would have been
entitled to additional amounts on presenting the relevant Notes
for payment on the last day of the period of 30 days
assuming that day to have been an Interest Payment Date;
(f) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge
required to be withheld by any paying agent from any payment of
principal or of interest on any Notes, if such payment can be
made without withholding by any other paying agent;
(g) any tax, assessment or governmental charge that is
imposed or withheld solely because the beneficial owner or any
other person failed to comply with certification, identification
or information reporting requirements concerning the
nationality, residence, identity or connection with the United
States of the holder or beneficial owner of our Notes, if
compliance is required by statute, by regulation of the United
States Treasury Department or by an applicable income tax treaty
to which the United States is a party as a precondition to
exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge;
(h) any tax, assessment or governmental charge that is
imposed or withheld solely because of a change in law,
regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation that
becomes effective after the day on which the payment becomes due
or is duly provided for, whichever occurs later; or
(i) any combination of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f),
(g) or (h).
Interpretation
As used in this section:
(a) Relevant Date means the date on which the
payment first becomes due but, if the full amount of the money
payable has not been received by the trustee on or before the
due date, it means the date which is seven days after the date
on which, the full amount of the money having been so received,
notice to that effect shall have been duly given to the holders
of Notes by us; and
(b) Relevant Jurisdiction means the State of
Delaware and the United States or any political subdivision or
any authority thereof or therein having power to tax or any
other jurisdiction or any political subdivision or any authority
thereof or therein having power to tax to which we become
subject in respect of payments made by it of principal and
interest on the Notes.
Additional
Amounts
Any reference in the terms of the Notes to any amounts in
respect of the Notes shall be deemed also to refer to any
additional amounts which may be payable under this provision.
Further
Issues
We may from time to time, without notice to or the consent of
the holders of any series of the Notes, create and issue further
notes ranking equally and ratably with such series in all
respects, or in all respects except for the payment of interest
accruing prior to the issue date or except for the first payment
of interest
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following the issue date of those further notes. Any further
notes will have the same terms as to status, redemption or
otherwise as the Notes of the applicable series. Any further
notes shall be issued pursuant to a resolution of our board of
directors, a supplement to the indenture, or under an
officers certificate pursuant to the indenture.
Governing
Law
The Notes will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
UNITED
STATES TAX CONSIDERATIONS
This section describes the material United States federal income
tax consequences of owning the Notes we are offering. It is the
opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel to the
underwriters. It applies to you only if you acquire Notes in the
offering at the offering price and you hold your Notes as
capital assets for tax purposes. This section does not apply to
you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special
rules, such as:
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a dealer in securities or currencies,
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a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market
method of accounting for your securities holdings,
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a bank,
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a life insurance company,
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a tax-exempt organization,
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a person that owns Notes that are a hedge or that are hedged
against interest rate or currency risks,
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a person that owns Notes as part of a straddle or conversion
transaction for tax purposes, or
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a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional
currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar.
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This section is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed Treasury
regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings
and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are
subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.
If a partnership holds the Notes, the United States federal
income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the
status of the partner and the tax treatment of the partnership.
A partner in a partnership holding the Notes should consult its
tax advisor with regard to the United States federal income tax
treatment of an investment in the Notes.
If you purchase Notes at a price other than the offering price,
the amortizable bond premium or market discount rules may also
apply to you. You should consult your tax advisor regarding this
possibility.
Please consult your tax advisor concerning the consequences
of owning these Notes, in your particular circumstances, under
the Internal Revenue Code and the laws of any other taxing
jurisdiction.
United
States Holders
This subsection describes the United States federal income tax
consequences to a United States holder. You are a United States
holder if you are the beneficial owner of a Note and you are:
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a citizen or resident of the United States,
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a domestic corporation,
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an estate whose income is subject to United States federal
income tax regardless of its source, or
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a trust if a United States court can exercise primary
supervision over the trusts administration and one or more
United States persons are authorized to control all substantial
decisions of the trust.
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If you are not a United States holder, this subsection does not
apply to you and you should refer to United
States Alien Holders below.
Payments of Interest. You will be taxed on
interest on your Note as ordinary income at the time you receive
the interest or when it accrues, depending on your method of
accounting for tax purposes.
Cash Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer
that uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of
accounting for tax purposes, you must recognize income equal to
the U.S. dollar value of the sterling you receive on each
interest payment date for your Notes, based on the exchange rate
in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of whether you
actually convert such sterling received into U.S. dollars.
Accrual Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer
that uses an accrual method of accounting for tax purposes, you
may determine the amount of income that you recognize with
respect to the sterling you receive on each interest payment
date by using one of two methods. Under the first method, you
will determine the amount of income accrued based on the average
U.S. dollar sterling exchange rate in effect
during the interest accrual period or, with respect to an
accrual period that spans two taxable years, that part of the
period within the taxable year.
If you elect the second method, you would determine the amount
of income accrued on the basis of the
U.S. dollar sterling exchange rate in effect on
the last day of the accrual period, or, in the case of an
accrual period that spans two taxable years, the
U.S. dollar sterling exchange rate in effect on
the last day of the part of the period within the taxable year.
Additionally, under this second method, if you receive a payment
of interest within five business days of the last day of your
accrual period or taxable year, you may instead translate the
sterling interest accrued into U.S. dollars at the
U.S. dollar sterling exchange rate in effect on
the day that you actually receive the interest payment. If you
elect the second method it will apply to all debt instruments
that you hold at the beginning of the first taxable year to
which the election applies and to all debt instruments that you
subsequently acquire (regardless of the foreign currency in
which such debt instruments are denominated). You may not revoke
this election without the consent of the Internal Revenue
Service.
When you actually receive sterling on an interest payment date,
including a payment attributable to accrued but unpaid interest
upon the sale or retirement of your Note, you will recognize
ordinary income or loss measured by the difference, if any,
between the exchange rate that you used to accrue such interest
income and the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt,
regardless of whether you actually convert the sterling received
into U.S. dollars.
Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the
Notes. Your tax basis in your Note will generally
be the U.S. dollar cost, as defined below, of your Note. If
you are an accrual basis taxpayer and you purchase your Note
with sterling, the U.S. dollar cost of your Note will
generally be the U.S. dollar value of the sterling purchase
price on the date of purchase. If you are a cash basis taxpayer,
or you are an accrual basis taxpayer and you so elect, because
we intend to apply to list the Notes on an established
securities market (within the meaning of the applicable Treasury
regulations), the U.S. dollar cost of your Note will be the
U.S. dollar value of the sterling purchase price on the
settlement date of your purchase.
You will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale or
retirement of your Note equal to the difference between the
amount you realize on the sale or retirement and your tax basis
in your Note. If you are an accrual basis taxpayer, the amount
you realize will generally be the U.S. dollar value of the
sterling you receive on the date the Note is disposed of or
retired, and if you are a cash basis taxpayer, or an accrual
basis taxpayer and you so elect, because we intend to apply to
list the Notes on an established securities market (within the
meaning of the applicable Treasury regulations), you will
determine the amount realized based on the U.S. dollar
value of the sterling on the settlement date of the sale.
You will recognize capital gain or loss when you sell or retire
your Note, except to the extent attributable to accrued but
unpaid interest or attributable to changes in exchange rates as
described below. Capital gain of
S-14
a noncorporate United States holder that is recognized in
taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011 is generally
taxed at a maximum rate of 15% where the holder has a holding
period greater than one year. You must treat any portion of the
gain or loss that you recognize on the sale or retirement of a
Note as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to
changes in the U.S. dollar sterling exchange
rate. However, you must take exchange gain or loss into account
only to the extent of the total gain or loss you realize on the
transaction.
Exchange of Amounts in Sterling. When you
receive sterling as interest on your Note or on the sale,
retirement or other disposition of your Note, your tax basis in
such sterling will equal their U.S. dollar value when the
interest is received or at the time of such sale, retirement or
disposition. If you purchase sterling, you generally will have a
tax basis equal to the U.S. dollar value of the sterling on
the date of your purchase of such sterling. If you sell or
dispose of sterling, including if you use such sterling to
purchase Notes or exchange them for U.S. dollars, any gain
or loss recognized generally will be ordinary income or loss.
United
States Alien Holders
This subsection describes the United States federal income tax
consequences to a United States alien holder. You are a United
States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of a Note
and you are, for United States federal income tax purposes:
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a nonresident alien individual,
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a foreign corporation, or
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an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to United
States federal income tax on a net income basis on income or
gain from a Note.
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If you are a United States holder, this subsection does not
apply to you.
Under United States federal income and estate tax law, and
subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, if you
are a United States alien holder of a Note:
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we and other U.S. payors generally will not be required to
deduct United States withholding tax from payments of principal,
premium, if any, and interest, to you if, in the case of
payments of interest:
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1. you do not actually or constructively own 10% or more of
the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock
entitled to vote,
2. you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is
related to us through stock ownership, and
3. the United States payor does not have actual knowledge
or reason to know that you are a United States person and:
a. you have furnished to the United States payor an
Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8BEN
or an acceptable substitute form upon which you certify, under
penalties of perjury, that you are (or, in the case of a United
States alien holder that is an estate or trust, such forms
certifying that each beneficiary of the estate or trust is) a
non-United
States person,
b. in the case of payments made outside the United States
to you at an offshore account (generally, an account maintained
by you at a bank or other financial institution at any location
outside the United States), you have furnished to the United
States payor documentation that establishes your identity and
your status as the beneficial owner of the payment for United
States federal income tax purposes and as a
non-United
States person,
c. the United States payor has received a withholding
certificate (furnished on an appropriate Internal Revenue
Service
Form W-8
or an acceptable substitute form) from a person claiming to be:
i. a withholding foreign partnership (generally a foreign
partnership that has entered into an agreement with the Internal
Revenue Service to assume primary withholding responsibility
with respect to distributions and guaranteed payments it makes
to its partners),
S-15
ii. a qualified intermediary (generally a
non-United
States financial institution or clearing organization or a
non-United
States branch or office of a United States financial institution
or clearing organization that is a party to a withholding
agreement with the Internal Revenue Service), or
iii. a United States branch of a
non-United
States bank or of a
non-United
States insurance company, and the withholding foreign
partnership, qualified intermediary or U.S. branch has
received documentation upon which it may rely to treat the
payment as made to a
non-United
States person that is, for United States federal income tax
purposes, the beneficial owner of the payment on the Notes in
accordance with United States Treasury regulations (or, in the
case of a qualified intermediary, in accordance with its
agreement with the Internal Revenue Service),
d. the United States payor receives a statement from a
securities clearing organization, bank or other financial
institution that holds customers securities in the
ordinary course of its trade or business,
i. certifying to the United States payor under penalties of
perjury that an Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8BEN
or an acceptable substitute form has been received from you by
it or by a similar financial institution between it and
you, and
ii. to which is attached a copy of the Internal Revenue
Service
Form W-8BEN
or acceptable substitute form, or
e. the United States payor otherwise possesses
documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payment as
made to a
non-United
States person that is, for United States federal income tax
purposes, the beneficial owner of the payment on the Notes in
accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations; and
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no deduction for any United States federal withholding tax will
be made from any gain that you realize on the sale or exchange
of your Note.
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Further, a Note held by an individual who at death is not a
citizen or resident of the United States will not be includible
in the individuals gross estate for United States federal
estate tax purposes if:
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the decedent did not actually or constructively own 10% or more
of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock
entitled to vote at the time of death and
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the income on the Note would not have been effectively connected
with a United States trade or business of the decedent at the
same time.
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Backup
Withholding and Information Reporting
United
States Holders
In general, if you are a non-corporate United States holder, we
and other payors are required to report to the Internal Revenue
Service all payments of principal, any premium and interest on
your Note. In addition, we and other payors are required to
report to the Internal Revenue Service any payment of proceeds
of the sale of your Note before maturity within the United
States. Additionally, backup withholding will apply to any
payments if you fail to provide an accurate taxpayer
identification number, or you are notified by the Internal
Revenue Service that you have failed to report all interest and
dividends required to be shown on your federal income tax
returns.
United
States Alien Holders
In general, if you are a United States alien holder, payments of
principal, premium or interest made by us and other payors to
you will not be subject to backup withholding and information
reporting, provided that the certification requirements
described above under United States Alien
Holders are satisfied or you otherwise establish an
exemption. However, we and other payors are required to report
payments of interest on your Notes on Internal Revenue Service
Form 1042-S
even if the payments are not otherwise subject to
S-16
information reporting requirements. In addition, payment of the
proceeds from the sale of Notes effected at a United States
office of a broker will not be subject to backup withholding and
information reporting provided that:
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the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that
you are a United States person and you have furnished to the
broker:
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1. an appropriate Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8
or an acceptable substitute form upon which you certify, under
penalties of perjury, that you are not a United States
person, or
2. other documentation upon which it may rely to treat the
payment as made to a
non-United
States person in accordance with United States Treasury
regulations; or
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you otherwise establish an exemption.
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If you fail to establish an exemption and the broker does not
possess adequate documentation of your status as a
non-United
States person, the payments may be subject to information
reporting and backup withholding. However, backup withholding
will not apply with respect to payments made to an offshore
account maintained by you unless the broker has actual knowledge
that you are a United States person.
In general, payment of the proceeds from the sale of Notes
effected at a foreign office of a broker will not be subject to
information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale
effected at a foreign office of a broker will be subject to
information reporting and backup withholding if:
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the proceeds are transferred to an account maintained by you in
the United States,
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the payment of proceeds or the confirmation of the sale is
mailed to you at a United States address, or
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the sale has some other specified connection with the United
States as provided in United States Treasury regulations,
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unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to
know that you are a United States person and the documentation
requirements described above (relating to a sale of Notes
effected at a United States office of a broker) are met or you
otherwise establish an exemption.
In addition, payment of the proceeds from the sale of Notes
effected at a foreign office of a broker will be subject to
information reporting if the broker is:
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a United States person,
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a controlled foreign corporation for United States tax purposes,
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a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income is
effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade
or business for a specified three-year period, or
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a foreign partnership, if at any time during its tax year:
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1. one or more of its partners are
U.S. persons, as defined in U.S. Treasury
regulations, who in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the
income or capital interest in the partnership, or
2. such foreign partnership is engaged in the conduct of a
United States trade or business,
unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to
know that you are a United States person and the documentation
requirements described above (relating to a sale of Notes
effected at a United States office of a broker) are met or you
otherwise establish an exemption. Backup withholding will apply
if the sale is subject to information reporting and the broker
has actual knowledge that you are a United States person.
Treasury
Regulations Requiring Disclosure of Reportable
Transactions
Applicable Treasury regulations require United States taxpayers
to report certain transactions that give rise to a loss in
excess of certain thresholds (a Reportable
Transaction). Under these regulations, because the Notes
are denominated in sterling, a United States holder (or a United
States alien holder that holds the Notes
S-17
in connection with a U.S. trade or business) that
recognizes a loss with respect to the Notes that is
characterized as an ordinary loss due to changes in currency
exchange rates (under any of the rules discussed above) would be
required to report the loss on Internal Revenue Service
Form 8886 (Reportable Transaction Statement) if the loss
exceeds the thresholds set forth in the regulations. For
individuals and trusts, this loss threshold is $50,000 in any
single taxable year. For other types of taxpayers and other
types of losses, the thresholds are higher. You should consult
with your tax advisor regarding any tax filing and reporting
obligations that may apply in connection with acquiring, owning
and disposing of Notes.
S-18
UNDERWRITING
We and the underwriters for the offering named below have
entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the
Notes. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has
severally agreed to purchase the principal amount of the Notes
indicated in the following table.
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Principal Amount
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Principal Amount
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Underwriters
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of 2017 Notes
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of 2040 Notes
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Barclays Bank PLC
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£
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250,000,000
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£
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366,700,000
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Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch
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250,000,000
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366,650,000
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UBS Limited
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250,000,000
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366,650,000
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Total
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£
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750,000,000
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£
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1,100,000,000
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The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the
Notes being offered, if any are taken.
Notes sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be
offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the
cover of this prospectus supplement. If all the Notes are not
sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may
change the offering price and the other selling terms.
The Notes are a new issue of securities with no established
trading market. We intend to apply to list the Notes on the New
York Stock Exchange. We expect trading in the Notes on the New
York Stock Exchange to begin within 30 days after the
original issue date. Currently there is no public market for the
Notes.
We have been advised by the underwriters that they presently
intend to make a market in the Notes after completion of the
offering. However, they are under no obligation to do so and may
discontinue any market-making activities at any time without any
notice. We cannot assure the liquidity of the trading market for
the Notes or that an active public market for the Notes will
develop. If an active public trading market for the Notes does
not develop, the market price and liquidity of the Notes may be
adversely affected.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase
and sell Notes in the open market. These transactions may
include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to
cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the
sale by the underwriters of a greater number of Notes than they
are required to purchase in the offering. Stabilizing
transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the
purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price
of the Notes while the offering is in progress.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when
a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of
the underwriting discount received by it because the
underwriters have repurchased Notes sold by or for the account
of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering
transactions.
These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or
otherwise affect the market price of the Notes. As a result, the
price of the Notes may be higher than the price that otherwise
might exist in the open market. If these activities are
commenced, they may be discontinued by the underwriters at any
time. These transactions may be effected in the over-the-counter
market or otherwise.
It is expected that delivery of the Notes will be made against
payment therefor on or about the date specified in the last
paragraph of the cover page of this prospectus supplement, which
will be the fourth business day following the date of the
pricing of the Notes. Under
Rule 15c6-1
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary
market generally are required to settle in three business days,
unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise.
Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes on the date
of pricing or on the next business day will be required, by
virtue of the fact that the Notes initially will settle in T+4,
to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a
failed settlement.
The Notes are being offered for sale in the United States and in
jurisdictions outside the United States, subject to applicable
law.
Each of the underwriters has agreed that it will not offer, sell
or deliver any of the Notes, directly or indirectly, or
distribute this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Notes,
in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will
to the best
S-19
knowledge and belief of such underwriter result in compliance
with the applicable laws and regulations thereof and which will
not impose any obligations on us except as set forth in the
underwriting agreement.
Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it and each of
its affiliates: (i) has only communicated or caused to be
communicated and will only communicate or cause to be
communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment
activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000, known as FSMA)
received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Notes
in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does
not apply to AT&T; and (ii) it has complied and will
comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect
to anything done by it in relation to the Notes in, from or
otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area
(Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, in addition to the member
states of the European Union) which has implemented the
Prospectus Directive (each a Relevant Member State),
each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect
from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is
implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant
Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make an
offer of Notes to the public in that Relevant Member State prior
to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Notes
which has been approved by the competent authority in that
Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another
Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in
that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the
Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and
including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of
Notes to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:
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to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate
in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated,
whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;
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to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average
of at least 250 employees during the last financial year;
(2) a total balance sheet of more than 43,000,000 and
(3) an annual net turnover of more than 50,000,000,
as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;
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to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified
investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to
obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such
offer; or
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in any other circumstances which do not require the publication
by AT&T of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the
Prospectus Directive.
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For the purposes of this provision, the expression an
offer of Notes to the public in relation to any
Notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in
any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms
of the offer and the Notes to be offered so as to enable an
investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Notes, as the
same may be varied in that Member State by any measure
implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, and
the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC
and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant
Member State.
The Notes may not be offered or sold by means of any document
other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell
shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent, or in
circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public
within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of
Hong Kong, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating
to the Notes may be issued, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere,
which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be
accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if
permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other
than with respect to Notes which are or are intended to be
disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to
professional investors within the meaning of the
Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong
and any rules made thereunder.
The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities and Exchange Law of Japan, and each of the
underwriters and each of its affiliates has represented and
agreed that it has not offered or sold, and it will not offer or
sell, directly or indirectly, any of the Notes in or to
residents of Japan or to any persons for reoffering or resale,
directly or indirectly in Japan or to any resident of Japan,
except pursuant to any
S-20
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities
and Exchange Law available thereunder and in compliance with the
other relevant laws and regulations of Japan.
This prospectus supplement has not been registered as a
prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Accordingly, this prospectus supplement and any other document
or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation
for subscription or purchase, of the Notes may not be circulated
or distributed, nor may the Notes be offered or sold, or be made
the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase,
whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other
than (i) to an institutional investor under
Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act,
Chapter 289 of Singapore (the SFA),
(ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to
Section 257(1A), and in accordance with the conditions,
specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or
(iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the
conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Whether the Notes are subscribed or purchased under
Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a
corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole
business of which is to hold investments and the entire share
capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of
whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the
trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to
hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor,
shares, debentures, and units of shares and debentures of that
corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest in
that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that
corporation or that trust has acquired the Notes under
Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor
under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or
any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance
with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA;
(2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or
(3) by operation of law.
We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the
offering, excluding underwriting discounts, will be
approximately £475,000. The underwriters have agreed to
reimburse certain of our estimated expenses in connection with
this offering.
We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against
certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933.
Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates
have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future
perform, various financial advisory and investment banking
services for us, for which they received or will receive
customary fees and expenses. Certain of the underwriters are
dealers under our commercial paper program and may receive
proceeds from this offering.
VALIDITY
OF SECURITIES
Wayne Watts, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel
of AT&T, is passing upon the validity of the Notes for us.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York, New York, is
passing upon the validity of the Notes for the underwriters.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP from time to time performs
legal services for us.
S-21
AT&T
Inc.
Debt
Securities
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Common Stock
AT&T Inc. from time to time may offer to sell debt
securities, preferred stock, either separately or represented by
depositary shares, and common stock. The debt securities and
preferred stock may be convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for common or preferred stock of the Company or
debt or equity securities of one or more other entities. The
common stock of the Company is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol T.
The Company may offer and sell these securities to or through
one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to
purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.
This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may
apply to these securities. The specific terms of any securities
to be offered will be described in a supplement to this
prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other
regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities
or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated May 23, 2007.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Description
of AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc. (AT&T) is a holding company
incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1983.
Through our subsidiaries and affiliates, we provide wireline and
wireless telecommunications services and equipment, directory
advertising, and other products and services. Our principal
executive offices are located at 175 E. Houston Street,
San Antonio, Texas
78205-2233.
Our telephone number is
(210) 821-4105.
We maintain an Internet site at the following location (which is
not an active link):
http://www.att.com.
Use of
Proceeds
Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, we will
use the proceeds from the sale of the securities to provide
funds for general corporate purposes, among others.
Summary
Description of the Securities We May Issue
We may use this prospectus to offer from time to time:
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Senior debt securities. These debt securities
may be convertible or exchangeable into preferred stock,
depositary shares, common stock or equity securities of a third
party issuer. They will be unsecured and will rank equally with
all of our other unsubordinated and unsecured debt.
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Preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share. The preferred
stock may be convertible or exchangeable into other preferred
stock, including depositary shares, common stock or equity
securities of a third party issuer. We can offer different
series of preferred stock with different dividend, liquidation,
redemption and voting rights.
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Depositary shares. We have the option of
issuing depositary shares that would represent a fraction of a
share of preferred stock.
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Common stock, par value $1.00 per share.
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In the case of securities that are exchangeable for securities
of a third party issuer, the applicable prospectus supplement
will give you more information about this issuer, the terms of
its securities and the document in which they are described. Our
securities include securities denominated in U.S. dollars,
but we can choose to issue securities in any other currency,
including the Euro.
A prospectus supplement will describe the specific types,
amounts, prices and detailed terms of any of these securities.
Description
of Debt Securities We May Offer
As required by U.S. federal law for all bonds and notes of
companies that are publicly offered, our debt securities will be
governed by a document called the indenture. The indenture is a
contract between us and The Bank of New York, which acts as
trustee for you. The trustee has two main roles:
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First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we
default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the
trustee acts on your behalf, described later under
Default and Related Matters
Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs.
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Second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us, such
as sending you interest payments, transferring your securities
to new buyers and sending you notices.
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We may issue as many distinct series of securities under the
indenture as we wish. This section summarizes terms of the
securities that are common to all series. Most of the financial
terms and other specific terms of your series are described in
the prospectus supplement attached to the front of this
prospectus. Those terms may vary from the terms described here.
The prospectus supplement may also describe special federal
income tax consequences of the debt securities.
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This
Section Is Only a Summary
This section and your prospectus supplement summarize all the
material terms of the indenture and your debt securities. They
do not, however, describe every aspect of the indenture and your
debt securities.
The indenture and its associated documents, including your debt
securities, contain the full text of the matters described in
this section and your prospectus supplement. The indenture and
the debt securities are governed by New York law. A copy of the
indenture has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or SEC, as part of our registration statement. See
Where You Can Find More Information below for
information on how to obtain a copy. Section references in the
description that follows relate to the indenture.
Legal
Ownership of Debt Securities
We can issue debt securities in registered or bearer form or
both, or in the form of one or more global securities. We refer
to those who have debt securities registered in their own names
on the books that we or our agent maintain for this purpose, or
who hold bearer certificates representing bearer debt
securities, as the holders of those debt securities.
These persons are the legal holders of the debt securities. We
refer to those who, indirectly through others, own beneficial
interests in debt securities that are not registered in their
own names as indirect holders of those debt
securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal
holders, and investors in debt securities issued in book-entry
form or in street name will be indirect holders.
Book-Entry
Holders
We may issue debt securities in book-entry form only, as we will
specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means debt
securities may be represented by one or more global securities
registered in the name of a financial institution that holds
them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions
that participate in the depositarys book-entry system.
These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial
interests in the debt securities on behalf of themselves or
their customers.
For registered debt securities, only the person in whose name a
debt security is registered is recognized under the indenture as
the holder of that debt security. Debt securities issued in
global form will be issued in the form of a global security
registered in the name of the depositary or its participants.
Consequently, for debt securities issued in global form, we will
recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt
securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities
to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it
receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments
along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The
depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have
made with one another or with their customers; they are not
obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities.
As a result, investors in a book-entry security will not own
debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial
interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other
financial institution that participates in the depositarys
book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As
long as the debt securities are issued in global form, investors
will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt
securities.
Street
Name Holders
In the future we may terminate a global security or issue debt
securities initially in non-global form. In these cases,
investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own
names or in street name. Debt securities held by an
investor in street name would be registered in the name of a
bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor
chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest
in those debt securities through an account he or she maintains
at that institution.
For debt securities held in street name, we will recognize only
the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions
in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders
of those debt securities and we will make all payments on those
debt securities to them. These institutions pass along the
payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial
owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer
agreements or because they are legally required to do so.
Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be
indirect holders, not holders, of those debt securities.
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Legal
Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and
those of any third parties employed by us or the trustee, run
only to the legal holders of the debt securities. We do not have
obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global
securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This
will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect
holder of a debt security or has no choice because we are
issuing the debt securities only in global form.
For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the
holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or
notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with
depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along
to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, if we
want to obtain the approval of the holders for any
purpose e.g., to amend the applicable indenture or
to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our
obligation to comply with a particular provision of the
applicable indenture we would seek approval only
from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the debt
securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect
holders is up to the holders.
When we refer to you, we mean those who invest in the debt
securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are
the holders or only indirect holders of those debt securities.
When we refer to your debt securities, we mean the debt
securities in which you hold a direct or indirect interest.
Special
Considerations for Holders of Bearer Debt
Securities
We will offer debt securities in bearer form only outside of the
United States to
non-U.S. persons.
You generally are a
non-U.S. person
if you are not:
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a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a corporation or partnership, including an entity treated as a
corporation or partnership for United States federal income tax
purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the
United States, any state of the United States or the District of
Columbia;
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an estate the income of which is subject to United States
federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
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a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise
primary supervision of the administration of the trust and one
or more United States persons have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust.
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In addition, we may offer bearer securities to offices of some
U.S. financial institutions who have offices located
outside the United States. We will describe any special
restrictions on the offer, sale and delivery of bearer debt
securities and any special federal income tax considerations
applicable to bearer debt securities in the prospectus
supplement.
Special
Considerations for Indirect Holders
If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other
financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street
name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
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how it handles securities payments and notices;
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whether it imposes fees or charges;
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how it would handle a request for the holders consent, if
ever required;
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities
registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is
permitted in the future;
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how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there
were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to
act to protect their interests; and
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if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the
depositarys rules and procedures will affect these matters.
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What Is a
Global Security?
A global security is a security that represents one or more debt
securities and is held by a depositary. Generally, all debt
securities represented by the same global securities will have
the same terms.
Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented
by a global security that we deposit with and register in the
name of a financial institution that we select or its nominees.
The financial institution that we select for this purpose is
called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the
applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository
Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be
the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the
name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a
successor depositary, unless special termination situations
arise. We describe those situations below under
Special Situations When a Global Security Will
Be Terminated. As a result of these arrangements, the
depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner
and holder of all debt securities represented by a global
security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial
interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be
held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other
financial institution that in turn has an account with the
depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an
investor whose security is represented by a global security will
not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect
holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.
If the prospectus supplement for a particular debt security
indicates that the debt security will be issued in global form
only, then the debt security will be represented by a global
security at all times unless and until the global security is
terminated. We describe the situations in which this can occur
below under Special Situations When a Global
Security Will Be Terminated. If termination occurs, we may
issue the debt securities through another book-entry clearing
system or decide that the debt securities may no longer be held
through any book-entry clearing system.
Special
Considerations for Global Securities
As an indirect holder, an investors rights relating to a
global security will be governed by the account rules of the
investors financial institution and of the depositary, as
well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not
recognize this type of investor as a holder of debt securities
and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global
security.
If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global
security, an investor should be aware of the following:
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An investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in
his or her name, and cannot obtain nonglobal certificates for
his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the
special situations we describe below;
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An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or
her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and
protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt
securities, as we describe under Legal
Ownership of Debt Securities above;
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An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt
securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions
that are required by law to own their securities in
non-book-entry form;
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An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a
global security in circumstances where certificates representing
the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other
beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be
effective;
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The depositarys policies, which may change from time to
time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other
matters relating to an investors interest in a global
security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any
aspect of the depositarys actions or for its records of
ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee
also do not supervise the depositary in any way;
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The depositary may (and we understand that DTC will) require
that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security
within its book-entry system use immediately available funds and
your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and
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Financial institutions that participate in the depositarys
book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its
interest in a global security, may also have their own policies
affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the
debt securities. There may be more than one financial
intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do
not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of
those intermediaries.
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Special
Situations When a Global Security Will Be
Terminated
In a few special situations described below, the global security
will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for
physical certificates representing those interests. After that
exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or
in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must
consult their own bank or brokers to find out how to have their
interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that
they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of
holders and street name investors above under
Legal Ownership of Debt Securities.
The global security will terminate when the following special
situations occur:
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if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no
longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global
security and we do not appoint another institution to act as
depositary within 90 days;
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if we notify the trustee that we wish to terminate that global
security; or
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if an event of default has occurred with regard to debt
securities represented by that global security and has not been
cured or waived. We discuss defaults later under
Default and Related Matters.
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The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations
for terminating a global security that would apply only to the
particular series of securities covered by the prospectus
supplement. When a global security terminates, the
depositary and not we or the trustee is
responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will
be the initial direct holders. (Sections 2.08(f) and
(g))
In the
remainder of this section you means direct holders
and not street name or other indirect holders of
securities, including holders of any securities that we issue as
a global security. Indirect holders should read the previous
subsection entitled Legal Ownership of Debt
Securities.
Overview
of Remainder of This Section
The remainder of this section summarizes:
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Additional mechanics relevant to the securities under
normal circumstances, such as how you transfer ownership and
where we make payments;
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Your rights under several special situations, such as if
we merge with another company, or if we want to change a term of
the securities; and
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Your rights if we default or experience other financial
difficulties.
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Additional
Mechanics
Form,
Exchange and Transfer
The securities will be issued:
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in fully registered or in unregistered (bearer) form, or as a
global security as described above; and
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in denominations that are even multiples of $1,000
(Section 2.02(a)(8)), provided, however, that the
securities will be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and
integral multiples of $1,000 thereafter if so required by the
securities exchange on which such securities are listed or
traded.
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You may have your securities broken into more securities of
smaller denominations (but not into denominations smaller than
any minimum denomination applicable to the securities) or
combined into fewer securities of larger denominations, as long
as the total principal amount is not changed. This is called an
exchange. (Section 2.08(a))
If you are holding bearer securities and it is permitted by the
terms of your series of debt securities, you may exchange bearer
debt securities for an equal amount of registered or bearer debt
securities of the same series and date of maturity. No bearer
debt securities will be exchanged for registered securities if
in doing so we would suffer adverse consequences under any
U.S. law applicable to the exchange. Registered debt
securities may not be exchanged for bearer debt securities.
You may exchange or transfer your securities at the office of
the registrar. The registrar acts as our agent for registering
securities in the names of holders and for transferring and
exchanging securities, as well as maintaining the list of
registered holders. The paying agent acts as the agent for
paying interest, principal and any other amounts on securities
and for exchanging securities. We have appointed The Bank of New
York to perform the roles of registrar and paying agent. We may
change these appointments to another entity or perform them
ourselves. In order to exchange bearer securities, you have to
deliver them to a paying agent outside the United States,
together with all unmatured coupons for interest and all matured
coupons in default. (Section 2.08(b))
We can designate additional registrars or paying agents,
acceptable to the trustee, and they would be named in the
prospectus supplement. We may cancel the designation of any
particular registrar or paying agent. We may also approve a
change in the office through which any registrar or paying agent
acts. We must maintain a registrar and paying agent office in
the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. If at any time we do
not maintain a registrar or paying agent, the trustee will act
as such. (Section 2.04)
There is no charge for exchanges and
transfers. You will not be required to pay a
service charge to transfer or exchange securities, but you may
be required to pay for any tax or other governmental charge
associated with the exchange or transfer. The transfer or
exchange will only be made if the registrar is satisfied with
your proof of ownership. (Section 2.08)
At certain times, you may not be able to transfer or exchange
your securities. If we redeem any series of
securities, or any part of any series, then we may prevent you
from transferring or exchanging these securities. We may do this
during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail
the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing,
in order to freeze the list of holders so we can prepare the
mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges
of securities selected for redemption, except that we will
continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed
portion of any security being partially redeemed.
(Section 2.08(d))
Replacing
Your Lost or Destroyed Certificates
If you bring a mutilated certificate or coupon to the trustee,
we will issue a new certificate or coupon to you in exchange for
the mutilated one. Please note that the trustee may have
additional requirements that you must meet in order to do this.
(Section 2.09)
If you claim that a certificate or coupon has been lost,
completely destroyed, or wrongfully taken from you, then the
trustee will give you a replacement certificate or coupon if you
meet the trustees requirements. Also, we may require you
to provide reasonable security or indemnity to protect us from
any loss we may incur from replacing your certificates or
coupons. We may also charge you for our expenses in replacing
your security. (Section 2.09)
Payment
and Paying Agents
We will pay interest to you if you are a direct holder listed in
the registrars records at the close of business on a
particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if
you no longer own the security on the interest due date. That
particular day, usually about two weeks in advance of the
interest due date, is called the record date and is
stated in the prospectus supplement. (Section 2.05)
Holders buying and selling securities must work out between
them how to compensate for the fact that we will pay all the
interest for an interest period to the one who is the
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registered holder on the record date. The most common manner is
to adjust the sales price of the securities to prorate interest
fairly between buyer and seller. This prorated interest amount
is called accrued interest.
We will pay interest, principal and any other money due on the
securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee in New
York City. That office is currently located at The Bank of New
York, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 4 East, New York, New York
10286. You must make arrangements to have your payments picked
up at or wired from that office. We may also choose to pay
interest by mailing checks. (Section 2.05)
Street
Name and other indirect holders should consult their banks
or brokers for information on how they will receive
payments.
We may also arrange for additional payment offices, and may
cancel or change these offices, including our use of the
trustees corporate trust office. These offices are called
paying agents. We may also choose to act as our own
paying agent. We must notify you if we change the paying agents
for any particular series of securities.
(Section 2.04)
Payment
of Bearer Securities
We will only pay interest on bearer debt securities when you
present and surrender the coupons for the interest installments
evidenced by the bearer securities as they mature. You have to
present your coupons at a paying agency of AT&T located
outside of the United States. We will maintain a
non-U.S. paying
agent for two years after the principal of a series of bearer
debt securities has become due. We will continue to maintain the
paying agent after that period, if it is necessary to comply
with U.S. tax law or regulations. We will provide the
paying agent with the necessary funds for payment upon
reasonable notice. We generally will not make any payments in
the United States. However, if payment outside of the United
States is illegal or precluded by exchange controls or similar
restrictions in a foreign country, we may instruct the trustee
to make payments at a paying agent located in the United States.
(Section 2.05(c))
You can prove your ownership of a bearer security by presenting
the actual security, or a certificate or affidavit executed by
the person holding the bearer security or executed by a
depositary with whom the bearer securities were deposited, if
the trustee is satisfied with the certificate or affidavit.
(Section 2.07(b))
Notices
We and the trustee will send notices regarding the securities
only to direct holders, using their addresses as listed in the
trustees records. (Section 10.02)
Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money we forward to
a paying agent that remains unclaimed will, at our request, be
repaid to us at the end of two years after the amount was due to
the direct holder. After that two-year period, you may look only
to us for payment and not to the trustee, any other paying agent
or anyone else. (Section 8.03)
Special
Situations
Mergers
and Similar Transactions
We are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another
company. We are also permitted to sell substantially all of our
assets to another company, or to buy substantially all of the
assets of another company. However, we may not take any of these
actions unless all the following conditions are met:
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Where we merge out of existence or sell our assets, the other
company may not be organized under the laws of a foreign
country. It must be a corporation organized under the laws of a
State or the District of Columbia or under federal law.
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The company we merge into or sell to must agree to be legally
responsible for our debt securities.
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The merger, sale of assets or other transaction must not cause a
default on the securities, and we must not already be in
default, unless the merger or other transaction would cure the
default. For purposes of this no-
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default test, a default would include an event of default that
has occurred and not been cured, as described below under
Default and Related Matters Events
of Default What Is an Event of Default? A
default for this purpose would also include any event that would
be an event of default if the requirements for giving us default
notice or our default having to exist for a specific period of
time were disregarded. (Section 5.01)
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Modification
and Waiver of Your Contractual Rights
Under certain circumstances, we can make changes to the
indenture and the securities. Some types of changes require the
approval of each security holder affected, some require approval
by a majority vote, and some changes do not require any approval
at all.
(Sections 9.01-9.06)
Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there
are changes that cannot be made to your securities without your
specific approval. Following is a list of those types of changes:
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reduce the percentage of holders of securities who must consent
to a waiver or amendment of the indenture;
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reduce the rate of interest on any security or change the time
for payment of interest;
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reduce the principal due on any security or change the fixed
maturity of any security;
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waive a default in the payment of principal or interest on any
security;
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change the currency of payment on a security;
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in the case of convertible or exchangeable securities, make
changes to your conversion or exchange rights that would be
adverse to your interests;
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change the right of holders to waive an existing default by
majority vote;
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reduce the amount of principal or interest payable to you
following a default or change your conversion or exchange
rights, or impair your right to sue for payment; and
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make any change to this list of changes that requires your
specific approval. (Section 9.02(a))
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Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. The second
type of change to the indenture and the securities is the kind
that requires a vote in favor by security holders owning a
majority of the principal amount of the particular series
affected. Most changes fall into this category, except for
clarifying changes and certain other changes that would not
adversely affect holders of the securities. The same vote would
be required for us to obtain a waiver of an existing default.
However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default unless
we obtain your individual consent to the waiver.
(Section 9.02(a))
Changes Not Requiring Your Approval. The third
type of change does not require any vote by holders of
securities. This type is limited to clarifications of ambiguous
contract terms and other changes that would not adversely affect
holders of the securities. (Section 9.01)
Further Details Concerning Voting. When taking
a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much
principal amount to attribute to a security:
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For original issue discount securities, we will use the
principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting
date if the maturity of the securities were accelerated to that
date because of a default.
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For securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies or
currency units, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent
determined on the date of original issuance of these securities.
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Securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not
eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust for
you money for their payment or redemption. A security does not
cease to be outstanding because we or an affiliate of us is
holding the security. (Section 2.10)
We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date
for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding
securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under
the indenture. However, the indenture does not oblige us to fix
any record date at all. If we set a record date for a vote or
other action to be taken by holders of a
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particular series, that vote or action may be taken only by
persons who are holders of outstanding securities of that series
on the record date and must be taken within 90 days
following the record date. (Section 9.02(b))
Street
Name and other indirect holders, including holders of any
securities issued as a global security, should consult their
banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted
or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the securities
or request a waiver.
Discharge
of Our Obligations
We can fully discharge ourselves from any payment or other
obligations on the securities of any series if we make a deposit
for you with the trustee. The deposit must be held in trust for
your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders of the
securities and must be a combination of money and
U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or
bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal
and any other payments on the securities on their various due
dates.
However, we cannot discharge ourselves from the obligations
under any convertible or exchangeable securities, unless we
provide for it in the terms of these securities and the
prospectus supplement.
If we accomplish full discharge, as described above, you will
have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the
securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the
unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit
would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and
other creditors if we ever become bankrupt or insolvent.
We will indemnify the trustee and you against any tax, fee or
other charge imposed on the U.S. government obligations we
deposited with the trustee or against the principal and interest
received on these obligations.
(Sections 8.01-8.04)
Redemption
We May
Choose to Redeem Your Securities
We may be able to pay off your securities before their normal
maturity. If we have this right with respect to your specific
securities, the right will be mentioned in the prospectus
supplement. It will also specify when we can exercise this right
and how much we will have to pay in order to redeem your
securities.
If we choose to redeem your securities, we will mail written
notice to you not less than 30 days prior to redemption,
and not more than 60 days prior to redemption. Also, you
may be prevented from exchanging or transferring your securities
when they are subject to redemption, as described under
Form, Exchange and Transfer above.
(Article 3)
Liens on
Assets
The indenture does not restrict us from pledging or otherwise
encumbering any of our assets and those of our subsidiaries.
Default
and Related Matters
Ranking
Compared to Other Creditors
The securities are not secured by any of our property or assets.
Accordingly, your ownership of securities means you are one of
our unsecured creditors. The securities are not subordinated to
any of our other debt obligations and therefore they rank
equally with all our other unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness. However, the trustee has a right to receive
payment for its administrative services prior to any payment to
security holders after a default.
9
Events
of Default
You will have special rights if an event of default occurs and
is not cured, as described later in this subsection.
What Is an Event of Default? The term event of
default with respect to any series of securities means any
of the following:
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We fail to make any interest payment on a security when it is
due, and we do not cure this default within 90 days.
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We fail to make any payment of principal when it is due at the
maturity of any security or upon redemption.
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We fail to comply with any of our other agreements regarding a
particular series of securities or with a supplemental
indenture, and after we have been notified of the default by the
trustee or holders of 25% in principal amount of the series, we
do not cure the default within 90 days.
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We file for bankruptcy, or other events in bankruptcy,
insolvency or reorganization occur.
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Any other event of default described in the prospectus
supplement occurs.
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Remedies
if an Event of Default Occurs
You and the trustee will have the following remedies if an event
of default occurs:
Acceleration. If an event of default has
occurred and has not been cured or waived, then the trustee or
the holders of 25% in principal amount of the securities of the
affected series may declare the entire principal amount of and
any accrued interest on all the securities of that series to be
due and immediately payable. An acceleration of maturity may be
cancelled by the holders of at least a majority in principal
amount of the securities of the affected series, if all events
of default have been cured or waived. (Section 6.02)
Special Duties of Trustee. If an event of
default occurs, the trustee will have some special duties. In
that situation, the trustee will be obligated to use those of
its rights and powers under the indenture, and to use the same
degree of care and skill in doing so, that a prudent person
would use in that situation in conducting his or her own
affairs. (Section 7.01)
Other Remedies of Trustee. If an event of
default occurs, the trustee is authorized to pursue any
available remedy to collect defaulted principal and interest and
to enforce other provisions of the securities and the indenture,
including bringing a lawsuit. (Section 6.03)
Majority Holders May Direct the Trustee to Take Actions to
Protect Their Interests. The trustee is not
required to take any action under the indenture at the request
of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable
protection from expenses and liability. This is called an
indemnity. If the trustee is provided with an
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it, the holders of a
majority in principal amount of the relevant series of debt
securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting
any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy
available to the trustee. These majority holders may also direct
the trustee in performing any other action under the indenture.
(Section 6.05)
Individual Actions You May Take if the Trustee Fails to
Act. Before you bypass the trustee and bring your
own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to
enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the
securities, the following must occur:
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You must give the trustee written notice that an event of
default has occurred and remains uncured.
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The holders of 25% in principal amount of all outstanding
securities of the relevant series must make a written request
that the trustee take action because of the default, and must
offer indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee against
the cost and other liabilities of taking that action.
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The trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after
receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity.
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During the
60-day
period, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the
securities of that series do not give the trustee a direction
inconsistent with the request. (Section 6.06)
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However, you are entitled at any time to bring an individual
lawsuit for the payment of the money due on your security on or
after its due date. (Section 6.07)
Waiver
of Default
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the relevant
series of debt securities may waive a default for all the
relevant series of debt securities. If this happens, the default
will be treated as if it had not occurred. No one can waive a
payment default on your debt security, however, without your
individual approval. (Section 6.04)
We
Will Give the Trustee Information About Defaults
Annually
Every year we will give to the trustee a written statement of
one of our officers certifying that to the best of his or her
knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt
securities, or else specifying any default.
(Section 4.03)
The trustee may withhold from you notice of any uncured default,
except for payment defaults, if it determines that withholding
notice is in your interest. (Section 7.05)
Street
name and other indirect holders should consult their banks
or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to
or make a request of the trustee and how to make or cancel a
declaration of acceleration.
Original
Issue Discount Securities
The debt securities may be issued as original issue discount
securities, which will be offered and sold at a substantial
discount from their principal amount. Only a discounted amount
will be due and payable when the trustee declares the
acceleration of the maturity of these debt securities after an
event of default has occurred and continues, as described under
Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs
above.
Conversion
of Convertible Debt Securities
Your debt securities may be convertible into our preferred
stock, including depositary shares representing preferred stock,
or common stock, or they may be exchangeable for equity
securities of another issuer if the prospectus supplement so
provides. If your debt securities are convertible or
exchangeable, the prospectus supplement will include provisions
as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at your
option or at our option. The prospectus supplement would also
include provisions regarding the adjustment of the number of
shares of common stock or other securities you will receive upon
conversion or exchange. In addition, the prospectus supplement
will contain the conversion price or exchange price and
mechanisms for adjusting this price. In the case of exchangeable
debt securities, the prospectus supplement will set forth
information about the issuer for whose securities you would
exchange your debt, or where that information can be found.
We may
not adjust the exchange or conversion price
Unless it is specified in the prospectus supplement, we will not
adjust the exchange or conversion price of your debt securities
for interest on your securities or for any dividends payable on
the new securities you will receive. However, if you convert or
exchange your securities between a regular record date for the
payment of interest and the next following interest payment
date, you must include funds equal to the interest that would be
payable on your securities on this following interest payment
date. We are not required to issue fractional shares of
preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock, but, unless
we otherwise specify in the prospectus supplement, we will pay
you a cash adjustment calculated on the basis of the following:
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for debt securities convertible into preferred stock or
depositary shares, the liquidation preference of the series of
preferred stock;
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for common stock, the market value of the common stock; and
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for exchangeable debt securities, the market value of the
securities that you will exchange your securities for.
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Tax
Consequences
You may be deemed to have received a distribution that would be
taxed as a dividend under U.S. federal income tax law in a
number of circumstances where you receive a distribution that
results in an adjustment of the conversion or exchange price of
your securities. In other circumstances, if your conversion or
exchange price will not be adjusted, that may result in a
taxable dividend on the common stock or preferred stock that you
will receive upon conversion or on the securities that were
exchanged for debt securities.
Regarding
the Trustee
We maintain banking relationships in the ordinary course of
business with the trustee. The trustee is also the trustee under
indentures with others of our subsidiaries.
Description
of Preferred Stock
The following briefly summarizes the material terms of our
preferred stock other than pricing and related terms disclosed
in the accompanying prospectus supplement. You should read the
particular terms of any series of preferred stock we offer,
which will be described in more detail in the prospectus
supplement relating to that series. The prospectus supplement
will also state whether any of the terms summarized below do not
apply to the series of preferred stock being offered. In
addition, for each series of preferred stock, we will file a
certificate of designations containing the specific terms of the
series as an exhibit to the registration statement or we will
incorporate it by reference before we issue any preferred stock.
General
We are authorized to issue up to 9,341,708 shares of
preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share. Under our restated
certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is
authorized to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more
series. To establish a series of preferred stock our board must
set the following terms:
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the number of shares to be included in the series;
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the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of
the series;
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the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the
series; and
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the variations as between each series.
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Before we issue any series of preferred stock, our board of
directors will adopt resolutions creating and designating the
series as a series of preferred stock. Stockholders will not
need to approve these resolutions.
Terms
Contained in Prospectus Supplement
A prospectus supplement will contain the dividend, liquidation,
redemption and voting rights of a series of preferred stock. The
prospectus supplement will describe the following terms of a
series of preferred stock:
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the designation and stated value per share of the preferred
stock and the number of shares offered;
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the amount of liquidation preference per share;
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the initial public offering price at which we will issue the
preferred stock;
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the dividend rate or method of calculation, the payment dates
for dividends and the dates from which dividends will start to
cumulate;
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any redemption or sinking fund provisions;
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any conversion or exchange rights;
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whether we have elected to offer depositary shares, as described
below under Description of Depositary
Shares; and
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any additional voting, dividend, liquidation, redemption,
sinking fund and other rights or restrictions.
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No
Preemptive Rights
The holders of preferred stock will have no preemptive rights to
buy any additional shares. The preferred stock will be, when
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Neither the par value nor
the liquidation preference can show you the price at which the
preferred stock will actually trade on or after the date of
issuance. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe
some of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the
purchase and ownership of the series of preferred stock.
Description
of Depositary Shares
We may offer depositary shares evidenced by depositary receipts.
Each depositary receipt represents a fraction of a share of the
particular series of preferred stock issued and deposited with a
depositary. The fraction of a share of preferred stock which
each depositary share represents will be set forth in the
prospectus supplement relating to those depositary shares.
We will describe the transfer agent for each series of preferred
stock in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Description
of Depositary Shares
The following briefly summarizes the material provisions of the
deposit agreement and of the depositary shares and depositary
receipts, other than pricing and related terms disclosed in the
accompanying prospectus supplement. You should read the
particular terms of any depositary shares and any depositary
receipts that we offer. You should also read the deposit
agreement relating to the particular series of preferred stock
and the more detailed description of the deposit agreement in
the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also
state whether any of the generalized provisions summarized below
do not apply to the depositary shares or depositary receipts
being offered.
General
We will deposit the shares of any series of preferred stock
represented by depositary shares according to the provisions of
a deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company which
we will select as our preferred stock depositary. The depositary
must have its principal office in the United States and have a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. Each owner
of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and
preferences of the underlying preferred stock in proportion to
the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock
represented by the depositary share. These rights include
dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights.
The depositary will send you all reports and communications
which we will deliver to the depositary and which we have to
furnish to you.
The following is a summary of the deposit agreement. For more
complete information, you should read the entire agreement and
the depositary receipt. Directions on how to obtain copies of
these are provided under Where You Can Find More
Information below.
Depositary
Receipts
The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts
issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Depositary receipts
will be distributed to anyone who is buying the fractional
shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the
applicable prospectus supplement. We will either file the forms
of deposit agreement and depositary receipt as exhibits to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or we
will incorporate them by reference into that registration
statement.
While definitive engraved depositary receipts (certificates) are
being prepared, we may instruct the depositary to issue
temporary depositary receipts, which will entitle you to all the
rights of the definitive depositary receipts and be
substantially in the same form. The depositary will prepare
definitive depositary receipts without unreasonable delay, and
we will pay for the exchange of your temporary depositary
receipts for definitive depositary receipts.
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Withdrawal
of Preferred Stock
You may receive the number of whole shares of your series of
preferred stock and any money or other property represented by
those depositary receipts after surrendering the depositary
receipts at the corporate trust office of the depositary.
Partial shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the
depositary shares which you surrender exceed the number of
depositary shares that represent the number of whole shares of
preferred stock you wish to withdraw, then the depositary will
deliver to you at the same time a new depositary receipt
evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Once you have
withdrawn your preferred stock, you will not be entitled to
re-deposit that preferred stock under the deposit agreement in
order to receive depositary shares. We do not expect that there
will be any public trading market for withdrawn shares of
preferred stock.
Dividends
and Other Distributions
The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or
other cash distributions it receives on preferred stock, after
deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these
distributions in proportion to the number of depositary shares
you own. The depositary will distribute only whole
U.S. dollars and cents. The depositary will add any
fractional cents not distributed to the next sum received for
distribution to record holders of depositary shares.
In the event of a non-cash distribution, the depositary will
distribute property to the record holders of depositary shares
entitled to it, unless the depositary determines that it is not
feasible to make such a distribution, in which case the
depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and
distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.
Redemption
of Depositary Shares
If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by
depositary shares, then we will give the necessary proceeds to
the depositary. The depositary will then redeem the depositary
shares using the funds it received from us for the preferred
shares. The depositary will notify the record holders of the
depositary shares to be redeemed not less than 30 nor more than
60 days before the date fixed for redemption at the
holders addresses appearing in the depositarys
books. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal
to the applicable fraction of the redemption price payable per
share for the applicable series of the preferred stock. Whenever
we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the depositary, the
depositary will redeem the depositary shares representing the
shares of preferred stock on the same day. If fewer than all the
depositary shares of a series are to be redeemed, the depositary
shares will be selected by lot or ratably as the depositary will
decide.
After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares
called for redemption will no longer be considered outstanding.
Therefore, all your rights as holders of the depositary shares
will cease, except that you will still be entitled to receive
any cash payable upon the redemption and any money or other
property to which you were entitled at the time of redemption.
Voting
the Preferred Stock
How do you vote? The depositary will notify you of
any upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to
you, if you are a holder of record at that time. The record date
for determining if you are a holder of depositary shares is the
same as the record date for the preferred stock. The materials
you will receive will (1) describe the matters to be voted
on and (2) explain how you, on a certain date, may instruct
the depositary to vote the shares underlying your depositary
receipts as you direct. For instructions to be valid, the
depositary must receive them on or before the date specified.
The depositary will try, as far as practical, to vote the shares
as you instruct. We agree to do anything the depositary asks us
to do in order to enable it to vote as you instruct. If you do
not instruct the depositary how to vote your shares, the
depositary will abstain from voting those shares.
Conversion
or Exchange
What happens when we convert preferred stock into other
securities, or exchange it for securities of another
company? The depositary will convert or exchange all
your depositary shares on the same day that the preferred stock
underlying your depositary receipts is converted or exchanged.
In order for the depositary to do so, we will
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need to deposit the other stock, common stock or other
securities into which the preferred stock is to be converted or
for which it will be exchanged.
The exchange or conversion rate per depositary share will be
equal to:
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the exchange or conversion rate per share of preferred stock,
multiplied by the fraction of a share of preferred stock
represented by one depositary share,
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plus all money and any other property represented by the
depositary shares, and
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including all amounts paid by us for dividends that have
accrued on the preferred stock on the exchange or conversion
date and that have not yet been paid.
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The following are some more terms of conversions and exchanges
that you should keep in mind:
The depositary shares, as such, cannot be converted or exchanged
into other preferred stock, common stock, securities of another
issuer or any other securities or property of us. Nevertheless,
if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, you may
be able to surrender the depositary receipts to the depositary
with written instructions asking the depositary to instruct us
to convert the preferred stock represented by the depositary
shares into other shares of preferred stock or common stock of
us or to exchange the preferred stock for securities of another
issuer. If you have this right, we have agreed that we will
cause the conversion or exchange of the preferred stock using
the same procedures as we use for the delivery of preferred
stock. If you are only converting part of your depositary shares
represented by a depositary receipt, new depositary receipts
will be issued for any depositary shares that you do not convert
or exchange.
Taxation
As owner of depositary shares, you will be treated for
U.S. federal income tax purposes as if you were an owner of
the series of preferred stock represented by the depositary
shares. Therefore, you will be required to take into account for
U.S. federal income tax purposes income and deductions to
which you would be entitled if you were a holder of the
underlying series of preferred stock. In addition,
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no gain or loss will be recognized for U.S. federal income
tax purposes upon the withdrawal of preferred stock in exchange
for depositary shares as provided in the deposit agreement,
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the tax basis of each share of preferred stock to you as
exchanging owner of depositary shares will, upon exchange, be
the same as the aggregate tax basis of the depositary shares
exchanged for the preferred stock, and
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if you held the depositary shares as a capital asset at the time
of the exchange for preferred stock, the holding period for
shares of the preferred stock will include the period during
which you owned the depositary shares.
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Amendment
and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
How may the deposit agreement be amended? We may
agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the
form of depositary receipt without your consent at any time.
However, if the amendment adds or increases fees or charges or
prejudices an important right of holders, it will only become
effective with the approval of holders of at least a majority of
the affected depositary shares then outstanding. If an amendment
becomes effective, and you continue to hold your depositary
receipts, you are deemed to agree to the amendment and to be
bound by the amended deposit agreement.
How may the deposit agreement be terminated? The
deposit agreement automatically terminates if:
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all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed;
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each share of preferred stock has been converted into or
exchanged for common stock; or
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a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock has been
made to the holders of depositary shares in connection with our
liquidation, dissolution or
winding-up.
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We may also terminate the deposit agreement at any time we wish.
If we do so, the depositary will give you notice of termination
not less than 30 days before the termination date. Once you
surrender your depositary receipts to the depositary, it will
send you the number of whole or fractional shares of the series
of preferred stock underlying your depositary receipts.
Charges
of Depositary and the Expenses
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental
charges in connection with the existence of the depositary
arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary for the
initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption. You
will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges
and the charges that are expressly provided in the deposit
agreement to be for your account.
Limitations
on Our Obligations and Liability to Holders of Depositary
Receipts
The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the
obligations of the depositary to you. It also limits our
liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the
depositary:
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are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in
the deposit agreement in good faith;
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are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or
circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations
under the deposit agreement;
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are not liable if either of us exercises discretion permitted
under the deposit agreement;
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have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other
proceeding related to the depositary receipts or the deposit
agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party, unless
you provide us with satisfactory indemnity; and
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may rely upon any written advice of counsel or accountants and
on any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to
have been signed or presented by the proper party.
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In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to
indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Resignation
and Removal of Depositary
The depositary may resign at any time by notifying us of its
election to do so. In addition, we may remove the depositary at
any time. The resignation or removal will take effect when we
appoint a successor depositary and it accepts the appointment.
We must appoint the successor depositary within 60 days
after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and the
new depositary must be a bank or trust company having its
principal office in the United States and having a combined
capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.
Description
of Common Stock
Our authorized share capital consists of
7,010,000,000 shares, of which 7,000,000,000 are common
shares having a par value of $1.00 per share. As of
March 31, 2007, 6,224,000,000 shares of common stock
were outstanding. The common stock is listed on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol T.
The following briefly summarizes the provisions of our restated
certificate of incorporation and our bylaws that are important
for you. Both documents are incorporated by reference as
exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus
is a part, and you can obtain them as described below in
Where You Can Find More Information.
You should note that some of the provisions of our restated
certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may tend to deter
any potential unfriendly tender offers or other efforts to
obtain control of us. At the same time, these provisions will
tend to assure continuity of management and corporate policies
and to induce any persons seeking control or a business
combination with us to negotiate on terms acceptable to our
then-elected board of directors.
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General
All outstanding shares of common stock are, and any shares of
common stock offered will, when issued, be fully paid and
nonassessable.
We typically do not issue physical stock certificates. Instead,
we record evidence of your stock ownership solely on our
corporate records. However, we will issue a physical stock
certificate to you if you so request.
Holders of common stock do not have any conversion, redemption,
preemptive or cumulative voting rights. In the event of our
dissolution, liquidation or
winding-up,
common stockholders share ratably in any assets remaining after
all creditors are paid in full, including holders of our debt
securities and after the liquidation preference of holders of
preferred stock has been satisfied.
The transfer agent for the common stock is Computershare
Trust Company NA, P.O. Box 43078, Providence,
Rhode Island
02940-3078.
Dividends
Common stockholders are entitled to participate equally in
dividends when dividends are declared by our board of directors
out of funds legally available for dividends.
Voting
Rights
Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each
share for all matters voted on by common stockholders.
Election
of Directors
Holders of common stock may not cumulate their votes in the
election of directors. In an election of directors, each
director must be elected by the vote of the majority of the
votes cast with respect to that directors election. If a
nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is an
incumbent director, such incumbent director must promptly tender
his or her resignation to the board of directors, subject to
acceptance by the board of directors. The Corporate Governance
and Nominating Committee of the board of directors (the
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee) will
make a recommendation to the board of directors as to whether to
accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other
action should be taken. The board of directors will act on the
tendered resignation, taking into account the Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committees recommendation, and
publicly disclose (by a press release, a filing with the SEC or
other broadly disseminated means of communication) its decision
regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the
decision within ninety (90) days from the date of the
certification of the election results. The Corporate Governance
and Nominating Committee in making its recommendation and the
board of directors in making its decision may each consider any
factors or other information that they consider appropriate and
relevant. Any incumbent director who tenders his or her
resignation following such failure to be elected will not
participate in the recommendation of the Corporate Governance
and Nominating Committee or the decision of the board of
directors with respect to his or her resignation.
If the number of persons properly nominated for election as
directors as of the date that is ten (10) days before the
record date for the meeting at which such vote is to be held
exceeds the number of directors to be elected, then the
directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.
Other
Matters
Except as regards the election of directors as described above,
all other matters are determined by a majority of the votes
cast, unless otherwise required by law.
Quorum
At least 40% of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting must
be present in person or by proxy, in order to constitute a
quorum.
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Board of
Directors
Our bylaws provide that all directors are required to stand for
re-election every year. At any meeting of our board of
directors, a majority of the total number of the directors
constitutes a quorum.
Action
without Stockholder Meeting
Our restated certificate of incorporation also requires that
stockholders representing at least two-thirds of the total
number of shares must sign a written consent for any action
without a meeting of the stockholders.
Plan of
Distribution
We may sell securities to purchasers directly, or through
agents, dealers, or underwriters, or through a combination of
any of those methods of sale.
The distribution of the securities may be made from time to time
in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which
may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,
at prices related to these prevailing market prices or at
negotiated prices.
The securities may be sold by us or by one or more of our
subsidiaries that previously acquired the securities from us,
from other of our subsidiaries, from third parties or in the
open market. Any such subsidiary may be deemed to be an
underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933.
Through
Agents
We and the agents designated by us may solicit offers to
purchase securities. Agents that participate in the distribution
of securities may be deemed underwriters under the Securities
Act of 1933. We will name any agent that will participate in the
distribution of the securities, and any commission we will pay
to it will be described in the prospectus supplement. Any agent
will be acting on a best efforts basis for the
period of its appointment, unless we indicate differently in the
prospectus supplement.
To
Dealers
The securities may be sold to a dealer as principal. The dealer
may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices
determined by it at the time of resale. The dealer may be deemed
to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933.
To
Underwriters
The securities may also be sold to one or more underwriters and
we will then execute an underwriting agreement with them at the
time of sale. The names of the underwriters will be set forth in
the prospectus supplement, which will be used by the
underwriters to resell the securities.
Convertible,
Redeemable and Exchangeable Securities
If we choose to offer debt securities or preferred stock that is
convertible, redeemable or exchangeable into or for third-party
securities, we will identify in the applicable prospectus
supplement:
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the third party,
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the third-party securities offered,
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all documents filed by the third party pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 since the end of the third partys
last completed fiscal year, to the extent the third party is
subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange
Act, and
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the document containing the description of the third-party
securities.
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We may enter into indemnification agreements with underwriters,
dealers, agents and other persons participating in the
distribution of securities, who will then be entitled to
indemnification by us against some civil liabilities. The
indemnification covers liabilities under the Securities Act.
Delayed
Delivery Arrangements
We may authorize underwriters, dealers or other persons acting
as our agents to solicit offers from a number of institutions to
purchase securities from us. We will indicate our intention to
do this in the prospectus supplement. The contracts for these
purchases will provide for payment and delivery on a future date
or dates. These institutions include commercial and savings
banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies,
educational and charitable institutions and others and must be
approved by us. The obligations of purchasers under these
contracts will be unconditional, except that:
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at the time of delivery, the purchase of the securities shall
not be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction of the
purchaser, and
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if the securities are also being sold to underwriters, we have
to sell the securities not sold for delayed delivery to the
underwriters.
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The underwriters, dealers and other persons will not have any
responsibility for the validity or performance of these
contracts.
Validity
of Securities
Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the
validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be
passed upon for us by Mr. James D. Ellis, Senior Executive
Vice President and General Counsel of AT&T Inc., and for
any underwriters, dealers or agents by Sullivan &
Cromwell LLP, New York, New York. As of May 22, 2007,
Mr. Ellis owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of
AT&T. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP from time to time
performs legal services for AT&T Inc.
Experts
The consolidated financial statements of AT&T Inc.
incorporated by reference in AT&Ts Annual Report on
(Form 10-K)
for the year ended December 31, 2006 (including schedules
appearing therein), and AT&T managements assessment
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2006 incorporated by reference
therein which did not include an evaluation of the internal
control over financial reporting of BellSouth Corporation
(BellSouth) or AT&T Mobility LLC (formerly Cingular
Wireless LLC), have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in
its reports thereon which as to the report on internal control
over financial reporting contains an explanatory paragraph
describing the above referenced exclusion of BellSouth and
AT&T Mobility LLC from the scope of managements
assessment and such firms audit of internal control over
financial reporting, included and incorporated by reference
therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated
financial statements and managements assessment have been
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports
given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
Documents
Incorporated by Reference
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the
information we file with the SEC. This permits us to disclose
important information to you by referring to these filed
documents. Any information incorporated by reference is
considered part of this prospectus, and any information we file
with the SEC after the date of this prospectus will
automatically update and supersede this information. We
incorporate by reference the following documents and information
filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or
information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in
accordance with SEC rules):
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Our annual report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2006.
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Our quarterly report on
Form 10-Q
filed on May 4, 2007.
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Our current reports on
Form 8-K
filed on January 24, 2007, January 25, 2007,
January 25, 2007, January 30, 2007, February 7,
2007, February 13, 2007, March 15, 2007,
April 18, 2007, April 24, 2007 and April 30, 2007.
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Our current reports on
Form 8-K/A
filed on January 25, 2007 and January 29, 2007.
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Any other reports we file with the SEC pursuant to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date
of the first post-effective amendment to the registration
statement and prior to effectiveness of that amendment.
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Any documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the date of this prospectus and before the termination of the
offering. If any statement in this prospectus conflicts with any
statement in a document which we have incorporated by reference,
then you should consider only the statement in the more recent
document.
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To the extent that any information contained in any current
report on
Form 8-K,
or any exhibit thereto, was furnished to, rather than filed
with, the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not
incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
If you request them, we will provide you with a free copy of any
of the above documents, including exhibits specifically
incorporated by reference in those documents. You may make your
request by calling us at
(210) 351-3049,
or by writing to us at the following address:
AT&T Inc.s
Specialist External Reporting
AT&T Inc.
175 E. Houston Street
San Antonio, Texas
78205-2233
Where You
Can Find More Information
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, we filed a
registration statement
(No. 333-#)
relating to the securities offered by this prospectus with the
SEC. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement,
which includes additional information.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy this
information at the SECs Public Reference Room at
100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You
can also request copies of the documents, upon payment of a
duplicating fee, by writing the Public Reference Section of the
SEC. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330
for further information on the operation of the Public Reference
Room. These SEC filings are also available to the public from
the SECs web site at
http://www.sec.gov.
AT&Ts Internet address is
http://www.att.com.
20
£1,850,000,000
AT&T Inc.
£750,000,000 5.875% Global
Notes due 2017
£1,100,000,000 7.000% Global Notes due 2040
Prospectus Supplement
Joint
Book-Running Managers
Barclays Capital
Deutsche Bank
UBS Investment Bank
April 24, 2009